There is a translator available on the Internet. When students use this device, they see how merely translating words can leave one with a totally incomprehensible statement. This can be quite humorous as well as informative. Students understand the difficulty of translating poetry and music but especially humor into another culture-that at times only the original language can give the emotion intended by the author. Students appreciate that much of what we know of this ancient civilization comes to us in the written word in texts, inscriptions, and coins.
Students continually look at etymology and grammar comparisons in the two languages.
4.2 Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through comparisons of the cultures studied and their own. Students make a comparison of Rome in 80 AD with their own community. Students view the social mores of the time with those of today to see that in some ways there are so many differences and in other ways there are none. Students understand that the society of ancient Rome changed in the 1200 years it existed just as society of America has changed in the past 224 years. Students understand a blanket statement cannot encompass a whole - whether it be because of the time span or the philosophical differences that exist within a people.