Light

Latin

Definition

Latin is an ancient language originally spoken by Romans. During Middle Ages, it served as a lingua franca for education, religion, and scholarly works across Europe.

Analogy

Think of Latin like an old programming language. It's not widely used today but has greatly influenced many modern languages (like English or Spanish). Just as knowing C++ can help you understand other coding languages better, learning Latin can enhance your understanding of Romance languages.

Related terms

Romance Languages: These are modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin between sixth and ninth centuries. They include Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Romanian.

Classical Antiquity: A broad term for a long period of cultural history centered around Mediterranean Sea comprising Ancient Greece & Rome known as Greco-Roman world.

Vulgar Latin: The colloquial form of the Latin language used by common people differing from Classical Latin which was used in literature and formal contexts.