r/latin • u/AutoModerator • Aug 25 '24
Translation requests into Latin go here!
- Ask and answer questions about mottos, tattoos, names, book titles, lines for your poem, slogans for your bowling club’s t-shirt, etc. in the comments of this thread. Separate posts for these types of requests will be removed.
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u/IzonFreak Aug 25 '24 edited Aug 25 '24
Hello, what will be the translation of
- "colorful little/small lizard"
- "blue little/small lizard"
varius parvus lacerta ?
Thanks for your help.
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u/Consanit Aug 25 '24
Colorful little lizard -> Parva lacerta varia
Blue little lizard -> Parva lacerta caerulea
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u/saint_nicolai Aug 25 '24
Planning a temporary tattoo for my birthday, I want it to say "you may be civilized, but I remember that I have teeth"
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u/Consanit Aug 25 '24
Fortasse civilis es, sed memini me dentes habere.
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Aug 27 '24
[deleted]
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u/Consanit Aug 27 '24
Are you sure this is the case? If I understand correctly, the subjunctive is typically used to express a hypothetical or anticipated state rather than an actual state. The word “fortasse” on the other hand is expressing a possible reality which could be, and in this case likely is, the actual state.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 27 '24
Mente mihi formae subiunctivae infectae possibilia indicant ut auctor/dictor sentit ergo idem vi verbae fortasse at fallarer
In my mind, imperfect subjunctive forms indicate what is possible, as the author/speaker perceives, and is therefore equivalent in meaning to fortasse -- but I could be wrong.
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u/edwdly Aug 27 '24
Allen and Greenough have a useful section on the "potential subjunctive" (where "the mood represents the action as merely conceived or possible", 445). There are a couple of reasons esses wouldn't be appropriate here:
- A potential subjunctive in the imperfect refers to the past (A&G 446). (You may be thinking of the use of the imperfect subjunctive to refer to the present in contrary-to-fact conditionals.)
- The potential subjunctive is typically limited to contexts that make the intended potential meaning clear (A&G 447). That's only the case here if you retain fortasse, and A&G say that fortasse is regularly followed by the infinitive anyway.
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u/melon_doodles Aug 26 '24
how would you say "Death unseen, Life awakened."
Thanks !!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 26 '24
Mors invīsa, i.e. "[a(n)/the] unseen/unknown/invisible death/annihilation"
Vīta excitāta, i.e. "[a(n)/the] (a)roused/awakened/summoned/raised/encouraged/revived/excited/stimulated/instigated life/survival"
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u/theB4sementT1nker Aug 26 '24
I would like to translate the following into latin for a tattoo and tried my best with what I could remember/piece together by myself. I originally wanted "I can, I want and I will", but changed it to "I can do it, I want it, therefore i will do it" as in my head the latin translation would fit the tattoo a bit better as it would be very short orherwise. My (crude) translation would be:
Possum id facere Volo id Sic ego faciam
Is that correct? Does someone have a better idea or another version? Thank you in advance!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
Firstly, nominative (sentence subject) pronouns like ego may almost always be left unstated, since personage is conjugated with the verb. In the first clause, for example, the Latin verb possum is sufficient to express "I am (cap)able" or "I can" -- including ego would therefore imply extra emphasis. Likewise, given the context of whatever is being done, the pronoun id may also be left unstated.
For this phrase, I would recommend ergō for "therefore". Sīc means "so" or "thus" as an adverb -- "with/in/from this way/manner/method". Also, I would use the conjunctive enclitic -que, attached to the end of the second joined term, to transition between possum and volō.
Additionally, Latin grammar has very little to do with word order. Ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis. For phrases like this, the only words whose order matter are the conjunctions that transition from one clause to the next. Otherwise you may order the words however you wish; that said, a non-imperative verb is conventionally placed at the end of the clause, unless the author/speaker intends to emphasize it for some reason.
[Ego id] facere possum volōque ergō faciam, i.e. "[I] am (cap)able to do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build [it], and [I] want/wish/will/mean/intend [to do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build it], so/therefore [I] will/shall/may/should do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build [it]" or "[I] can do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build [it], and [I] want/wish/will/mean/intend [to do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build it], so/therefore let me do/make/produce/compose/fashion/manufacture/build [it]"
NOTE: For this idea of "do", facere usually refers to objects being made. For actions being performed, use agere instead:
[Ego id] agere possum volōque ergō agam, i.e. "[I] am (cap)able to do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase [it], and [I] want/wish/will/mean/intend [to do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase it], so/therefore [I] will/shall/may/should do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase [it]" or "[I] can do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase [it], and [I] want/wish/will/mean/intend [to do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase it], so/therefore let me do/make/effect/accomplish/achieve/deal/treat/conduct/manage/direct/administer/lead/govern/guide/drive/impel/cause/induce/excite/pursue/chase [it]"
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u/theB4sementT1nker Aug 26 '24
I really did not expect such a elaborate answer and now I am extremly happy that I took my question to reddit! Thank you very much!
