Blog
Spanish
I am attempting to level up in Spanish. Compass Classroom and I want to produce something like Visual Latin, for Spanish. It has been a dream for some time. Unfortunately, my Spanish skills are the hold up. I still have much to learn. As I have studied Spanish, I...
German
German is the first foreign language I fell in love with. For nearly four years, I lived in Germany. My family live this tiny little, hardly on the map town: Leideneck. After returning back to America, Latin distracted me. I dropped German for a long time. Now, I...
What happened to the Tip of the Week?
For about a decade, I sent out a "Tip of the Week". Sometimes the "Tip of the Week" was something I found helpful for language study. Often, it was just something I found helpful. It could be about any topic, really. About a month ago, Google and Mail Chimp, the...
Visual Latin and the Latin Endings 21-30
To help you with the complicated Latin endings, I am creating videos for each lesson of Visual Latin. In these extra videos, I will show you exactly where on the charts to find the concepts and endings you are learning in Visual Latin. Here are the Latin charts I am...
Jumping ahead
A local student is interested in jumping ahead in French. It's possible. This is how to do it. https://vimeo.com/918742672?share=copy
Visual Latin and the Latin Endings 11-20
To help you with the complicated Latin endings, I am creating videos for each lesson of Visual Latin. In these extra videos, I will show you exactly where on the charts to find the concepts and endings you are learning in Visual Latin. Here are the Latin charts I am...
Visual Latin and the Latin Endings
From time to time I get questions about the complicated Latin endings. Students want to know if there is a place to find them all. Turns out, there is. If you go here, and scroll down, you will find some Latin charts I made some time ago. The charts are free. Here...
Tip of the Week #287: How to Track and Save Money
For a long time, to track our spending, I used Mint as a budgeting app. A month, or so, ago, Mint phased out. (I honestly do not know where to place the commas in that sentence.) In my quest for a replacement, I stumbled upon Rocket Money. The truth is, my wife...
How to learn a new language in 2024
In a January long ago, I sent out the first “Tip of the Week”. One of the benefits of doing the same thing over and over again for a long time is this. You begin to develop a reputation. Back when I started doing this, I had to come up with my own tips. These...
Goals: Latin to the Rescue
Last year I wrote a book on goal setting. I am now in the process of editing that book. As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog. This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Latin...
Word of the Day #117: Oubliette
In a French class this morning, my students and I learned the French word for forget: oublier. We spent a few minutes talking about the word. Oublier, the French verb, comes from the Latin verb meaning the same thing, obliviscor. Forgetful, in Latin, is oblitus....
Word of the Day #116: Apanthropy
Raining hard in Tennessee today. On days like this my apanthropy usually kicks in. Apanthropy is the desire to be alone, a love of solitude. Apanthropy comes from two Greek words. The preposition ἀπό (apo) means “away from”. Ἄνφροπος (anthropos), which you may...
Word of the Day #115: Fiancée
Someone once said, "English is a German language with a Latin vocabulary." We can see the truth of that statement in the word fiancée. This word came up this morning in a French class I teach. In French, a fiancée is a woman who has promised to marry. The masculine...
Goals: One Meal a Day
Last year I wrote a book on goal setting. I am now in the process of editing that book. As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog. This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Why...
Word of the Day #114: Exhaust
Exhaust: to drain; to deplete. This morning, in a Latin class, we came across the Latin verb exhaurire. Exhaurire is Latin for drawing out, emptying, or draining. Exhaurire itself is a combination of the preposition ex, meaning 'out of' and haurire, meaning to draw...
Did Christmas really happen?
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. All during the season of Christmas, we celebrate the most famous birthday of them all, the birthday of Jesus Christ. The question is, did it really happen? Did the son of the Creator come to our planet? Did he live, die, and then live...
Word of the Day #112: Snow
Snow: small, soft, white flakes of ice falling from the sky. This word has been in our language since the beginning. In Old English, snow was snaw. English is a Germanic language. Finding similar words in the Germanic languages, then, comes as no surprise. German:...
