Latin is also a big language used in Magickal context too. My eventual goal is Latin, Hebrew, Greek and Arabic, so I can read all those wonderful magical texts that still haven't been translated. French and German would probably help too, cuz there is a lot that have been translated but not into english...
Speaking of which, I have been meaning to write you about magic and ritual, but I’m having trouble deciding where to begin. I haven't forgotten, just haven't had time to think/write anything out. Perhaps you have some ideas on where to start?
Took four years of it in high school... The technical aspects are useful in learning French and classical Spanish, to be sure. I'm not fluent by any stretch anymore, but I do use it. I've resigned myself to being good with accents, as I can sing nearly any language well without necessarily 'knowing' it. If I ever wanted to learn another language, though, it would be classical church Russian. Yum.
Way back in the dark ages, when I was in High School, my graduating school offered French, Spanish, German, and Latin. I had been taking French the year before, but the French classes were full, and I wasn't wanting to start another language in my senior year. I had a friend who spoke french fluently, so I spoke with him and did the best I could to butcher, um I mean not butcher the language. Later the church sent me to South America, where I learned Chilean Spanish, which after now more than 20 years, I still speak rather well
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Yeah, I thought Latin would help when I became a veterinarian... Of course, once I discovered how much mathematics were required in medical science I kinda shifted my career ideals. But the school required at least three years in any one language, so I stuck with it (and added French 1 and 2 during Latin 3 and 4; big mistake.)
The only Russian I 'know' is that in which Rachmaninoff wrote his All-Night Vigil, one of the most glorious choral works I've been priveleged to perform. It's remarkably clean and rich, and just a glorious language, but rather antique when compared to modern colloquial Russian. Kinda like the comparison from Basque to Mexican, if you will.
Heh... learning languages one will never use. I study German, French, and Russian. For fun. I never intend to actually *need* these languages... I suppose in the "oportunities to speak" realm, they are more "useful" but really, I just study them because they they make me happy.
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Speaking of which, I have been meaning to write you about magic and ritual, but I’m having trouble deciding where to begin. I haven't forgotten, just haven't had time to think/write anything out. Perhaps you have some ideas on where to start?
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You took Latin? I was operating under the assumption that I would be all alone! What a welcome surprise!
What is Classical Church Russian as opposed to standard Russian? I've never heard of it...
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Yeah, I thought Latin would help when I became a veterinarian... Of course, once I discovered how much mathematics were required in medical science I kinda shifted my career ideals. But the school required at least three years in any one language, so I stuck with it (and added French 1 and 2 during Latin 3 and 4; big mistake.)
The only Russian I 'know' is that in which Rachmaninoff wrote his All-Night Vigil, one of the most glorious choral works I've been priveleged to perform. It's remarkably clean and rich, and just a glorious language, but rather antique when compared to modern colloquial Russian. Kinda like the comparison from Basque to Mexican, if you will.
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Conjugate on, my friend!
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