Latin, one of two branches of the Italic language family, is an ancient language that is officially used only in the Vatican State in Italy. It has no native speakers. However, most western languages have some influence of Latin.
It was the native language of the Romans, who spread it throughout their empire. After the collapse of Rome, it evolved into Italian, French, Spanish, and several other languages.
Latin is often considered a dead language but many scholars and missionaries speak it fluently and it is still taught in many schools and universities. It is said that 80% of English words are derived from Latin through French.