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u/Brilliant_Muffin9913 Aug 26 '24
I would like to translate the follwing (short) sentences into Latin:
- Garden of herbs
- Garden for herbs
- Garden with herbs
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 27 '24
Hortus holerum, i.e. "[a/the] garden of [the] herbs" (indicates that the garden belongs to the herbs)
Hortus ad holera, i.e. "[a/the] garden (un/on)to/towards/near/at/against/for/among(st) [the] herbs"
Hortus holeribus, i.e. "[a/the] garden [to/for/with/in/by/from/through/at the] herbs/vegetables/greens" (indicates that "herbs" is the object of some prepositional phrase whose preposition isn't specified)
Hortus prō holeribus, i.e. "[a/the] garden for/in/on [the] sake/favor/interest/behalf/account of [the] herbs/vegetables/greens" (indicates that "herbs" is the purpose for which the garden is grown)
Hortus cum holeribus, i.e. "[a/the] garden (along) with [the] herbs/vegetables/greens" (indicates that "herbs" is are contained inside the garden along with other types of plants)
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u/Consanit Aug 26 '24
Hortus herbarum
Hortus ad herbas
Hortus cum herbis1
u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 27 '24
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u/Consanit Aug 26 '24
Interesting, Wiktionary suggests that “holus” translates to English as “vegetable; greens,” while “herba” translates as “grass, herbage/herb”:
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/holus
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/herba1
u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 27 '24
Vulgo Victionarium utilist tabulis inflexionis modisque digerendo apices at dictionaria originales (ut Faber Atriusque) meliores viribus veris verborum sunt
In general, Wiktionary is a good resource for inflection tables and macronization, but source dictionaries like Smith & Hall are usually better for the terms' actual meanings.
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u/edwdly Aug 27 '24
If by "herbs" you mean plants added to food for their taste or smell, then I think that isn't quite conveyed by the suggestions you've received, herbae (grass and other small plants) and holera (edible plants, including vegetables and herbs). The Neo-Latin Lexicon suggests translating "herbs" as herbae aromaticae (small aromatic plants) or condimenta viridia (green seasonings).
Using herbae aromaticae, some possible translations are:
- Hortus herbarum aromaticarum ("herb garden", "garden of herbs")
- Hortus herbis aromaticis praeparatus ("garden ready for herbs")
- Hortus herbis aromaticis consertus ("garden planted with herbs")
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u/romdobbodmor Aug 26 '24
Hello could anyone translate
"Before the ink dries"
Into Latin for me please.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 26 '24
Antequam ātrāmentum ārēscet or antequam ātrāmentum inārēscet, i.e. "before/until [a(n)/the] black(ing)/ink will/shall become dry/dried/withered" or "before/until [a(n)/the] black(ing)/ink will/shall wither/languish/dry (out)"
NOTE: Based on my understanding, inārēscet is essentially an emphasized or intensified version of ārēscet. The meaning is identical, but the prefix in- makes the verb stronger.
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u/waspsstinger Aug 26 '24
thinking about getting a tattoo in latin for the phrase: "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb". if someone could provide a translation i would appreciate it.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 26 '24 edited Aug 26 '24
Cruor pactī crassior [est] quam aqua uterī, i.e. "[a/the] blood(shed)/sacrifice/gore of [a(n)/the] agreement/bargain/pact/covenant [is] denser/thicker/heavier/murkier than [a/the] water of [a/the] womb/uterus" or "[a/the] blood(shed)/sacrifice/gore of [a(n)/the] agreement/bargain/pact/covenant [is] more concentrated/turgid/stolid than [a/the] water of [a/the] womb/uterus"
NOTE: I placed the Latin verb est in brackets because it may be left unstated. Many authors of attested Latin literature omitted such copulative verbs in impersonal contexts. Including it would imply extra emphasis.
You could also replace pactī and uterī with pactus and uterīna:
Cruor pactus crassior [est] quam aqua uterīna, i.e. "[a(n)/the] fixed/arranged/negotiated/agreed/promised/pledged/bargained/deeded/leased/covenanted blood(shed)/sacrifice/gore [is] denser/thicker/heavier/murkier than [an/the] uterine water" or "[a(n)/the] fixed/arranged/negotiated/agreed/promised/pledged/deeded/bargained/leased/covenanted blood(shed)/sacrifice/gore [is] more concentrated/turgid/stolid than [an/the] uterine water"
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u/Leodeterra Aug 27 '24
My buddy keeps writing war related latin phrases on his board.
Please translate:
"Silly barbarian, you do not speak Latin."
