Latin

classics

Some rules for translation

  • Before you start, make sure that your pen will last - few things look uglier and shoddier than a multi-coloured text.
  • Make sure the heading is underlined, preferably in red.
  • Do your translation on alternate lines - it's easier for you to make any necessary alterations, it's easier for the marker and it looks neater!
  • Use any information already known to you about the background to the passage (especially any information on the story at the top of the page).
  • Don't panic if you see a word you don't know!
  • Use what you do know to work out what you don't know - work out all that you can in a sentence before you even begin to guess the unknown word(s).
  • Break up long sentences into smaller, more manageable bits.
  • Search for any information you can find - notice whether a verb is singular or plural; notice what case the noun is in; etc.
  • Never write down something you know is wrong! You might as well underline it in red yourself.
  • Never write nonsense!

 

In general:

Find the verb - is it singular or plural? What tense is it?

Find the nouns - the nominative subject & the accusative object; are they singular or plural?

Notice any commas and pay attention to them, i.e. the sentence "nnnnnnnn, aaaaa, pppppp".

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