Due to problems with the legacy Skype Locutorium (problems with moderation, and difficulty joining the group), membership has stagnated at 280 for a few years now. Fewer and fewer people are using Skype.
For this reason, I have taken the decision to grandfather the Skype Locutorium Latinum, and move the focus over to a new Whatsapp chat group. Most people already have Whatsapp on their phones, so the barrier of needing a special app is not there, and joining the group is easy, as is leaving it.
After only one day online, the new Latin Whatsapp group already has 120 very chatty members.
Si per WHATSAPP confabulari per litteras vis, habemus LOCUTORIUM LATINUM , et possis illic confabulari per litteras, picturas ad alios emittere, etc.
LOCUTORIUM LATINUM APUD WHATSAPP
Junge Te!
Ecce vincula:
LOCUTORIUM PRIMUM Junge te! (fully subscribed with 257 members)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Idtqmgtt2C85hW1u8kX67p
LOCUTORIUM ALTERUM Junge te! (accepting members)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EMv70PYn46d1oQ8xF3mQTb
ΔIAΛOΓOI ATTIKOI ΝΥΝ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΟΜΙΛΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΤΤΙΚΙΖΟΝΤΩΝ (accepting members) https://chat.whatsapp.com/HVFVngkpp4NGbQtXdfpONN
If you are a complete beginner, simply say hello, (you can use the formula below if you like.) Then, just lurk. Seeing all these people chatting away in Latin will inspire you to progress in your studies, as you will see before your eyes that Latin is not a dead language, but is still the living language of scholars that it has always been since the fall of Rome.
The rules for the Whatsapp Locutorium will be the same rules as drawn up by John Doublier and myself on the old SCHOLA website:
1. Latin only.
2. Focus on communication; focus on the message, not the grammar.
When you join, please introduce yourself 'Salvete, nomen mihi est ....." will be fine.
WHY NO CORRECTING?
Why the rule about no correcting?
Modern language theory and evidence based research tells us that over correcting, even correcting at all, is usually counter productive in the early stages of attempting to communicate in a new language.
As long as you are actively studying the language as you go, errors will eventually resolve themselves. Fluency is achieved through action, through exposure to the language, and through struggling with using it.
If a learner is unsure, to the degree that they are scared to communicate at all, then they will think twice before even attempting to communicate.
You have to just wade in and take risks. No risk taking, no learning.
So, unless a user specifically asks for help, no-one is allowed to comment on another user's grammar or Latinity.
In reality, in the give and take of the real-time chatroom, this rule is relaxed somewhat.
HOW TO CORRECT SOMEONE POLITELY
A polite way to correct someone is to re-phrase what they said, correctly, as part of your reply, without explicitly saying you are making a correction.
For this reason, I have taken the decision to grandfather the Skype Locutorium Latinum, and move the focus over to a new Whatsapp chat group. Most people already have Whatsapp on their phones, so the barrier of needing a special app is not there, and joining the group is easy, as is leaving it.
After only one day online, the new Latin Whatsapp group already has 120 very chatty members.
Si per WHATSAPP confabulari per litteras vis, habemus LOCUTORIUM LATINUM , et possis illic confabulari per litteras, picturas ad alios emittere, etc.
LOCUTORIUM LATINUM APUD WHATSAPP
Junge Te!
Ecce vincula:
LOCUTORIUM PRIMUM Junge te! (fully subscribed with 257 members)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Idtqmgtt2C85hW1u8kX67p
LOCUTORIUM ALTERUM Junge te! (accepting members)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EMv70PYn46d1oQ8xF3mQTb
ΔIAΛOΓOI ATTIKOI ΝΥΝ ΕΣΤΙΝ ΟΜΙΛΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΤΤΙΚΙΖΟΝΤΩΝ (accepting members) https://chat.whatsapp.com/HVFVngkpp4NGbQtXdfpONN
If you are a complete beginner, simply say hello, (you can use the formula below if you like.) Then, just lurk. Seeing all these people chatting away in Latin will inspire you to progress in your studies, as you will see before your eyes that Latin is not a dead language, but is still the living language of scholars that it has always been since the fall of Rome.
The rules for the Whatsapp Locutorium will be the same rules as drawn up by John Doublier and myself on the old SCHOLA website:
1. Latin only.
2. Focus on communication; focus on the message, not the grammar.
- Cum errare humanum sit, ne timueritis scribere, metu errandi permoti.
- Scripta autem aliena nolite corrigere, nisi auctor auxilium petit.
- Locutorium id agit ut Latine scribendi ars colatur.
- Ergo scribite tantummodo Latine.
When you join, please introduce yourself 'Salvete, nomen mihi est ....." will be fine.
WHY NO CORRECTING?
Why the rule about no correcting?
Modern language theory and evidence based research tells us that over correcting, even correcting at all, is usually counter productive in the early stages of attempting to communicate in a new language.
As long as you are actively studying the language as you go, errors will eventually resolve themselves. Fluency is achieved through action, through exposure to the language, and through struggling with using it.
If a learner is unsure, to the degree that they are scared to communicate at all, then they will think twice before even attempting to communicate.
You have to just wade in and take risks. No risk taking, no learning.
So, unless a user specifically asks for help, no-one is allowed to comment on another user's grammar or Latinity.
In reality, in the give and take of the real-time chatroom, this rule is relaxed somewhat.
HOW TO CORRECT SOMEONE POLITELY
A polite way to correct someone is to re-phrase what they said, correctly, as part of your reply, without explicitly saying you are making a correction.
