Hans Henning Ørberg
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Hans Henning Ørberg was born in 1920 in Denmark and received a master's degree in English, French and Latin at the University of Copenhagen. He dedicated a great part of his life (1946 to 1952 and 1961 to 1963) to the teaching of these languages in schools in Denmark. From 1953 to 1961 he worked in the Naturmetodens Sproginstitut, an institute where the languages are taught according to the natural method of learning. While there he created a new course in Latin: Lingua Latina secundum naturae rationem explicata published in 1955. In 1990 he modernized the system and changed the title to Lingua Latin per se illustrata, which was published with small adjustments. Now in retirement, he directs the Domus Latina publishing house and he gives lectures in Europe and the United States on the natural method.
[edit] Lingua Latina per se illustrata
This work is based on the Natural Method. In this method the student begins with simple sentences, such as "Roma in Italia est."(Rome is in Italy). Words are always introduced in a context which reveals the meaning behind them. Grammar is gradually made more complex. Unusually for a Latin course, pronunciation and understanding, rather than translation, are stressed. A dictionary is not necessary in this system. The course consists of two parts: Familia Romana and Roma Aeterna along with a series of classic texts that, by means of illustrations and modifications, can be understood through context, without a dictionary.
