Imagine a time when even servants and tradespeople could converse in Latin! And I am not talking about the times of one or two thousand years ago! While we all know that Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire, not many know that it was also a significant language in Poland long after the Middle Ages. In fact, it was so widely spoken that a man fluent in Latin could ’travel from one end of Poland to another as familiarly as if he was born in the country’ (Daniel Defoe). Join me in the talk as we explore the fascinating history of Latin in post-medieval Poland. Let’s uncover the truth behind this astonishing phenomenon and discover if the sources were accurate in portraying Latin as a common language of the time.

Jan Oko is a passionate for languages and linguistics, for English and Polish teaching for the classical language of Latin. He firmly believes in the power of “living methods” to learn and teach ancient languages, bringing these ancient tongues to life for modern learners.
In addition to this, Jan is also an author and creator, having launched the popular “Polish with John” podcast to help learners master the complexities of the Polish language. He i’s also currently working on a project to create a database of Latin authors from Poland. Website: ioannesoculus.com

This video was recorded at the Polyglot Gathering 2023 (https://www.polyglotgathering.com).