Is Latin a dead language? In the Upper School classrooms, it is. St. Paul Academy and Summit School boasts a Cum Laude Society (Latin for “with praise”), Latin dictum on the assembly podium, and a history of teaching Latin until the 1990’s.

However, Latin is currently nowhere to be found on the SPA course list, and is an odious omission. Latin should be reincorporated into the SPA curriculum. Latin’s status as a dead language, which is to say it’s not spoken, leads to the incorrect assumption that it lacks modern applications.

The Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal by M. K. Henry estimated that 12 Latin word roots and 20 prefixes can generate over 100,000 English words. Latin is the main and most recent root language to date.

A common claim circulates that the English language’s Latin roots give scholars an unmistakable advantage in deciphering complicated words in science, and spelling and on the SAT. According to Thomas Cooper in The Modern Language Journal, Latin students score an average of 150 points higher on the SAT than students who take other languages in school.

Furthermore, within the obituary of the dearly-departed Latin language, savage rumors abound in the form of obnoxiously misused Latin phrases. For example, how can one who has never taken Latin know the proper declensions of words including “alumnus,” “alumna,” or “data”?

Malapropisms have infiltrated modern language by means of poor popular interpretation. Today, “carpe diem,” used as a synonym for “YOLO,” contradicts the authentic definition. Although “carpe diem” aphorizes the uncontrollable nature of the future, it encourages industriousness to seize present opportunities rather than reject opportunity for momentary pleasure, so it’s more about prudence or temperance. The use of Latin phrases beyond the most common and conventional ones is troublesome without learning their basic Latin origins.

E.G., exempli gratia, “for the sake of an example,” has a subtle but significant difference from “i.e.” or id est which means “that is.” Just a dose of Latin education can correct unintended blunders, greatly improving vocabulary and perceived intelligence.

Eventually, after bonding with Latin philosophers and puzzling over Latin’s charming irregular verb forms, students may even become Latin language lovers. Furthermore, SPA welcomes classically-educated students; however, these former Latin scholars are forced to discontinue their progress toward Latin literacy in the school setting.

Latin’s potential did not fall with the Roman Empire. Rather, Latin’s deceased status makes it a unique contribution to every curriculum. Before the school can resurrect Latin in the curriculum, the student body must show interest in rejuvenating this lost language.

If a student is a potential scientist, anthropologist, lawyer, or linguist, he should confabulate with his favorite science, history, debate, or English teacher on the common Latin roots of their subject’s specific vocabulary.

As the omnipresence of Latin is recognized by SPA scholars, the administration should restore the ruins in the language hallway by reinstating Latin in the course list.

And, after all, Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur, i.e. Whatever is said in Latin sounds profound.