Interested in practicing your spoken Latin? Join us for regular discussions in Latin! Total newbies are very welcome. You're also welcome to just listen. See the FAQ below for some useful links & what you need to do to participate.

Links and times for all Latin & Greek chats can be found at their new home:

https://latinandgreekchats.weebly.com/

FAQ

What do I need to participate?

• Device: A computer or phone or tablet with a high speed internet connection. If you have a choice, please use a computer. They are the easiest to troubleshoot.
• Headphones: Without headphones, there will be a weird echo and it will be unpleasant for your interlocutors!
• Microphone: Most of the time webcams have microphones built in, so if your laptop/tablet has a camera, there's probably also a mic. It'll look like a tiny hole. A lot of earbuds these days also come with a built in microphone (see picture).
• Webcam: optional. It's really not important except that often mics are built into them. The more speakers we have, the better it is if the cams are turned off, in fact.

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Can I just listen or do I have to talk?
Absolutely you can just listen. Mute your mic so we know you're an auditor and we won't bother you.

How good at talking do I need to be?
Not very good. Start by listening and you'll be astonished at how much you understand. If you've not been before, we'll probably ask you quid tibi nomen est? ut vales? ubi habitas? esne magister/tra? so maybe have an answer ready for those. Also, since we're on video, don't be afraid to resort to gestures and pointing!

Try to stay in Latin, but if you're confused, use the chat window to ask for clarification etc in English. To open the text chat window, click the little speech bubble on the left sidebar of the video chat, and choose a nickname.

If you're really worried, keep these guys open: Useful Phrases for Spoken Latin, SALVI's beginner page, Morgan-Owens Lexicon. 

I can't come at that time. Why don't you do another one at...?
In the immortal words of this lady, ain't nobody got time for that. But if you, like Odysseus, are "nobody" and do in fact have time, then do one yourself! The demand is there! All you have to do is use that same link above and tell other people to join you at whatever time you want. If you'd like people to actually show up, I recommend posting about it in TLA and also letting me know so I can put it on the calendar.

Should I be correcting others?
Not unless they ask. Please treat others with respect and don't correct unless you're actually confused about meaning. Correction doesn't help and it can hurt.

What if I want to be corrected though?
Use the WAYK "accent adjustment" gesture and the host will understand. It looks like what the pleasant bearded man is doing in the picture to the right. Some spoken Latinists tend to use it for general correction and not just pronunciation.

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Are these recorded?
For the privacy and comfort of our participants, these chats will never be recorded or in any way available after the fact. If you want to listen to people chatting in Latin on your own schedule, I recommend you hit up Quomodo Dicitur or any of the other audio resources linked here. 

Why speak Latin, though?
Why not? For serious, here are some answers.