Computer programs for Latin

We have developed four computer programs for Latin. These programs, called

help students of Latin learn and practice the analysis of different kinds of Latin words.

We have developed these programs under supervision of the Classical Association in the Netherlands. We started selling in the Netherlands mid 1993 and by the end of 1994 half of the schools teaching Latin in the Netherlands were using our programs. The teachers are very satisfied, many have asked us to make more programs like that.

All four programs are available in Dutch versions; Verbarium and Substantarium are already available in English versions. Here you can read how to order them.

All programs can be used for all courses (the programs have many complexity levels) and in conjunction with every Latin text book. They have shown useful both in normal classroom settings as in remedial teaching. At the end of a session, the student's performance is being summarized. In this summary, problem areas are being listed. Both summary and all given answers are saved in a log file.

The programs run on MS-DOS machines and are very easy to install. A school has to buy only one copy, you are free to copy them for use within the school. You can also run them in a network setting. (If you only have Macintoshes: they also run satisfactorily under SoftPC.)

VERBARIUM

Here is what a user of Verbarium sees on the screen:

Analyze the following verb form: REGET

MOOD		TENSE		GENUS		PERSON		NUMBER

indicative	present		active		first		singularis

subjunctive	imperfect	passive		second		pluralis

imperative  	futurum  			third

participle 	perfect

infinitive 	plq. perf

		futurum ex.
The student should analyse a given verb form (REGET in this case) by selecting the proper cells in the matrix (one cell in each column). If the student makes an error, the program provides proper feedback to guide the student in analysing the form correctly. For example, if the students analyzes the form 'reget' as subjunctive present tense, then Verbarium hints the student that "reget comes from regere". This specific feedback is the key advantage over traditional programs which only say right or wrong. Our approach is that students should learn from their mistakes.

The program can generate as many as 27.000 different verb forms!

Back to list of computer programs for Latin

Here you can read how to order.

SUBSTANTARIUM

The noun program Substantarium works the same as Verbarium, but also lets the student select a correct translation from a list of approximately 600 words. This is what the screen of Substantarium looks like

Analyze the following noun form: PUELLA 
CASE 		NUMBER 		TRANSLATION
nominativus	singularis   	face
genitivus	pluralis 	god
dativus 			goddess
accusativus   			hand
ablativus  			harbor
				horn
				land
The student should analyse a given noun form (PUELLA in this case) by selecting the proper cells in the columns CASE and NUMBER, and in addition, find the correct translation in the list of 600 translations (by either scrolling through the list or typing a word, in this case girl). If the student makes an error, the program provides proper feedback to guide the student in analysing the form correctly. The program can generate as many as 3.000 different noun forms.

Back to list of computer programs for Latin

Here you can read how to order.

CONGRUARIUM

Congruarium tutors the agreement between nouns and adjectives. It provides 9 different types of problems:

1. Analyse and translate noun and adjective
2. Given a noun, select the corresponding adjective out of 2
3. Given a noun, select the corresponding adjective out of 5
4. Given an adjective, select the corresponding noun out of 2
5. Given an adjective, select the corresponding noun out of 5
6. Given a noun, type in the corresponding adjective
7. Given an adjective, type in the corresponding noun
8. Given a conjugated phrase, type in the nominativus singularis
9. Type in the conjugated phrase, given a specific case and phrase
This is a very elaborated tutoring system, able to generate over 200.000 different problems! Here is an example of a problem:

Select the adjectives that form a proper noun group with the given noun: 

		usus		nobiles
				universae
				none of the above

Back to list of computer programs for Latin

Here you can read how to order.

ORACULUM

Oraculum is different from the other programs. It doesn't tutor Latin words but it is a program that comes in handy to use in text analysis in addition to a dictionary. You can enter a Latin word form and it will say what form it is and where it comes from. For example, if you type in auris, Oraculum will say 

1. from noun auris (ear):
	nominativus singularis
	genitivus singularis
2. from noun aura (sky):
	dativus pluralis
	ablativus pluralis
3. from noun aurum (gold):
	dativus pluralis
	ablativus pluralis
Oraculum knows over 120.000 words, including verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. It also does a suggestion if a word is not its database (e.g., computeribus can be many things, most likely dativus+ ablativus pluralis).

How to order?

If you want information first: send email to bos@nici.kun.nl. You can order these programs right away by sending a letter with your name and which programs you want and a check of the right amount to SOS Nijmegen, Nijmeegsebaan 156, 6564 CN Heiliglandstichting, the Netherlands.

Please enclose also the following information in order to speed up delivery:

1) your name and address to which the programs should be sent.
2) the name of the owner (usually the school): this will appear on screen.
You will receive your programs as soon as possible


Joke van de Plassche
Edwin Bos
Nijmeegsebaan 156
6564 CN Heiliglandstichting
the Netherlands
EMail: bos@nici.kun.nl