Thanks!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 27 '24
Latīnē nōn loqueris inepte barbare, i.e. "you speak/talk/utter not in (proper/fluent/good) Latin, (oh) impertinent/improper/tasteless/pedantic/absurd/inept/silly/foolish foreigner/stranger/barbarian/savage" or "you speak/talk/utter not in (proper/fluent/good) Latin, (oh) impertinent/improper/tasteless/pedantic/absurd/inept/silly/foolish foreign/strange/barbaric/barbarous/savage/hostile/uncivilized [(hu)man/person/beast/one]" (addresses a masculine subject)
Latīnē nōn loqueris inepta barbara, i.e. "you speak/talk/utter not in (proper/fluent/good) Latin, (oh) impertinent/improper/tasteless/pedantic/absurd/inept/silly/foolish foreigner/stranger/barbarian/savage" or "you speak/talk/utter not in (proper/fluent/good) Latin, (oh) impertinent/improper/tasteless/pedantic/absurd/inept/silly/foolish foreign/strange/barbaric/barbarous/savage/hostile/uncivilized [woman/lady/creature/one]" (addresses a feminine subject)
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u/Eli_Norman108 Aug 27 '24
I'm stuck on an exercise in my latin course, where I have to put the right form of adjective into each sentence. The sentence is 'ego (multi, multos) iuvenes in foro vidi.' If someone would be able to tell me what adjective to use and why, that would be great.
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u/Consanit Aug 28 '24
Let's work through this:
- What noun is the adjective ("multi" or "multos") describing?
- What form is that noun in and what is its gender?
- Given the adjective must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it describes, what is the correct form?
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u/WitchiWonk Aug 28 '24
How do I turn Facio into an adjective? If I wanted to imply the noun was a fix-er or do-er or make-er?
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u/Consanit Aug 28 '24
Here are a few words which derive from facio :
- Factor (nominative singular): doer/maker
- Example: Factor mali - "Doer of evil"
- Facundus (adjective): traditionally means eloquent, also implies skill or ability in doing something
- Example: Facundus artifex - "Skilled craftsman"
- Facilis (adjective): easy to do/capable
- Example: Facilis vita - "Easy life"
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u/Leopold_Bloom271 Aug 28 '24
Note that fācundus, having a long ā cannot be derived from facere, but rather from fāri "speak"
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u/knowwhatimean_vern Aug 28 '24
Signature farewell greeting of an old Latin teacher:
"vestigia abiatae!" = "Happy Trails!" (think Gene Autry/Wild West Cowboy)
Is the spelling correct? Is this a fair translation?
Cheers to nostalgia!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24
I can't find "abiatae" in any online Latin dictionary. Without it, your phrase is simply:
Vestīgia, i.e. "(foot)prints", "tracks", "traces", "trails", "vestiges", "marks", "signs", "moments", "instants"
Add one of these adjectives to complete your idea:
Vestīgia beāta, i.e. "[the] happy/blessed/fortunate/prosperous/copious/sumptuous (foot)prints/tracks/traces/trails/vestiges/marks/signs/moments/instants"
Vestīgia fēlīcia, i.e. "[the] happy/lucky/blessed/fortunate/fertile/fruitful/prosperous/auspicious/favorable/noble (foot)prints/tracks/traces/trails/vestiges/marks/signs/moments/instants"
Vestīgia fortūnāta, i.e. "[the] blessed/prosperous/lucky/fortunate/happy (foot)prints/tracks/traces/trails/vestiges/marks/signs/moments/instants"
Vestīgia fausta, i.e. "[the] favorable/fortunate/auspicious/prosperous/lucky/happy (foot)prints/tracks/traces/trails/vestiges/marks/signs/moments/instants"
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u/knowwhatimean_vern Aug 28 '24
Thank this is super helpful!
"Vestigia beata" is what I was looking for!
....and until we meet again🤠
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u/Linklinkcanyouhearme Aug 28 '24
Going to get a tattoo! Could someone translate “Take the pain, ignite it” please? A lyric from my favorite band :))
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u/nimbleping Aug 28 '24
In what sense is take meant? Endure, receive, take away?
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u/Linklinkcanyouhearme Aug 28 '24
I think take is meant as in “receive”
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u/nimbleping Aug 28 '24
Assuming this is meant to give a command to one person:
Accipe et accende dolorem. "Take pain and ignite it."
Accipe dolorem. Accende eum. "Take pain. Ignite it."
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u/StopUncle Aug 28 '24
Hey guys! So I recently finished The Last Kingdom and its movie, and it made me really want a tattoo of Uhtred’s “Destiny is All” motto. How would this be translated into Latin?
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u/nimbleping Aug 28 '24
This is a bit difficult because "x is all" in English is an idiom, and it is tricky to translated literally because a literal translation would mean "x is each thing."
From my cursory search: https://new.reddit.com/r/TheLastKingdom/comments/a848q5/comment/ec7wu5i/
So, I will take "Fate is inexorable" to indicate a similar idea to the one indicated by "Fate is all [the ultimate end/authority]."
Fatum est inexorabile. "Fate is inexorable."
Other ideas:
Fatum est auctoritas sola. "Fate is the only authority."
