Things Wot I Am Not Pleased With

[tenlittlebullets]

Dear math teacher,

Look, I appreciate the lack of busywork, but giving us just a few really hard problems a week isn't much better. And I wouldn't be complaining if you had completely not realized that nobody in the class was going to get questions 4 or 5, but emailing us hints at 8pm the night before the assignment is due... yeah, fail.

Dear Latin textbook,

Just because we had 'cognoscere' in the vocab a couple chapters ago (with "cp. noscere" tucked into the etymology even though you never told us what it means) does NOT mean you get to toss the pluperfect subjunctive of 'noscere' into a homework sentence, especially since its entry in the glossary has NO DEFINITION OR PRINCIPAL PARTS, just 'see cognoscere.' Fuck you up the ass and I bet there will only be two or three people in class tomorrow who figured out what verb 'novisset' even COMES FROM.

Dear self,
STOP PROCRASTINATING ON YOUR MATH HOMEWORK and go finish questions 4 and 5. Jesus, it's almost one in the morning.

Comments

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

Latin dictionaries are your friend :-D

http://archives.nd.edu/latgramm.htm

Also: http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/whitakerwords.html

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

I know, but I have to hole myself up far, far away from the interwebs to do my homework if I want to have any hope of getting it done. In any case, now I get to feel all smart and stuff for figuring it out without a dictionary. :D

(yes I know a dictionary is pretty much necessary for translating Real Latin, but it's sneaky and unfair to use random unexplained vocab in a silly homework exercise.)

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

But that's how real latin works too! :-D

It might drive you nuts, but I doubt muchly that your prof will be horrified if you hadn't figured it out. But yeah, also investing in a real Latin dictionary is a good idea too. So you can hole yourself up without the temptations of the internet.

Also, this probably won't work for anyone else, but I found that listening to the Aida OBC made my Latin hw go faster. I have no idea why. It's crazy.

[Edit] Oh yeah, and if you get stuck on a word and don't have a dictionary handy, put it aside until you can log on, check really quickly, and then fill it in.

And which book are you using, btw?

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

We're using Wheelock, which makes me happy in my language pants because it's all straightforward and grammar-happy. (And usually pretty good about annotating random vocab that shows up in the homework, so I don't know wtf happened this chapter.) Only thing is they stick ALL the irregular verbs (except esse and posse because they couldn't freaking avoid them) in the last seven chapters so they don't have to list all the exceptions whenever they introduce a new verb form. Like, we're only getting ferre right now in chapter 31, now that we've learned all the finite verb forms, and then velle/nolle/malle next chapter, and fieri and ire at the very very end.

I suppose I really should invest in a dead-tree Latin dictionary, since we're almost done with Wheelock and the professor said that after we finish we'll be translating a lot of Catullus. Any dictionary recommendations?

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

Eh, I have a few "pocket" ones myself and don't find any particularly better than others. Um, if you want to spend tons of money for the awesomeness of the Oxford Latin Dictionary, sometimes it's on sale at OUP.com. ;-)

I found Wheelock dry and boring, but I think that's mostly because I looked at it after I already knew some Latin. Ecce Romani was nice and entertaining and had *great* charts in the back.

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

Haha, that's why I like Wheelock--straight-up no-bullshit grammar. I had a semester at another school with the Oxford Latin Course, and the silly illustrations and cute stories kind of made me want to vomit after a while.

Also awesome: Wheelock gives lengthy lists of English derivatives for all the vocabulary words, which aside from being really shiny for philology nerds like me, helps everyone keep their principal parts straight.

[ladyshrew.livejournal.com]

Oh but the Ecce stories were so ridiculous that they were mockable and thus fun. ;-) Plus there was a story with pirates. And it was very slashy. ::nods::

I think Ecce did the derivatives too, but maybe it was just me finding derivative sin my head.