Latin story of a world language the mother tongue of the roman empire and the lingua franca of the west for centuries after romes fall latin survives today primarily in classrooms and texts yet this dead language is unique in the influence it has exerted across centuries and continents. Now latin can make its case in todays world language willis g reiger chronicle of higher education a neat little primer on the history of the latin language steve donoghue open letters monthly latin might be classified as a long dead language but this work reminds us that no one has informed latin of that fact. Now latin can make its case in todays world language willis g reiger chronicle of higher education a neat little primer on the history of the latin language steve donoghue open letters monthly latin might be classified as a long dead language but this work reminds us that no one has informed latin of that fact