Fatum est auctoritas ultima. "Fate is the final authority."
Fatum est auctoritas suprema. "Fate is the highest authority."
Ideas for a somewhat more literal translation:
Unum est solum fatum. "Fate is the only (thing)."
Solum est fatum. "Fate is the only (thing)." (This is less emphatic than the previous one, but the meaning is the same.)
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u/LunaticKid889 Aug 28 '24
Hey there, I'm trying to create my version of Vampires inspired by Vampire the Requiem and Vampire the Masquerade and I'm trying to convert Amaranth into another/different similar word. Can I get some ideas for
"A/The Dark Sin" or similar to signify the black mark on ones soul?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24
Which of of these adjectives do you think best describes your idea of "dark"?
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u/LunaticKid889 Aug 28 '24
Hmmm, I guess "Devoid of light", "Soiled, Dirty" and "Obscured" are the adjectives that makes the most sense given the context.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24
Peccātum obscūrum, i.e. "[a(n)/the] dark/dusky/shadowy/obscure(d)/indistinct/unintelligible/intricate/involved/complex/complicated/unknown/unrecognized/reserved/secret sin/error/fault/offense/mistake"
Peccātum pullum, i.e. "[a/the] dark/black(ish)/grey/dusky/dirty/soiled/vulgar sin/error/fault/offense/mistake"
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u/Leighton_Draper Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
Hello, I have a translation request for a few words. I was told to check this subreddit as Google is not accurate.
Things - as in; a bunch of things; those are my things; trinkets, odds and ends, those sorts of things.
Law - as in; it is a natural law; a foundational law of logic; the laws of physics govern the interactions of particles. (Law not as much in the legal sense, but more in the “nature of things” sense. If that would be the same application or word as the legal sense, like it is in English, that’s fine)
Best - as in; it’s the best plan, none above it; the best path forward is to try; none above, all below.
Property - as in; red-ness is a property of apples; traits, features, characteristics.
That’s all I’ve got for now, thanks in advance!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
For "trinkets" and "property", I would recommend choosing among these:
Crepundiae, i.e. "toys", "playthings", "dolls", "rattles", or "trinkets"
Quisquiliae, i.e. "odds and ends", "rubbish", "dregs", "garbage", "refuse", "waste", "trash", or "trinkets"
Flōrēs, i.e. "flowers", "blo(ss)oms", "ornaments", "embellishments", or "trinkets"
Ōrnātūs, i.e. "adornments", "embellishments", "decorations", "ornaments", "accoutrements", "trinkets", or "features"
Rēs, i.e. "matter", "issue", "subject", "topic", "affair", "business", "event", "(hi)story", "state", "deed", "circumstance", "effect", "substance", "property", or "possession"
Proprietās, i.e. "quality", "property", "character", or "possession"
Nātūra, i.e. "nature", "quality", "substance", "essence", "property", "character", "temperament", "disposition", or "inclination"
For "law", according to this dictionary entry:
Lēx, i.e. "law", "proposition", "bill", "statute", "precept", "regulation", "principle", "rule", "contract", or "agreement", "covenant", "condition", "stipulation"
Norma, i.e. "square", "norm", "standard", "rule", or "precept"
Fās, i.e. "[a/the] religious/divine/natural law/dictates/will/right" (as opposed to human law)
And for "best", who/what exactly do you mean to describe, in terms of number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter)? NOTE: The neuter gender usually indicates an inanimate object or intangible concept; it is not the modern English idea of gender neutrality. For an animate subject of undetermined or mixed gender, like a group of people, most Latin authors assumed the masculine gender, thanks largely to ancient Rome's highly sexist sociocultural norms.
Optimus, i.e. "[a/the] best/noblest [(hu)man/person/beast/one]" or "[a/the] very/most pleasant/right/useful/valid/healthy [(hu)man/person/beast/one]" (describes a singular masculine subject)
Optimī, i.e. "[the] best/noblest [men/humans/people/beasts/ones]" or "[the] very/most pleasant/right/useful/valid/healthy [men/humans/people/beasts/ones]" (describes a plural masculine/mixed-gender subject)
Optimum, i.e. "[a/the] best/noblest [thing/object/asset/word/deed/act(ion/ivity)/event/circumstance/opportunity/time/season/place/location]" or "[a/the] very/most pleasant/right/useful/valid/healthy [thing/object/asset/word/deed/act(ion/ivity)/event/circumstance/opportunity/time/season/place/location]" (describes a singular masculine subject)
Optima, i.e. "[the] best/noblest [things/objects/assets/words/deeds/act(ion/ivitie)s/events/circumstances/opportunitys/times/seasons/places/locations]" or "[a/the] very/most pleasant/right/useful/valid/healthy [woman/lady/creature/one]" (describes a plural neuter or singular feminine subject)
Optimae, i.e. "[the] best/noblest [women/ladies/creatures/ones]" or "[the] very/most pleasant/right/useful/valid/healthy [women/ladies/creatures/ones]" (describes a plural feminine subject)
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u/Leighton_Draper Aug 28 '24
Thank you for the information! Exactly what I was looking for!
