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Better late than never, it’s Episode 9, wherein we hear Eberhard the German’s description of his own doomed conception, after a fashion, by which he introduces his handbook of Latin composition, the Laborintus.
This episode’s text:
- Eberhard the German. “The Laborintus of Eberhard: Rendered into English with Introduction and Notes.” Trans. Evelyn Carson. Diss. Cornell University, 1930. Print.
Image: Wellcome Library, MS 49, fol. 42r. “Uroscopy Chart.”
As an English teacher myself I can’t help but laugh at the font of tears. My students surely may think that about their textbooks. I have a couple of questions for you, though I’m aware you may not delve this deeply back in the comments. Do your students listen to your podcast?
Secondly, I came here not originally not as a teacher of grammar but as a tabletop roleplaying game master (i.e. Dungeons and Dragons). I wonder if there isn’t a segment of your fan base that is interested in medieval weirdness from that standpoint?
Re: Conversational Latin.
In 1940, my grandfather (a Presbyterian minister), Grandmother and my Mom (then 16) went to Blackpool while my grandfather recovered from a heart attack. The hotel was also where Polish pilots were billeted while they were training with the RAF. Two of the pilots made their acquaintance.
The pilots knew barely any English and that mostly very rudimentary… or related to their flying training. My grandparents, of course, spoke no Polish. The pilots did speak French as they had stayed in France before the occupation. My grandparents spoke no French.
However, thanks to the fact that schools across Europe taught Latin, they, including my Mom, were taught Latin. So they all conversed in Latin! Until his death in 1945, my grandfather kept in contact through the War with one of the pilots, Alozy Dreja. The other pilot whose name I don’t know, was killed in a training accident. Alozy’s English rapidly improved and he wrote several letters to my grandfather. I still have one which includes two beautifully hand-painted Christmas cards and a, now completely pulverized Polish Christmas wafer.
All my life I lived with this story and Alozy was always on my mind. Some years ago I started trying to find out if he survived the War. He had! I started trying to find any relatives so I could pass along the letter and card. In my Googling, I kept coming across the name Chris Dreja, one of the founding members of the Yardbirds. I kept dismissing him in my mind… Finally, I decided to email Chris through his agent.
I woke the next morning to an email from Chris confirming that Alozy was, indeed his father! I was able to tell my Mom that, although Alozy was deceased, I had contacted his son. Mom had Alzheimer’s but was still aware enough to be thrilled at the news.
I just wanted you to know that conversational Latin brought two people from distant countries together.
Please excuse any typos… I am awaiting cataract surgery and can’t see very well.