Word of the Day #111: Santa Claus
Santa Claus: the legendary patron saint of children The name Santa Claus first shows up in American English in 1773. Before then, Santa Claus was known as Sante Klaas, which itself comes from the old Dutch name for the saint: Sinter Niklaas. Today, in Holland, he is...
Word of the Day #110: Calendar
Calendar: a system for measuring the days and months of the year. Calendar comes from the only word in Latin that uses the letter K, Kalendae. The Kalendae, to the Romas, was the first day of the month. It was also the day debts were due and accounts were reckoned....
Word of the Day #109: December
December: the twelfth and final month of the year December comes from the same root word that gives us the English decade (a period of ten years), decennial (occurring every ten years), decimal (to the tenth place), and dime (ten cents). December means: the tenth...
Tip of the Week #284: Dreaming Spanish
Like never before, I am attempting to level up in Spanish. Compass classroom and I want to produce some thing like Visual Latin, for Spanish. It's been a dream for sometime. Unfortunately, my Spanish skills are the hold up. I still have a much to learn. One site I...
Word of the Day #108: Noel
Noel: the period from December 24 to January 6. I have to admit, I did not know this was the definition of Noel until I did some research for this word. Noel came up the other day in a French class I am taking. The teacher was telling us about the French 'Santa...
Tip of the Week #283: No Degree? No Problem!
In my never-ending quest for alternatives to college, I recently discovered the No Degree podcast. In the podcast, the host interviews people who opted out of college, and found success. If you decide to check it out, I recommend this episode...
Word of the Day #107: Advent
Advent An awaited arrival; an important arrival. The season or period of the Christian calendar between Advent Sunday and Christmas. The word advent comes from the Latin word adventus. Adventus, in Latin, is an arrival, an approach, a visit, or an appearance....
Goals: a lifestyle move
Last year I wrote a book on goal setting. I am now in the process of editing that book. As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog. This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________...
Word of the Day #106: Cookie
This week, in a French class I attend, another student wanted to know how to say "cookie" in French. I expected the teacher to respond with le biscuit. Instead, he responded with le petit gateau. In French, the word for cake is gateau. A cookie, then, is a little...
Goals: What to Eat
Last year I wrote a book on goal setting. I am now in the process of editing that book. As I edit, I will post excerpts here on my blog. This is from chapter four: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ What...
Word of the Day #105: Eisenhower
Not long ago, in a German class, we learned the German word for iron, Eisen. Railroad, for example, in German is Eisenbahn. Eisenbahn, a combination of Eisen (iron) and Bahn (road, or way) is the iron road. I thought of the name of one of our former presidents,...
Word of the Day #104: Confetti
Confetti: small pieces of paper thrown into the air during celebrations. This word came up in a Latin class this morning. A student wanted to know if confetti came from confitieri, the Latin word for confession. It does not. Instead, confetti comes from the Italian...
Word of the Day #103: Gratitude
Today, in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a time we use to reflect upon all the blessings in our lives. Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude. Gratitude: thankfulness; a feeling of appreciation. The word came to English via Medieval Latin. The word for...
Word of the Day #102: Quixotic
Quixotic: Idealistic, yet impractical. Visionary. Quixotic comes from the name Don Quixote in the famous tale by Miguel Cervantes. I try to post a word a day on my site and on Facebook. Judging by my record, this may be a quixotic goal on my part. Oh well. ...
Tip of the Week #282: Great Course-Audio Option
Like most of you, I love learning. I spend much of my free time learning. Over the years, I have subscribed to the site formerly known as The Great Courses. These days, the site goes by the name Wondrium. I still call the site, The Great Courses. Honestly, the...
Word of the Day #101: Vita
It's been a while since I've posted a word of the day. Back. At least for today. This morning, in a Latin class, we learned the word Vita. Vita, in Latin, means life. From vita, English gleans multiple words. A bunch of them showed up in Word up: Volume 2. This...
Tip of the Week #281: Night School
Recently, I discovered the book, The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. I recommend the book. Among many other good suggestions, Mr. Schwartz recommended taking college classes for the rest of you life. Schedule it in. Plan on taking at least one class a...