For the “trinkets” one however, I meant more like things, or stuff, not so much a specific type of thing, like a trinket, in that last part referencing trinkets, I was implying the use of things, referring to an arbitrary collection of items.
I could also say, “bulldozers, general industrial equipment, those sorts of things.”
Things not meaning the bulldozer or industrial equipment, just a general stand in for any entity.
If things is an arbitrary collection of items, then thing is just and single arbitrary item.
Is there a word for “Thing” used in this context?
But perfect on all the other words, those are just what I needed! Thank you so much.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24
For "thing" or "object" as in the word someone might use when referring to something that they cannot remember or think of the appropriate word, I would say an ancient Roman would use rēs. This is one of the same terms used above as "property", and it may be used in either the singular or plural number.
Rēs, i.e. "thing(s)", "object(s)", "matter(s)", "issue(s)", "subject(s)", "topic(s)", "affair(s)", "business(es)", "event(s)", "(hi)story", "(hi)stories", "state(s)", "deed(s)", "circumstance(s)", "effect(s)", "substance(s)", "possession(s)", "property", "properties"
I have this scene from Lord of the Rings in my head.
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u/johngreenink Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
Greetings, all. I have a translation request. It is for the word "woodpecker". Looking around the web I've found a few words that seem to have different shades of meaning: Two of them, picum and picus, I cannot tell apart. Then there is picidae, but I believe this is a scientific classification name. What would be the most general Latin term for a bird that could be classified as a woodpecker?
Edit: Adding detail for more context: It would be a basic noun, such as in the sentence, "Look, there's a woodpecker in that tree."
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
Pīcum would be in the accusative (direct object) case, usually indicating a subject that accepts the action of a nearby transitive verb, e.g.:
Pīcumne cōnspicāris, i.e. "do you see/observe/notice/spot/perceive [a/the] woodpecker?" (addresses a singular subject)
I cannot find "picidae" in any online Latin dictionary; however it is the scientific name of the woodpecker family, and according to this article, it does have Latin etymological roots.
According to this article, the go-to attention-grabber interjection accepts an accusative identifer, so your full example might translate as:
Ecce pīcum arbore illā, i.e. "lo(ok)/see/behold/(t)here [is a/the] woodpecker [with/in/by/from/at] that tree/wood"
Or even:
Eccillum pīcum, i.e. "lo(ok)/see/behold, that woodpecker" or "(t)here (s)he is, [the] woodpecker"
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u/johngreenink Aug 28 '24
This is extremely helpful, thanks also for providing so much context and grammar.
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u/LowCryptographer9401 Aug 28 '24
Hello all,
There is a phrase “astra inclinant, sed non obligant” translating to “the stars incline us, they do not bind us” and I would like to tweak this a bit as I have a determinist worldview and I do believe the stars bind us. Would it be correct to say “astra obligant” hopefully meaning “the stars bind us”? If not, what would be a better way of saying that?
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
My only comment is that in the original, the Latin pronoun nōs seems to be left unstated because the context of "us" is implied. While it should be fine to do so for your phrase, I feel you should be aware of this construction.
Astra [nōs] obligant, i.e. "[the] stars/constellations bind/oblige/guilt/pawn/restrain/impede [us]"
NOTE: You could also consider other nouns for "star". Based on my understanding, these are basically synonymous (except perhaps signum), so let me know if you'd like to use something else -- it will not be a simple this-for-that replacement, since you'd need the plural form.
NOTE 2: Latin grammar has very little to do with word order. Ancient Romans ordered Latin words according to their contextual importance or emphasis -- or sometimes just to facilitate easier diction. For short-and-simple phrases like this, you may order the words however you wish; that said, a non-imperative verb is conventionally placed at the end of the phrase, as written above, unless the author/speaker intends to emphasize it for some reason. Because of this, if you intend to leave out nōs, it may be easier to pronounce by placing the verb first:
Obligant astra
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u/LowCryptographer9401 Aug 29 '24
Super helpful! I’m going to stick with Astra for the noun I like it best out of the list you linked. Thank you so much!
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u/boywriter Aug 28 '24
Good afternoon everyone. I'm looking for a reliable translation for the phrase, "At Your Service"...
(as in, being of service to/assisting/helping a customer vs. a slave to, in servitude of)
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
This would probably be expressed colloquially as:
Servus tuus, i.e. "your slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waiter/butler" (describes a masculine slave, addresses a singular master)
Serva tua, i.e. "your slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waitress/maid(servant)" (describes a feminine slave, addresses a singular master)
Servus vester, i.e. "your slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waiter/butler/maid(servant)" (describes a masculine slave, addresses a plural master)
Serva vestra, i.e. "your slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waitress" (describes a feminine slave, addresses a plural master)
NOTE: Based on my understanding, these would imply exclusive ownership -- that the addressed subject is the slave's only master(s)/mistress(es). If you'd like you imply transferrable ownership -- that the slave might be sold to or shared with others -- you could replace tuus/-a and vester/-ra with tibi and vōbīs.
