11
votes
Accepted
How to learn the vocabulary of an ancient language like Aramaic, which is based on scripture only?
In order to learn an ancient language, scholars usually rely on one (or several) of the following:
Knowledge of related extant languages. In case of Egyptian, Koptic was the clue.
Bilingual texts ...
11
votes
Accepted
How to practice speaking a language with no speakers?
First of all, most people learning dead languages aren't learning to speak, they're learning to study anthropology, literature, history, or some other field that doesn't require speaking the language.
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9
votes
How useful is studying Latin for learners of more than one Romance language?
The main advantage of learning Latin before Romance languages such as French or Spanish are based on similarities between Latin and those languages:
A lot of vocabulary in the Romance languages can ...
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8
votes
How useful is studying Latin for learners of more than one Romance language?
The four major "latin" languages lie on a continuum, with French and Spanish being the most different. Italian and Portuguese are most like Latin, but Italian is closer to French, and Portuguese is ...
- 1,859
6
votes
Accepted
How could we know that the pronunciation of an ancient language like Aramaic is correct?
In the first chapter of his book Philology ((c) 2014 Princeton University Press), James Turner describes the notation systems created by Zenodotus of Ephesus, the first "librarian" (ca. 270 BCE) of ...
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2
votes
Has anyone successfully learned to read a dead language while skipping the formal grammar study?
For Latin, there is a book called "Lingua Latina: Per Se Illustrata" (abbreviated as LLPSI) which takes an interesting approach on this. I think this is an approach worth looking into, but there are ...
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vote
Has anyone successfully learned to read a dead language while skipping the formal grammar study?
Usually you learn any language by listening, speaking, reading, writing.
Also wanted to highlight that sanskrit is not a dead language. By dead language, I assume that it is nobody really uses it ...
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