Who still speaks Latin? Harry Potter book available in Latin and in Welsh languages.?

I know Latin. Back in the day when Roman Catholic churches said the masses in Latin, it was a requirement for those of us attending Catholic school to learn the dead language. I don't think of Latin as a dead language, it's exclusive among certain circles of higher learning. You'd be surprised how many people know this language.

It's a good thing to know more than one language. I also know German, Polish and of course, English. I wouldn't mind owning Latin and Polish versions of Harry Potter.

I regret not having learned Latin many years ago when I was at Grammar School. I had the chance but didn't take it. Now at 67, I am trying to rectify the matter. I suppose I enjoy the challenge of learning a language. Latin was once the 'harmonising' language of Europe where the church, colleges and universities used it as a common language for teaching etc. It was used much in the same way as English is now used as a second language by most European nations. There is so much ancient literature and engravings on old monuments around our continent just begging to be understood. For instance you can follow the annotations on the Bayeux Tapestry in Latin without the aid of the English sub-titles. It's a relatively easy language to learn, and opens the doors to learning lots of other languages e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian. Why Harry Potter? well if it's been translated into lots of other languages why not Latin, or Welsh? It won't be any whole population that will be reading it, but probably school or college students as an interesting diversion in their Latin studies.

Take care,-------Benvee

I was taught Latin at school but failed the O Level (twice). I never was good at languages only got through French because I spent the summer holidays with my French cousins.

I did find Latin easier than German as it is a very logical language and of course is the root for the Romance languages such as French, Spanish, Italian.

There are still quite a large group of people touting Esperanto as a common world language. I have no experience of this language but I always wondered why they had to make up a language instead of using Latin. At one time all well educated people spoke and corresponded in Latin so they were understood anywhere they went in Europe and the colonies.

Harry Potter e-Books

http://bestfile.blogspot.com/2006/09/harry-potter-...

I don't speak Latin but I learned some in school.

I wish a Latin version of a Harry Potter book was available then - it might have encouraged me more than the uninteresting stuff I had to read then.

I've only heard of one person whose parents wanted her to speak Latin as a first language. Don't know how that's coming along and I don't know if she's old enough for Harry Potter.

But I think high school Latin (which still exists) would be more fun using Rowling than Cicero.

It's in Latin for the Pope. He is a secret Harry Potter fan.

I agree. I, too, would enjoy owning a copy of Harry Potter in latin. I know the language, and though the ancient stuff is cool, it'd be nice to read something else. it's just for interest's sake.

In Vatican... i mean,yeah, it's crazy

i've learnt Latin for two yrs in high school, it's a beautiful language but also difficult to study... well done for those who manage to read and understand Harry Potter in Latin

Probably no one speaks Latin as a native tongue

any more. It is still used in church liturgy, and some of the clerics can probably speak it, but as

a second language. The living languages nearest

to Latin are supposed to be Romanian and Romansh.