Correcting Our Understanding of Grammar
Grammar, as the foundation of language, is an essential element in all good writing. And yet very few opportunities exist for us as adults to think about grammar in a focused way, to explore and question those rules that we so often teach more by rote than by understanding. This 1 hour session aims to fill in that gap.
After a brief delineation of the limits of grammar, we will consider the history of some of the more dubious grammar rules (don't end a sentence with a preposition, avoid the passive voice), concluding with principles for teaching and encouraging good grammar.
As a linguist, writer, philosopher, and teacher, I have spent many hours thinking about grammar and its role in communication and excellent writing. Let me share what I've learned with you, and answer the grammar questions that have always bugged you. I invite you to submit your grammar questions when you register.
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
3:00 - 4:00 pm (CDT)
Free, registration required
A recording available to all registrants for a limited time
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Studying under Dr. Johnson’s teaching over some years, in several courses, has been a delight, a challenge, and an experience I highly recommend. His knowledge is wide and thorough and he brings an ability to communicate ideas to students from younger to elder years. He is able to help one see and apply deeper truth to current times through even seemingly “just stories.” Ancient wisdom comes alive in his teaching.
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Junius Johnson is one of the best professors I have ever encountered. He is deeply knowledgeable and qualified, but also uses humor and a sense of play to foster a collaborative and engaging learning environment — all while pushing his students to do and be their best. He equipped me with the essential skills of nuanced Latin translation, and perhaps just as importantly instilled in me a love for the language and appreciation for its historical development and contexts.
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Simply put, Junius Johnson is the best Latin teacher I have ever experienced in my many years of supervising education. He is a true scholar of the Latin language from the classical period to the neo-Latin present; he has success teaching every age and skill level. Junius is compassionate with those who are less gifted than he, but still manages to stretch his students in a friendly and inviting manner. I wholeheartedly recommend him to you as your teacher. Trust me, the encounter will be memorable.
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Junius has such a robust understanding of the language, and his passion is contagious. His approach invites parents, educators, and students to re-imagine how they think about Latin, moving from merely transactional to experiential. He’s also not afraid to address many of the “why” questions that all too often go unanswered. Highly recommend!