Summary
In this conversation, Loïs Talagrand interviews Eleanor Dickey, a professor of classics, about her insights into language learning, particularly Latin and Greek in antiquity. They discuss the motivations behind learning these languages, the methods used in ancient times, and the relevance of these methods in modern language acquisition. Eleanor shares her personal experiences with language learning and teaching, emphasizing the importance of enjoyable and engaging methods for effective learning. The conversation also touches on modern experiments in language teaching and the potential for achieving high levels of proficiency through dedicated practice and memorization.
Takeaways
- Learning Greek was essential for educated Romans due to its literary significance.
- Greek speakers learned Latin primarily for legal and military purposes.
- Ancient language learners used papyrus fragments for exercises and textbooks.
- Bilingual dialogues were a common method for language learning in antiquity.
- Grammar instruction included learning paradigms and syntax, often through memorization.
- Modern experiments show that active learning methods can significantly improve language proficiency.
- Personal experiences in language learning highlight the importance of engaging materials.
- Memorization of vocabulary lists and dialogues was a key part of ancient learning methods.
- Achieving near-native proficiency in a second language was possible in ancient times.