ABSTRACT
Latin tradition Latin i s the language of ancient Rome and the ancestor of modern Romance languages such as Spanish and French. Throughout the Middle Ages , it served as the language of science, philosophy , theology and other areas of knowledge. Until fairly recent times, knowl edge of Latin was considered a prerequisite to any liberal education, and despite the almost exclusive use of vernacular languages in its reformed liturgies, Latin is still the official language of the Roman Catholic Church. As Latin remained the dominant cultural language of Western Europe until the end of the eight eenth century , translation into Latin has played a significant role in shaping European culture.
