Latin, the most important member of the Italic branch of Indo-European, is divided into several historical periods and social dialects and was the most important cultural language of western Europe until the end of the 17th century.

• 拉丁语作为印欧语系意大利语族的最重要的一员，被分为几个历史性阶段和社会方言，并且还是直至17世纪未西欧的最重要的文化语言。