Latin - Culture and Language in Workshops

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to share an experience concerning the teaching of Latin for Specific Purposes in thematic workshops. One objective of the workshops was to demonstrate that Latin is still present in Portuguese-speaking countries in scientific and legal texts, in botanical and zoological terminology, in heraldry, in terms that are practically untranslatable and are part of oral and written everyday language. This leads to a recognition of the presence of Latin as a universal language in modern times, and suggests the importance of including Latin in the syllabus of elementary and high school programs as an auxiliary to Portuguese learning. The pedagogical feasibility of the project lies on the construction of pleasurable, playing activities, using figurative characters representative of Roman History, such as the French comic book characters Asterix and Obelix, who continuously interact in the development of the historical-cultural and linguistic approach as detectives who are in constant trouble.