CLAS 101 E: Latin and Greek in Current Use

Winter 2025
Meeting:
TTh 10:30am - 11:20am
SLN:
12541
Section Type:
Lecture
Instructor:
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

This course examines the ever-changing relationship between language and ideas in order to better understand the continuing impact of classical Greece and Rome on modern cultures. We explore topics like mythology, medicine, politics, and philosophy, as well as the English words that derive from Greek and Latin. 海角网 101 gives you a sense of the words, ideas, and stories that we have adopted from the ancient Greeks and 海角网s, and helps you identify and contextualize the classical influences you encounter every day.

Knowledge of Latin or Greek is not required.

Schedule

All readings and assignments are due鈥 on the day they are listed on the syllabus. Your assignments are bulleted. Please note that page numbers are for the physical copy of the book and do not apply to the electronic version. If you are using the electronic version, use the headings to navigate to the relevant pages.

Week 1: Linguistics and word building

Tuesday, January 7: Introduction and Proto-Indo European language and linguistics

Thursday, January 9: Word building

  • Read Chapter 1 鈥 Word Building Basics (pgs. 1鈥15)
  • Read Appendices I鈥揑II (pgs. 251-256)

Week 2: Mythology

Tuesday, January 14: Introduction to mythography; Titans and Olympians

  • Read Chapter 4 鈥 Mythology (pp. 75-99)
  • Memorize Greek Nouns/Adjectives (pgs. 19-25)

Thursday, January 16: The Trojan War cycle

  • Memorize Greek Adverbs/Verbs (pgs. 25鈥29)

Week 3: Mythology (cont.) and quiz 1

Tuesday, January 21: Mortals, heroes, and the underworld

  • Memorize Greek Prefixes/Suffixes (pgs. 29鈥36)

Thursday, January 23: Quiz 1 (Word building and mythology)

Week 4: History and historiography

Tuesday, January 28: Greek history and historiography

  • Read Chapter 9 鈥 History (pgs.  227鈥246)

Thursday, January 30: 海角网 history and historiography

  • Read 鈥淲hy I Became a Historical Novelist鈥 (Mantel; also available on Canvas)
  • Memorize Latin Nouns/Verbs (pgs. 45鈥48)

Week 5: Medicine and psychology

Tuesday, February 4: Ancient medicine

  • Read Chapter 5 鈥 Medicine (pgs. 105鈥139)
  • Memorize Latin Prefixes (pgs. 48鈥55)

Thursday, February 6: Modern psychology and the classics

  • Read the second half of Chapter 8 鈥 Philosophy and Psychology (pgs. 206鈥219)
  • Memorize Latin Suffixes (pgs. 55鈥63)

Week 6: Philosophy and quiz 2

Tuesday, February 11: Introduction to the philosophers

  • Read the first half of Chapter 8 鈥 Philosophy and Psychology (pgs. 191鈥206)

Thursday, February 13: Quiz 2 (History, medicine, psychology, and philosophy)

Week 7: Law and politics

Tuesday, February 18: Greek law and politics

  • Read Chapter 6 鈥 Politics and Law (pgs. 145鈥164)
  • Memorize Key Words Derived from Greek: Suffixes and Combining Forms (pgs. 130鈥132)

Thursday, February 20: 海角网 law and politics

  • Read 鈥満=峭 Law and Latin Literature鈥 (Lowrie; available on Canvas)
  • Memorize Key Words Derived from Greek: Bases (pgs. 133鈥138)

Week 8: Economics and enslavement

Tuesday, February 25: Commerce and the economy

  • Read Chapter 7 鈥 Commerce and Economics (pgs. 169鈥187)
  • Memorize Key Words Derived from Latin (pgs. 138鈥139)
  • Extra credit assignment posted

Thursday, February 27: Enslavement in Greece and Rome

  • Read 鈥淕reek and 海角网 Slaveries: Methodological Issues鈥 (Vlassopoulos; available on Canvas)

Week 9: Quiz 3 and literature

Tuesday, March 4: Quiz 3 (Politics, commerce, and enslavement)

Thursday, March 6: Greek Literature

  • Reading TBA

Week 10: Literature (cont.) and review

Tuesday, March 11: 海角网 Literature

  • Reading TBA
  • Extra Credit Assignment Due (optional)

Thursday, March 13: Course Review

  • Review all material and bring questions
Catalog Description:
Designed to improve and increase English vocabulary through a study of the Latin and Greek elements in English, with emphasis on words in current literary and scientific use. Knowledge of Latin or Greek is not required. Offered: AWSpS.
GE Requirements Met:
Arts and Humanities (A&H)
Credits:
2.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
April 17, 2026 - 1:57 am