Good point. I guess the 19th century education was more about comprehension than composition.

I suspect most readers then couldn't construct a sentence either but deciphering a short passage when you know the context is much more doable.

Undisciplined

I agree. I only know a smattering of latin phrases and words but would be hard pressed to construct even a basic sentence that is grammatically correct. For such a foundational language to our modern world (Everything from 

) it seems a great shame that it has slipped through the fingers of most of the public.

Politics_And_Law

The pagan gods of politics [Original essay]

chungkingexpress

I agree. I only know a smattering of latin phrases and words but would be hard pressed to construct even a basic sentence that is grammatically correct. For such a foundational language to our modern world (Everything from *Principia mathematica* to *Lex mercatoria*) it seems a great shame that it has slipped through the fingers of most of the public.

Maybe a new renaissance is due?