LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE
This is the third level in Comenius' Vocabulary learning series to learn Latin vocabulary.
Before studying the Janua Linguarum Reserata text you should first study the Januae Latinitatis VESTIBULUM and the ORBIS SENSUALIUM PICTUS. Both of these texts have audio lessons produced by the Latinum Institute, and these texts and their recordings can be found in the Beginner Latin and Beginner Plus listings.
Comenius recognised that the main impediment to learning Latin was not, oddly enough, the grammar, but the massive mountain of vocabulary a student needs to learn to be able to read Classical Texts.
This is why the Latinum Institute places such an emphasis on bilingual recordings, and shadowing; these are the fastest way to learn massive amounts of vocabulary rapidly, while maintaining interest in your studies.
Learning Latin vocabulary with flashcards etc is mind numbingly boring - learning with text is somewhat better - and you get to learn the words in their natural habitat; vocabulary learned in context is better understood. You are more likely to stay the course this way.
Comenius thought that a vocabulary of around 8,000 words was needed at the bare minimum. We now know, through sophisticated computer analysis of the Latin corpus, that this number is nearer 10,000 words.
This system of learning through text is ancient, and there is an interesting discussion of this method in this article by Ernest Blum, in 'The America Scholar', 2008. The earliest examples of this sort of text that survive are the somewhat unfortunately named "hermeneumata"; our examples date to the second century. Comenius deliberately set out to copy this format, and we can say with confidence that his teaching system is authentically Roman!
Comenius wrote his Januae Latinitatis Vestibulum, Januae Latinitatis Fundamentum, Orbis Sensualium Pictus, and the Janua Linguarum Reserata in order to address this issue. We begin the audio here on page 48 (pdf numbering) of this pdf.
In this Reverse Shadowing recording of the Janua Linguarum Reserata you listen to me read the English slowly and deliberately, while looking over the Latin yourself. The word order does not match exactly, as Comenius' text is not presented as an ordo verborum; however, the sentences are simple enough that you can negotiate them as they are, as my English reading speed is deliberately slow.
You can find more information on the Latinum Institute Website.
