Elexi wrote:I think LLPSI hits a high ramp around chapter 10 and can become frustrating, but then I am not really a fan of the natural method on its own.
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For deeper grammar study - I would recommend - Allen and Greenough - the PDF can be downloaded here:
http://www.textkit.com/latin_grammar.php
I really like the way this method makes you feel you can read already. However, as you say you hit a high ramp around chapter 10, does that also have to do with the meaning of words? I wonder if at a certain moment or level of complexity/abstraction it becomes very difficult to guess the meaning of words from context.
Also, is 1800 words head-words or counting inflections? Is one able to read independently after this?
On the http://www.textkit.com/latin_grammar.php site I also found interlinear word-for-word translations of Cicero and Caesar by Giles.
These seem to me to be the opposite of the Natural method, all literal meanings versus no meaning at all.
To me who is fan of interlinear I found it amazing how good it felt to just read away in the Lingua Latina with the Natural method. As opposed to the "latin - english - latin - english - latin - english - etc" not-so-interlinear (more inter-sentence) format of Giles.
Then again, the Natural method has me reading "The Rhone is in Germany", while in Giles I'm reading advanced Latin, so I guess it's not comparable.
That's where I wonder how using the Natural method can completely teach you to read a language? And does the fact that you need the translation at a higher level not invalidate this method?
To be fair, I love it at first sight
I just wonder how far it can go without the reader getting stunted at unknown words that the book tries to explain with elaborate pictures (getting Rosetta Stone-like).