Oxford Latin Course, College Edition: Grammar, Exercises, Context

Good for learning Latin!

Great

rather good

This addition is not worth it (3rd edition). It has cut material from the original course and has less. The 2nd edition is much better (see Amazon) and has beautiful pictures and lot's of history. The teacher's guides from the 2nd edition are also wonderful with additional information and answers. This edition here, NEW 3rd edition, does not have a teacher's guide, so no answers.

I bought this text with its companion book of grammatical instruction and exercises for a college Latin class. On the plus side, the vibrant colors and the historical and cultural tidbits make the book attractive. The stories in Latin, which are the basis for the introduction of grammar and vocabulary, are also interesting, subject to the criticism below:1. Many words critical to the stories are not listed in the glossary. Often these are words that have multiple meanings or nuances and are therefore precisely the kind of words for which a beginner requires guidance.2. The stories (and sometimes exercises) introduce grammatical forms which are not explained until muchlater in the workbook, which complicates translation. This may be necessary in order to offer a stimulating story, but I believe that the student would approach the material with more confidence and retain it better if the narratives were based solely on the grammar and vocabulary of of the current and prior chapters. I find that ending a chapter with a hazy understanding of some future grammatical concept has not helped me master the language.3. The companion book simply does not contain enough exercises to provide the repetitive drilling needed to master sight recognition of word-endings.4. Flipping between the two books is an inefficient way to study.I found that I could make up for some these deficiencies by adding a Latin Dictionary and a book of supplemental exercises.

My Latin instructor, as well as most of the class, does not like this book! The previous edition was already lacking in organization and sufficient explanation of concepts and now, with this edition, they basically crammed what used to be about four semesters of Latin into just two. I'm happy now that I'm done and have learned in two semesters what previously took almost four, but it was thanks to dozens of supplementary hand-outs from my instructor and even a supplementary set of notes bound and published by the Classics department at my university...very little thanks to this book.

Latin is a dead language not a modernized and socialized living entity; Latin is for the historians, theologians, scholars and philosophers and poets who wish to study "language" and not 'a language, which is how this book is design. This text treats the language as if I were to study Spanish and then use it in public among my peers. No, this is a dead language. Moreover, the text merely skims the surface and simplifies the actual language within the passages.

The entire dictionary section is missing from the back of the book, it had been cut out with scissors meticulously. It wasn't apparent at first, but now that my daughter is using the book in school, she noticed when she was looking for the dictionary. It's really a shame! Otherwise, it would have been great.

Great book and service.

Oxford Latin Course COLLEGE EDITION is a huge waste of anyone's time. They have neglected ENTIRELY the letter 'v' so simple words, such as vocat (he/she calls) and vox (voice) are not uocat and uox, which is not only a stupid choice to make given that ancient and Medieval Latin regularly uses 'v' but it is also a COMPLETE DEPARTURE from the original 3 part Oxford Latin Course. I have nothing but good things to say about the old three part system (especially since you can buy the teacher's editions and self teach). What I thought would be a really good way to review Latin was a complete waste of money. Had I known that OUP did this, I would never have bought it. Can't return it now as I bought it months in advance to when I was going to use it...