I don’t know, if there’re any practical applications to learning dead languages. However, I’ve heard arguments that Latain helps you learn English better. I think Japanese would be fun to learn (easy to pronounce, read, at least not the kanji, difficult to master the grammar); similarly traditional Chinese (easy grammar, but need a brain transplant to learn to read, write it)
>>I don’t know, if there’re any practical applications to learning dead languages.
Dead languages tend to be more linguistically complex, thus forcing the student to really think about language structure. Modern languages have all been considerably simplified.
There are no practical applications for doing push-ups or similar exercises. But ask any serious athlete whether there is any value in doing them. The mind needs exercise, as does the body.
I studied Latin for three years in high school under an ex-jesuit priest. He was the best teacher I ever had, and the students were the ones I still remember most fondly more than forty years later.
Similar to math, the benefit of studying Latin is that it disciplines the mind. I also found that the mind’s understanding of history and humanity were enhanced enormously to go back and read the works of Cicero, Ovid, Virgil, Caesar, etc. Academically, and in terms of sheer beauty, it was the shining jewel of my K-12 education.
The Base library offers language courses, and I encourage my daughters to learn as many as possible. I have one working on Italian and one working on French. They both take Spanish in school. I wish they offered Latin.
Latin is very handy if you go into Biology.