For those who think Latin is a dead language, think again.
The Baker Vniversity Lifeless Langvage Association is reviving Latin on campus by re-creating a group devoted to learning and understanding the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean.
The group was created in 2002 by students who were interested in studying the Latin language. After the Latin course was cut due to budget reasons, students remained interested in learning the language and approached John Richards, associate professor of history, about creating this organization.
“There were students who wanted to continue to keep Latin alive,” Richards said. “I couldn’t teach the formal course, but I was happy to help people set up whatever it is that they wanted.”
Members will learn Latin using a self-taught program with a textbook and will be able to check their work with others’. Richards will be available to the students to help in any way he can.
Many consider Latin to be a dead language, but it is the base of many other languages used around the world.
“It’s maintained artifically,” Richards said. “The romance languages, French, Italian, Portugese, Spanish and Romania, are all directly descended from Latin. So, it lives through that.”
Members of the club simply want to develop a better understanding of the language and how to speak it.
“I had to take Latin in middle school, so it would be really cool to build on what I already knew,” junior Hannah Schaake said.
Learning Latin is not the only aspect of BVLLA; they will also host events.
The group will meet at 7 p.m. every other Sunday in the NLC second floor classroom. It will host Circus Maximus, an event that will include Roman games such as a discus throw, foot race and gladiatorial games. Entry to the event will be a food donation, which will be collected for the Baldwin City Food Pantry.
Meetings will also include movie nights, with movies themed around the ancient world.
Richards projects membership to be around 20 people, with varying numbers at each of the meetings. Because clubs must renewed each year as chartered organizations, members of BVLLA are now working on a petition to be re-chartered.
Each member has a different reason for participating in BVLLA, but they are all bound together through enthusiasm for learning about the past.
“This is what I teach. My primary area of focus as a professor is ancient Rome and ancient Greece,” Richards said. “So, for me it’s important to keep the interest alive. I’m very enthusiastic about teaching about the ancient world.”
For other members, the club is a way to express themselves and their true interests.
“It’s kind of one of those things where, like Richards always says, ‘bring your inner nerd out,’” senior Melissa Hasty said. “So, that’s what we’ll do.”
