Is Latin a Dead Language? Answering the Age-Old Question

Is Latin a dead language? Discover the answer to this complex question and learn how the ancient language still influences modern languages.

Unless you took Latin in school (or you’re a time traveler from Ancient Rome), you probably don’t speak Latin every day. But Latin still influences your conversations more than you think, especially if you’re a lawyer, doctor, or university student.

So, is Latin a dead language after all? Find out what defines a dead language, how we still use Latin today, and whether or not people still speak Latin in the world today (not including Roman time travelers).

What is a dead language?

A dead language is one that no one learns as their native language. Though many scholars and linguists can read and understand these languages, and even speak them in some cases, they did not learn them as their first language.

There are over 1,100 dead languages in human history, including Latin, Ancient Greek, Old English, Ancient Hebrew, and other languages that are no longer spoken today. Instead, they evolved into new forms of their original languages (modern Greek, English, and Hebrew).

Dead vs. extinct languages

Some people use “dead language” and “extinct language” interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Both dead and extinct languages have no native speakers, but extinct languages aren’t used or spoken at all. Students don’t learn them, linguists do not analyze them, and they’re not the primary languages of texts still in use.

Why is Latin considered a dead language?

Latin is the most common example of a dead language. Spoken throughout the expansive Roman Empire from about 700 B.C.E. to 500 C.E., Latin has no modern native speakers, making it technically “dead.” But why is Latin a dead language if students still learn it in school?

The answer is slightly complex. Most scholars divide Latin into two dialects: Classical Latin, which was spoken by classical writers and philosophers like Cicero and Virgil, and Vulgar Latin, which was spoken by Roman soldiers and common people. 

Records for Classical Latin stop appearing after the 6th century C.E., which is why that form of Latin is considered dead. Vulgar Latin, however, stretched to all corners of Europe and eventually evolved into modern-day Romance languages like Spanish, Italian, and French. But like Classical Latin, Vulgar Latin itself has no native speakers in the 21st century.

Does anybody still speak Latin?

Besides the numerous Latin influences on English and other languages, is there anyone who speaks Latin as an everyday language? The answer is yes, and we don’t just mean multilingual polyglots (although they probably speak Latin quite well).

Croatia and Hungary listed Latin as an official language all the way through the 19th century. And today, Latin is still one of the official languages of Vatican City. Mass in the Holy See still takes place in Latin, and the Pope even tweets in Latin on one of his accounts!

And Latin is starting to make a comeback as a learned language around the world. Many students still learn Latin in school today in language programs and classical education practices, which emphasize educational practices from ancient Greece and Rome. You can even learn Latin online with programs like Rosetta Stone!

However, even with all this Latin learning happening around the world, Latin is still considered a dead language as long as it has no native speakers.

How we still use Latin every day

You don’t have to speak Classical or Vulgar Latin to use Latin in your everyday life! From Latin daughter dialects to specific terminology, you’ll find hints of this supposedly dead language in many living forms.

Latin-based Romance languages

Romance languages are the most prominent connection to Vulgar Latin we have today. Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Romanian are the most common Romance languages, but many languages in the Indo-European language family include Latin influences. Even Germanic languages like English have Latin vocabulary and grammar traits!

Medical terminology

One form of Latin is decidedly not dead in the modern world. Medical Latin originated in the Middle Ages with the 1478 publication of De Medicina by Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a first-century Roman physician and medical writer. Celsus’ Latinized existing Greek terms and Latin medical terms became the official language of medicine across cultures.

While modern doctors don’t write or speak in medical Latin, these terms and phrases continue in today’s medical terminology, which allows medical care to be more standardized. 

You’ll also find hints of Latin in common medical abbreviations. For example, N.P.O. is a common abbreviation meaning “Nothing by mouth,” which doesn’t have the same letters as N.P.O. That’s because N.P.O actually stands for Nil per os, the Latin phrase that translates to “Nothing by mouth” in English.

Scientific naming and measurement terms

You may not have heard the animal name Gallus gallus domesticus, but you’ve probably heard its common name: chicken. Latin is a major part of binomial nomenclature, which is the scientific naming system for living organisms with a genus and epithet.

You’ll also see Latin in your everyday measurement terms. If you’ve ever wondered why “lb” is short for “pound,” it’s because “lb” is an abbreviation for libra, the Latin word for “pound!”

Legal expressions and phrases

Lawyers may use Latin even more than physicians! Latin’s influence on the legal field dates back to the Roman legal system, which spread throughout Europe along with the Latin language itself. Many fundamental legal expressions come from Latin and are still in common use today. 

You’ve likely heard some (if not all) of these Latin legal phrases in your everyday life or in popular crime shows. If you’ve heard the abbreviation M.O., for example, now you know it stands for the Latin modus operandi.

Government and school mottos

Latin makes an appearance on government seals, state flags, and school plaques all the time. It’s even on your money! (Ever heard the phrase E Pluribus Unum?) 

These phrases both reflect the Roman influence on Western academics and government systems, and connect our present ventures with the traditions of the past.

Even common government terms have Latin roots. The English word “senate” comes from the Latin senatus (council of elders), and “republic” is derived from the Latin respublica (“of the people”). 

The Latin alphabet

What do English, Spanish, Polish, and Vietnamese have in common? They all use the Latin alphabet, the most commonly used alphabet system in the world. Also known as the Roman alphabet, the Latin alphabetic writing system dates back to around 600 B.C.E. 

The Latin script spread even further after the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. Roman and italic typefaces became popular scripts, and still remain so today. (Think of Latin every time you set your font to italic or choose Times New Roman!)

Latin roots and affixes

Around two-thirds of English vocabulary comes from Latin and Romance languages. That means over 66% of what you say may be connected to the Latin language. And that number goes up when you’re talking about science, medicine, and the law! 

Common Latin influences on English vocabulary include Latin affixes (such as contra- meaning “against” and re- meaning “again”) and roots like aqua (water) and port (to carry).

It’s all Latin to me (depending on what language you speak)

Technically, Latin is a dead language, but it’s by no means extinct. We use Latin words, phrases, and forms so often in English alone that it would be impossible to communicate without their influence. 

In fact, Latin is such an important linguistic connection to other languages that it makes Romance languages some of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. Get your Romance language learning journey started today with Rosetta Stone, or take a trip back in time to learn Classical Latin instead!

Recommended Story For You :

Online language courses designed by language lovers crafted for you.

Fun Online Spanish Group Classes

Unlock the Power of Synergy Spanish

Practical Hebrew- as a proven way to understand and speak Hebrew as quickly as possible.

English Made Easy: Practice Your Way to Fluency with Confidence and Fun

Listen and Speak English

Master the Arabic Alphabet in No Time!