Latin. Something to Consider Before You Are in Too Deep
I received this question. It sparked a short correspondence between us Good afternoon and thank you for your resources! What is the most important/significant material to glean from Virgil's Aeneid, from a grammar and/or rhetoric perspective? I am leading a class of...
Word of the Day #100: Thrift
Just found out today that the Old English/Anglo-Saxon work for wealth and prosperity is... thrift. From now on, I refer to thrift stores as wealth stores. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Almost every...
Just don’t quit.
I received this comment from an online student: Hi Magister, This was triggered by "If you come to Latin class every day for 30 minutes you will learn Latin..." I heard an interesting quote on a different definition of intelligence. The speaker did not believe in a...
Word of the Day #99: Ultracrepidarian
Ultracrepidarian: someone giving opinions on something beyond their knowledge. The habit of talking constantly about subjects you know little or nothing about. From the Latin word ultra (beyond) and crepida (slipper, or sandal). According to legends, a famous Greek...
Word of the Day #98: Grammando
Grammando: someone who frequently corrects the grammar mistakes of others. I just discovered this word in a series I am watching on Wondrium (formerly known as the Great Courses). The series, if you are interested, is English Grammar Boot Camp. The fact that I am...
Tip of the Week #280: Your Money or Your Life
Not long ago, I finished reading Your Money or Your Life by Vicky Robin and Joe Dominguez. For years, I have read financial books. Not sure how I missed this one. The authors published it years ago. These days, during times of high inflation, we need all the help we...
Word of the Day #97: Sententious
Words change over time. We know that. Sententious is one of those words. Sententious once meant full of wisdom. These days, it kind of means full of it. (Hint. The it in full of it is not wisdom.) In Latin sententiosus meant full of meaning. This word came from...
What I am reading these days: Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War
I read a lot. Comes with the territory, I suppose. During the school year, I try to focus on Latin, German, Greek, French, and Spanish. But, I often get distracted by English. To combat this, I divide the day by languages. In the morning, I focus on French and...
Word of the Day #96: Penny
Penny: a small coin worth one cent. In German class this morning, we learned the word for penny: Pfennig. Clearly related to English, my students and I went off to find out where this word came from. In Middle English, the word was peni. In Old English, pening, and...
Tip of the Week #279: ThreeThingsMagazine.com
I recently finished writing a book about working online. I hope to show other teachers how to make a living online. While writing the book, I researched dozens of ways to make some extra money online. I have been earning my living online since 2011. After all this...
Tip of the Week #279: Three Things Magazine
I recently finished writing a book about working online. In it, I hope to show other teachers how to make a living online. While writing the book, I researched dozens of paths. I have been earning my living online since 2011. After all this time, I believe one of the...
Word of the Day #95: Pram
Pram: a stroller, a baby carriage, a small vehicle with four wheels designed for a baby to lie in while you push it around. I was born in England. I remember stories of my mom pushing me around Bicester, England in a pram. Back then, says my mom, the British moms...
Word of the Day #94: Derange
My local French students and I (I am not fluent. We are learning together.) have been watching the language learning series Extra. In Episode three, one of the characters uses the phrase ça ne me dérange pas, meaning, it doesn't bother me....
Don’t think and grow rich. Do and grow rich.
The other day, I ran across my new favorite French proverb. Not that I had a favorite French proverb before. But, that's not the point. Qui s'instruit sans agir laboure sans semer. Whoever learns without action, plows without sowing. For a while, I have had a...
Word of the Day #93: Cheesparing
Cheeseparing - Saving via extreme frugality If someone cuts for you a rather thin piece of cheese, they are cheeseparing. Perhaps because they are frugal. Cheeseparing comes from the Old English word for cheese (case) and the Old French word for trimming, parer. Not...
Word of the Day #92: Karmageddon
Karmageddon Karmageddon is like, when everybody is sending off all these totally bad vibes. And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer for all. Karmageddon comes from Sanskrit Karma, the sum of a person’s actions. This sum determines a persons...