How Weird Can Latin Get?

Latin transcends its classification as a “dead language” in the advanced Latin course “Weird Latin.”

Classical studies professor Thomas Jenkins, Ph.D., developed “Weird Latin” by seeking input from students. Trinity University’s classical studies department has a long-standing tradition of informally polling students to decide the topic for their advanced Latin courses.

“It’s valuable for students to have a voice in their education, particularly at the advanced level,” Jenkins says. “If they have a particular passion, or if something has piqued their interest in a culture course, then why not teach it in advanced Latin?”

Last year, some students were fascinated by the phenomenon of Neo-Latin, which refers to the style of Latin developed during the Renaissance era and beyond. Students were also interested in the usage of Latin as a working and spoken language. Others expressed interest in non-canonical Latin, such as epigraphs, inscriptions, and graffiti. Jenkins, inspired by his students’ responses and the works of Martial (short, witty epigrams), decided to incorporate all three subjects into one course, “Weird Latin.” 

Jenkins says “Weird Latin” is different from “normal” advanced Latin courses because its social context is so radically different: it’s Latin as a medium of communication separated from its original culture—the Romans—and transplanted all over the world.

“Nowadays, Latin is sometimes a novelty—one student wrote on the use of Latin in magical spells in video games—but it can also add heft or gravitas to a work of popular fiction, like Harry Potter,” Jenkins says. 

Students read numerous selections from works related to popular fiction, like Winnie Ille Pu and Hobbitus Ille. Winnie Ille Pu is a Latin translation of the classic Winnie-the-Pooh, and it became the only Latin book to make The New York Times bestsellers list.

“The Latin is quite charming—there are even in-jokes referring to the Roman historian Livy—and it was fun to see how the word ‘woozle’ might be translated into Latin!” Jenkins says. “Hobbitus Ille, or The Hobbit in Latin, attempted to replicate the success of Winnie Ille Pu with a much longer text, and it is fairly recent, particularly by Roman standards.”

Students also engage with non-fiction material in “Weird Latin.” Georgius Agricola’s book De Re Metallica (1556), Latin for On the Nature of Metals, is a scientific book in Latin detailing the art of minerals and mining. 

“Weird Latin” is not limited to books. Students also interacted with the video game “Nicolas Eymerich—The Inquisitor—Book 1: The Plague.” This narrative video game allows students to toggle the voice from English to immersive, sophisticated Latin. By having a wide range of course materials, students can consume and analyze Latin in many different forms and contexts. 

Emma Buhrman ’26, a classical languages and English double major, was especially excited to take “Weird Latin” after hearing what Jenkins had planned for the course. Buhrman plans on getting a Ph.D. in classics after graduating, so she takes Latin and Greek courses every semester to strengthen her skills in each language. 

“This class helped me learn more about the lives of the Ancient Romans outside of popular authors or important leaders,” Buhrman says. “From the graffiti, we were able to read about the great amount of love people had for their favorite chariot racer or what kind of jokes Pompeiians thought were funny enough to scratch onto the walls in their city.”

In this course, students demonstrate their understanding of “Weird Latin” through weekly quizzes, one midterm, class discussions, a final, and three research papers. Students are empowered to write research papers on a topic of their choosing. Buhrman wrote several research papers for “Weird Latin,” including one discussing the use of the middle finger as an insult in Martial's Epigrams 2.28 and different graffiti inscribed in Pompeii. 

The lessons Buhrman gained in “Weird Latin” unexpectedly came in handy during her study abroad trip with the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. “I was able to understand and translate ancient graffiti and gravestones that used abbreviations and words uncommon in more traditional Roman writings that I don't think I would've understood without taking ‘Weird Latin,’” she says. 

Buhrman’s experience with Roman inscriptions became useful for term papers, which tasked students with choosing, translating, and writing about inscriptions from class. By utilizing the language skills and accompanying knowledge of Roman culture from “Weird Latin,” she was able to write a successful paper. The skills she learned from class, combined with her study abroad experience, enhanced Buhrman’s expertise in Latin.

“Weird Latin” allows students to learn and interact with Latin in a fun, unconventional, and profound way. This course is uniquely Trinity, as it exemplifies the creativity and limitless boundaries of a liberal arts education. 

“This course is outside-the-box, and thus interrogates the box: What is the canon, and why is it canonical? What does it mean to read non-canonical literature? What happens when a language outlives the culture that produced it? What potency or force does Latin have when plopped into new media, such as Twitter or video games?” Jenkins says. 

And after a pause, Jenkins added, “Lingua latina vivit et aere perennior semper vivet!”