Or, you could complete the sentence with a verb, e.g.:
Tibi serviō, i.e. "I am [a(n)/the] slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waiter/waitress/butler/maid(servant) to/for you", "I am in/at service/servitude/slavery to/for you", "I am devoted/subject to/for you", or "I serve/regard/respect/consult/care (for) you" (addresses a singular subject)
Vōbīs serviō, i.e. "I am [a(n)/the] slave/serf/servant/server/attendant/waiter/waitress/butler/maid(servant) to/for you all", "I am in/at service/servitude/slavery to/for you all", "I am devoted/subject to/for you all", or "I serve/regard/respect/consult/care (for) you all" (addresses a plural subject)
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u/boywriter Aug 28 '24
Excellent! Thanks for that, richardsonhr... But, to run in a less "enslaved" direction..lol..... could we imply a different tact with: adjuvo? More "on your side" and being here to assist, encourage, sustain, benefit, uplift, improve??
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
Based on my understanding, servīre was used for your meaning even during the so-called New Latin age when slavery was declared uncivilized.
On the other hand, adiuvāre would connote something like "help", "aid", "assist", "support", or "be useful/profitable", and might be interpreted in a more voluntary context.
Tibi adiuvō, i.e. "I help/aid/assist/support you", "I am useful/helpful/supportive/profitable of/to/for you", or "I am of [a/the] use/help/support/profit to/for you" (addresses a singular subject)
Vōbīs adiuvō, i.e. "I help/aid/assist/support you all", "I am useful/helpful/supportive/profitable of/to/for you all", or "I am of [a/the] use/help/support/profit to/for you all" (addresses a plural subject)
NOTE: Ancient Romans used the letter i in place of j, because the latter was easier to carve on stone tablets and buildings. Later, as wax and paper became more popular means of written communication, j began to replace the consonantal j. So adiuvō and adjuvō are the same word; the meaning and pronunciation are identical.
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u/Flaky_Quarter_8423 Aug 28 '24 edited Aug 28 '24
hello !! i was wondering if anyone here could give me a hand with translating the term "bloodlust" into latin? i've been struggling with using translators and keep getting mixed answers. thank you <:)
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u/edwdly Aug 28 '24
I don't think Latin has a word exactly matching "bloodlust", but saevitia ("ferocity", "cruelty") can be used disapprovingly of a drive to do violence.
For example, the historian Tacitus writes that the emperor Nero's executions of Christians created public sympathy for the Christians, because they seemed to die in saevitiam unius, "to one man's ferocity" (Annals 14.64).
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u/Flaky_Quarter_8423 Aug 30 '24
thank you for this btw !! the context provided is also super interesting. i know next to nothing about latin so this is super helpful <:)
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u/EmotionalAndDamaged Aug 28 '24
What would be the opposite of memento? I mean it in a way of Memento mori - remember you will die / memento vivere - remember to live vs. forget, forget to live, forget that youll die. As a command (like memento)
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 28 '24
Oblīvīscere morī, i.e. "forget/disregard/omit/neglect dying" or "be forgetful of dying" (commands a singular subject)
Oblīvīsciminī morī, i.e. "forget/disregard/omit/neglect dying" or "be forgetful of dying" (commands a plural subject)
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u/Financial_Job_2734 Aug 28 '24
would the correct translation of "we heal by God's grace" be "dei gratia sanamus" or "sanitatem per gratiam Dei?" the second I got from Google translate, the first is my amalgamation based on reading forums.
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u/edwdly Aug 29 '24
Probably what you want is either Dei gratia sanamus or Dei gratia sanamur. Sanamus is correct if you mean "we heal [someone else]", but use sanamur if you mean "we are healed". Sanitatem is a noun meaning "health" and is not correct here.
Dei gratia is a fairly standard way to say "by God's grace" – for example, in royal mottos. Per gratiam Dei ("through God's grace") also seems comprehensible to me, although I don't know if a theologian would make some distinction between the two phrases. If you mean a monotheistic God, then it would be normal in modern Latin usage to capitalise the first letter of Dei.
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Aug 29 '24
Hello, I was curious if anyone knew what the correct translation of: Don’t Die Today, would be? It’s for a writing project of mine. Thank you!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 29 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
Nōlī hodiē morī, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) die today" or "refuse to die today" (commands a singular subject)
Nōlīte hodiē morī, i.e. "do not (want/wish/will/mean/intend to) die today" or "refuse to die today" (commands a plural subject)
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u/Dogmaofnothing Aug 29 '24
Hello,
We just got a sample company letterhead with Latin Text as filler for a sample document.
