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Course image Latin for Genealogists
Intermediate Methodology
ME-205: Latin for Genealogists
Course Summary:

Important notice: The ME-205 Latin for Genealogists course becomes a mandatory Methodology course and a prerequisite to ME-302 - Palaeography: Reading and Understanding Historical Documents as of 1 January 2025. All students who have not finished the full Intermediate Methodology Certificate by 12-31-24 will need to add this course to your program. For those who have completed Basic and Intermediate Methodology Certificate, the course will be an elective option.

Latin is a complex language. Why learn a “dead” language? Genealogists experience Latin through historical documents. The surprise to most learning a language not used conversationally is how much Latin is used still today in business, medical, and legal documents.

Though you’ll learn what you need for historical research, enjoy how Latin enhances and helps you understand business, legal, medical, and scientific terminology in today’s modern world, too. One more benefit, Latin is the foundational language to many still spoken. Understanding basic terms means your sleuthing skills in Latin-based languages like French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian. There are others in the Romance Languages. But you’ll be closer to solving brick walls with this arrow in your quiver.

This course provides guidance and introduces  basic written Latin, as well as an understanding of sentence structure. A number of word guides are provided and aid in the comprehension of how Latin words are used sentences. Example entries of Latin documents from different countries are shown along with transcriptions and translations. Be sure to study these  samples for familiarity.

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Contact Hours: 18
Grading Scale: 70% Tests/30% Assignments
Course Length: 7 weeks

Course Content

MODULE 1

LATIN LANGUAGE
Introduction
Medievel Latin, Classical Latin, Church or Ecclesiastical Latin

Language Characteristics

  • Latin Alphabet
  • Inflections
  • Gender
  • Latin Case
  • Voice
Numbers – Cardinal, Ordinal, & Roman Numerals
  • Recording of Money
Dates & Times
  • Date Formats
  • Time
  • Months of the Year
Recommended Reading and Resources
Module 1 Course Assignments

MODULE 2

LATIN DICTIONARIES & MORE
Latin-English Dictionaries

  • Online Latin Dictionaries
  • Online Translators
Latin Word List

Latin Abbreviations

  • Medical Abbreviations
Latin Given Names
Language Help
Recommended Resources
Module 2 Course Assignments

MODULE 3

LATIN GRAMMAR
Nouns

  • General Rules for Genders
  • Declensions
Latin Verbs
  • Present Tense of Verbs
  • First Conjugation Verbs
  • Latin Negatives
  • Second Conjugation Verbs
  • Third Conjugation Verbs
  • Fourth Conjugation Verbs
  • Fifth Conjugation or Irregular Verbs
  • The Passive Voice
  • More Tenses of Verbs
Adjectives
Pronouns
Prepositions
Vocabulary
Recommended Resources
Module 3 Course Assignments

MODULE 4

LATIN IN RECORDS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES
English Records
  • Baptismal Records
    • Practical Exercise
  • Marriage Records
    • Practical Exercise
  • Burial Records
    • Practical Exercise
  • Probate Records
  • Probate Courts
  • Medical Prescriptions
Irish Records
  • Irish Roman Catholic Parish Registers
Scottish Records

Italian Records

  • Cursive Script of North-Central Italy
  • Influence of the Papacy and the Vatican Court
  • Notarial Latin
  • Council of Trent
  • Practical Application
Recommended Reading and Resources
Module 4 Course Assignments

APPENDIX

Recommended Reading
Additional Resources

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