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I think that's a horrible phrase. The first thing that comes to mind is: "Coding isn't dead!", then: "But coding has direct benefits, not hand-waving indirect b
by Jach 15y ago
I think that's a horrible phrase. The first thing that comes to mind is: "Coding isn't dead!", then: "But coding has direct benefits, not hand-waving indirect benefits like 'you will get better at English!'" I get that it's meant to convey that if you can't code even a little, you're an uneducated person, much like in older times people who didn't know Latin (and Greek) were uneducated. That's a fine sentiment to have, I agree coding is more or less a fundamental skill these days that many are ignoring, but using Latin as the metaphor isn't the way to go. It needs to be as important as learning to write.
- OstiaAntica 15y agoI think the metaphor goes deeper. Knowing Latin (and Greek) opened doors to greater learning, providing access to classical writing and history. Indeed, the Renaissance was built on Latin and Greek study. It also was a common language that united the educated elite across Europe.
- Jach 15y agoThat's true. Yet my issue remains: how many people know how important Latin really was for its lifetime? A good metaphor that you want to resound with the broad populace should resound with the broad populace. I don't think I'm alone in thinking "What's a dead language got to do with coding?" as a first thought, and I studied Latin for 3 years. As an example of something I think is easier (nearer) for people to grasp, let's add a new R! Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic, and 'Rogramming.
- m0nty 15y agoApparently Latin is a very popular subject in schools. IF that popularity is genuine, it refutes the idea that children are always looking out for the easiest option, which bodes well for CS in schools because (if it's done correctly) it will be challenging. Personally I have my misgivings about the phrase "The New Latin" but I have strong objections to the "Hey kids! Everything is fun, fun, fun!" approach which is so often the alternative.
- Jach 15y agoI actually think Latin's popularity is, at least in part, due to its easiness, and at least in my former high school. I'm inferring to other schools since the AP test doesn't require speaking it. I mentioned in a cousin-comment that I took Latin for three years, I also took French for five. French was a lot harder. Merely speaking it and understanding when it's spoken back with different accents and different speeds is a lot harder than just reading or writing it, which is all I had to do for Latin. (We learned the simple pronunciation rules and read some things aloud but that's it.) Yet for the universities around the area requiring two foreign language credits from high school, Latin was good enough. Latin was funner for me in some ways though since it has a pattern-matching or puzzle-solving feel to it at times with all the word endings and no reliance on word order. I don't think it's as neat as Arabic but it's a somewhat similar feeling. I agree that overselling things as fun is a great way to kill any fun that might have existed.
- derleth 15y ago> Hey kids! Everything is fun, fun, fun! Programming is fun if it's taught well, which is why it must always be taught poorly, if at all. After all, education and play are two mutually-exclusive concepts for humans, like they are for all somewhat-intelligent mammals.
- Fargren 15y agoI don't think the slogan is talking about the value of knowing latin today(or a few years ago), it's about the value knowing latin in the middle ages. In the middle ages(in Europe), knowing latin meant you had access to most of the culture that existed. Not knowing latin meant you didn't. In that sense, it would be awesome for coders if coding were the new latin. Alas, it's not. You don't need to know how to code in order to access culture nowadays. You maybe need to know how to sue a computer, but there's a long distance from that to knowing how to code.