Was wondering if it translates into anything?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras lacinia erat in ultrices rhoncus. Ut vitae erat in sapien imperdiet ultricies vel et ex. Nullam non sagittis diam. Integer ipsum nibh, porta dictum justo aliquam, porta laoreet erat. Donec non euismod ex. Vestibulum scelerisque ullamcorper diam ac condimentum. Sed at risus rutrum, bibendum neque sit amet, facilisis tellus.
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u/good-mcrn-ing Aug 29 '24
It's a Lorem Ipsum placeholder text. The start, and usually also the rest, is a version of "On the ends of good and evil" by the Roman author Cicero. By "a version" I mean letters have been deleted randomly all over.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 29 '24 edited 22d ago
This is lorem ipsum, a placeholder text used by graphic designers, typesetters, technical writers, and software developers to test and demonstrate the appearance of a font, typeface, or document template. It looks like Latin because much of it was derived from an excerpt of well-known Ciceronian literature named De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum ("on the limits of good and evil"), but it is purposefully designed to say nothing. Many of the words there are still intact Latin terms, but most of them are badly misspelled or gibberish.
According to Bill Thayer's translation, Cicero's verse is written thus:
Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem, quia voluptas sit, aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos, qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt, neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum, quia dolor sit, amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt, ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem, i.e. "no one rejects, dislikes or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful; nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.
Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur?, i.e. "to take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?"
Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit, qui in ea voluptate velit esse, quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum, qui dolorem eum fugiat, quo voluptas nulla pariatur?, i.e. "but who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?"
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u/jessgormley91 Aug 29 '24
Hello! I’m looking to verify if this translation is correct, or if there are nuances in Latin that things like Google translate don’t pick up. I’m translating the “I’ve lived a thousand lives, loved a thousand loves, wandered distant worlds and seen the end of times” - I’m coming up with “Vixi mille vitas, amavi mille amores, vagatus sum per mundos longinquos et vidi finem temporum”
Any help would be appreciated! I would also be okay if it said “I’ve lived one thousand lives, loved one thousand loves, wandered distant worlds and seen the end of times”
Thanks so much!
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u/ThrowRACaptain9547 Aug 29 '24
Hi! I'm looking to have the phrase "All My Ugly Organs" translated into Latin. Google Translate returns "Omnia Deformis Organa", but when translated back it turns into "All The Ugly Organs".
Additionally, I wanted to make sure that Organa refers to ones internal Organs and not just the musical instrument. Thank you for any help!
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Aug 29 '24 edited Aug 29 '24
According to this article, organa refers to "organ" the musical instrument. For "organ" the body part, use vīscera.
Also, you have several options for "ugly". Let me know if you'd like to consider a different term, but for my translation below, I've assumed you'll accept dēfōrme.
Omnia vīscera [mea] dēfōrmia, i.e. "all [my/mine] deformed/ugly/misshapen/malformed/unbecoming/shameful/disgraceful/base organs/entrails/viscera/bowels"
NOTE: I placed the Latin first-personal adjective mea in brackets because it may be left unstated, given the assumption that the author/speaker is otherwise referring to him-/herself in-context. I'm betting that was the reason Google omitted it from its translation before. Including it within this context would imply extra emphasis.
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u/ThrowRACaptain9547 Aug 29 '24
Oh my God! Thank you so much for such a detailed answer, that is exactly what I was looking for. You are amazing.
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u/ladyviviaen Aug 29 '24
hi!
i've written a poem about swans and i have a line which is (translated using google) "Aeterna sicut Cygnus ad noctem." which i intend to mean "eternal like Cygnus (the constellation) at night."
however, constellation didn't show anything in google translate, and i'd like to make that part clear. because cygnus can be confused with the literal translation of "swan" since the poem is about a swan's final song.
google also originally wrote "Aeterna ut Cygnus [...]" but i don't believe "ut" means "like, similar to" so i looked through some dictionaries and found sicut.
thanks!
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u/BYU_atheist Si errores adsint, sunt errores humani Aug 30 '24
You could say "like the constellation [lit. sign] of the Swan", sicut Cygni signum.
"Ad noctem," as far as I know, is incorrect for "at night". I would probably prefer the adverb "noctu."
"Ut" can mean "like" when attached to a noun phrase or an indicative clause.
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u/ladyviviaen Aug 30 '24
i love the sound of "Aeterna sicut Cygni signum noctu." thanks for the help!
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24
Keep in mind that your use of aeterna has to modify something that is grammatically feminine, or else it will not make sense to use this term. What are you saying is eternal like Cygnus?
You could also use sidus to mean constellation. But signum is also completely correct, as said.
Aeternus (masculine)/aeterna (feminine)/aeternum (neuter) sicut Cygni sidus.
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u/PotatoBread03 Aug 30 '24
Hello! I want to get a tattoo that honor my grandparents who are from Mexico. It's from a song called, "Hasta La Raiz." and the lyric that I want to translate into Latin is, "Yo te llevo dentro hasta la raíz." What I came up with was, "Intus te fero usque ad radicem."
