The Latin Language

By Leonard Robert Palmer

Book Overview

This excellent study traces the relation of Latin to other Indo-European languages and guides the reader lucidly through Latin phonology, morphology, and syntax. It should prove fascinating not only... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0571068138
• ISBN13: 9780571068135
• Release Date: January 1977
• Publisher: Humanities Press Intl
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A useful survey

The best part about this scholarly book is Palmer's development of the somewhat constricted literary language of Classical Latin out of the wider context of the dialects and varying usages of Latium and its environs. Readers should be aware that this is a historical survey of Latin, not a reference grammar or a book to learn the language from. Prior knowledge of the basics of Latin grammar is assumed. In tracing the history of the language, the book necessarily gives a history of Roman literary styles, from the age of Cato and Ennius to the Christian period. While this is not a comprehensive treatment of Latin literature, it is informative. The extensive etymological and comparative information in this book, on the other hand, is somewhat dated, since it was written in a period before the laryngeal theory had thoroughly penetrated Indo-European studies. Its treatment of Latin among the Italic dialects fares somewhat better.