Latin -dead, or dead useful?

[bubble sunglasses]

    I'm not sure whether to do Latin, French [which I did for VCE] or a new modern language, [proly won't have space for 2.]  Just wondering how useful Latin is, also, I'm sure I'd like to speak/read at least 6 languages by the time I'm 30, not sure how much doing them at uni and the ensuing degree is helpful.    
 
     

[Eriny]

If you're interested in Latin, go for it! Although you won't be able to speak to many people (although I think a very very small percentage of Switzerland speaks a language similar to Latin plus, so does the Pope), you'll have a greater understanding of English and you'll probably pick up langiuages that originate from Latin more easily. If Latin were a viable choice for me in the VCE I think I would have chosen it.

[bubble sunglasses]

 
   Mmm thanks. Yeah, I probably wouldn't be arsed to do Latin if I didn't do it as part of a structured course, whereas others I could do mostly on my own. I think it's between Latin and French, temtping to study De Beauvoir, Baudelaire and the Existentialists in French, but I guess I could do that elsewhere as well

[Eriny]

I was told that in the first week of uni, sign up for the courses you think you're most interested in but also turn up to the lectures of the subjects you're also thinking of doing. Then, if you liked the subjects that you aren't enrolled in better, you can still change into them.

[bubble sunglasses]

 
   Yea, good idea!

[humph]

sorry to bump a dead thread...

but yeah, latin is great, did it in first semester at ANU, was brilliant (it was an arts course so didn't really count for anything, but i had nothing better to do). i personally found it a useful language; it's great to learn grammatically as its grammar is hugely influential and relevant to many indo-european (and, in particular, romantic) languages. plus of course many words in many indo-european languages come from latin, so that's a major bonus.

and eriny's advice in the post above is spot on; i already plan to go to lectures for six different courses that interest me in the first week of uni next year, before i decide which ones i'll actually stick with. chances are you'll change around a fair bit; i certainly did in my first semester of uni, went through something like 7 courses.