When opening up Powerschool to select next year's class, students at PHS are blessed with six language options; the outlier among these offers is doubtlessly Latin, the only dead language. It is natural to wonder if this option should be preserved; not only is Latin the only language you cannot speak, it is arguably the most grammatically complex. After freshman year, I could say little more than “hello,” “goodbye,” and “the farmer killed the emperor.” There are also little to no travel prospects associated with the language, save a trip to the Vatican. Despite this, I and many of my peers still select this dying language at the end of every year, for reasons that go beyond its application in travel and conversation.

In eighth grade, I decided not to continue with French, a language I disliked and struggled with due to its pronunciation challenges. Most of the other options like Italian or Spanish were also spoken languages, which would inevitably have the same problems as French. Eager to escape the complexity of living languages, I decided to choose Latin. Many current Latin students have similarly dispassionate reasons for taking the language. Just as I did when I began freshman year, they may wish for an easier language class to fulfill a requirement. Others may see the unweighted course as a break or virtual free period, relieving students overwhelmed by AP classes. Lynda Danvers, one of two Latin teachers at PHS, notes that a common motivation is the language's ability to “help with the SATs.” However, students have many other reasons to take the course. Valen Roden ’26, a student in AP Latin, cited the “really good sense of community,” as a primary reason for taking the course. In the classroom and through Latin-related extracurriculars such as Latin Club and Certamen, students have the opportunity to meet others who appreciate the language as much as they do. Danvers supported this outlook, remarking that pupils of hers have taken Latin after family members “pass down [a] love” for the language and its environment.

In some cases, a student may choose the course specifically for its content, often to explore the mythological and historical aspects of Latin. According to Danvers, “Latin is the only language in which you can spend a day just reading mythology and talking about the gods and goddesses.” Although this may seem trivial, there is an unfortunate lack of opportunities to study classical myth and history at most schools (although Princeton is blessed to also offer a purely mythology-focused elective, it does not substantially cover history). This focus on ancient texts and cultures is invaluable, especially given the loss of ancient history in broader school curriculums. Indeed, the removal of ancient material from AP World History in 2015 made sixth-grade social studies the only opportunity to pursue this topic in a core class.

Furthermore, a strong base in this language can lead to a multitude of benefits for students, even after they graduate. Beyond enhancing vocabulary, and potentially leading to a higher SAT verbal score, the roots learned in a Latin classroom are applicable for career fields like medicine and law, or for those seeking a better grasp of the English language. Latin helps native English speakers improve their understanding of words and grammar, which can yield greater reading comprehension and ability to articulate. Additionally, an understanding of Latin makes it easier to learn the many Romance languages based on it, some of which are offered at PHS, like Italian or Spanish, and others, like Romanian, that are not. Since Latin serves as the foundation for the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure of such languages, a knowledge of Latin can lay the framework to later learn, or at least have a working knowledge of, other languages.

Beyond its linguistic benefits, Latin also improves cognitive skills. Danvers explains that studying Latin and translating texts, a process that is complex and requires deliberate attention to detail, enhances logical skills and problem-solving. Overall, she believes that experiences in a Latin classroom can “help develop skills in solving puzzles which provides a “practical application in every discipline...from English...to math,” thereby yielding both cross-subject applications and analytic skills that can prepare students to tackle problems in a variety of fields.

Despite its reputation as a “dead language”, Latin proves invaluable to students who choose to breathe life into an ancient culture. Although many of its benefits are not as overt as in other traditional languages, Latin is an integral branch of our world language program that more students should take advantage of. The knowledge and skills gained from studying this ancient language can have a lasting impact on students’ academic and professional lives for years after they leave our school.