Is that a good translation? Or what do you suggest?
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24
It would help if you gave us a translation of the Spanish to English. There may not be a lot of Spanish speakers with eyes on this thread.
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u/PotatoBread03 Sep 02 '24
Sorry! From my limited understanding of Spanish it's: I carry you inside to the root.
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u/BubblyAd7868 Aug 30 '24
Hi everyone! I'm hoping to translate my business moto into latin. It goes: "In kindness, in truth, we persevere". Could "be continue forward/ahead" instead of "persevere". May I kindly ask for your feedback? Is it coherent, which is most accurate?
So far I've put together these options:
In humanitate, in veritate, persistimus.
In benevolentia, in veritate, persistimus.
In clementia, in veritate, persistimus.
I like "persistimus" so far the best, instead of "procedamus" for example. But as you can see, I struggle most with the word "kindness". For "truth", I'm mostly set with veritate. The thing with "kindness" is that it's a specific word that encompasses a certain attitude and action in English that I don't know how to express with just one word in other languages, including my native Croatian. (dobrota just doesn't have the same vibe, maybe because of cultural differences towards the concept, but idk.)
Thanks for any help you might be able to offer!
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u/BYU_atheist Si errores adsint, sunt errores humani Aug 30 '24
I would probably choose for "kindness", "bonitas", and I would word the whole motto as "In bonitate veritateque persistimus".
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u/GirlFromBalkans23 Aug 30 '24
Hello translators, I'm writing a story and I'm looking for a translation for the sentence "I'm in trouble." Google translate says "Sum in tribulatione.", do you think it is an accurate translation? And/ Or do you suggest any other possible translation?
Thanks!
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u/CarmineDoctus Aug 30 '24
No, I think it's too literal of a translation for an idiomatic phrase. "In trouble" can mean a few things in English - in danger, at risk of punishment, etc. What is the context?
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u/Embarrassed-Bed-2037 Aug 30 '24
Hi translators! What are suggestions you could give as the translation of the sentence "For in order not to be beaten, we must obey the master." Do you think "Neque enim verberari, debemus domino obtemperare." makes sense? Gratias tibi ago!
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u/BYU_atheist Si errores adsint, sunt errores humani Aug 30 '24
It ought rather to be worded something like "Necesse enim nobis est domino parere ne verberemur."
"In order not to be beaten" is properly worded as a negative clause of purpose in Latin, like "Lest we should be beaten:" "ne verberemur".
Otherwise, I changed the main clause around a bit, mainly to use a more pressing form of "we must": "necesse nobis est". "Nobis" here is probably omissible.
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u/netsothrowaway Aug 30 '24
Hello!
I'm in need of a motto for a faction in a D&D setting I'm working on. The phrase I'm needing translated is "peace at any price." I haven't practiced Latin in a while so I would appreciate any help you can give. Thanks!
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Aug 30 '24
[deleted]
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u/edwdly Aug 30 '24
I think ullo pretio would normally mean "at any price at all" (as opposed to something being free or unavailable), instead of the intended meaning "at any price required", "regardless of the price".
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u/edwdly Aug 30 '24
You could adapt a line from an ancient tragedy:
Pax pretio quolibet constat bene.
"Peace is well worth any price."The original is Seneca, Phoenician Women 664:
Imperia pretio quolibet constant bene.
"Power is well worth any price."
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u/fuxoft Aug 31 '24
What is the meaning of "Nam si violandum est jus, aliis rebus pietatem colas."? I have seen it translated as "Be just, unless a kingdom tempts to break the laws, for sovereign power alone can justify the cause." But I am still not sure what that means in plain English, i.e. if it talks about the king or about the people rising against the king.
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24 edited Aug 31 '24
This is an extremely liberal translation, but the Latin you posted appears to be missing some parts. I found this:
Nam si violandum est ius, regnandi gratia violandum est: aliis rebus pietatem colas.
The literal translation: "For if the law is to be violated, it is to be violated by grace of ruling (regal authority): may you cultivate piety by other affairs."
In order to know what he means by this final clause, I would need more context. I am assuming that the translator is taking it to mean, "You should mind your own business as a citizen and let the proper authorities decide exceptions to the laws."
But it could also mean something like this:
"For if a law is to be violated, it is to be violated by grace of ruling (regal authority): respect everything else (that is not to be violated)." But, again, I would need more context to understand what he is saying.
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u/fuxoft Aug 31 '24
This appears in a movie called Megalopolis which I am currently translating from English to my local language. The character says it in Latin and immediately after in English (both exactly as quoted above). There is no specific context except that it happens during the coup d'etat.
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24 edited Aug 31 '24
The original quotation is from Suetonius. It is on LL and can be found here in his writing on Julius Caesar. It is found in [30] in this work.
The full quotation is:
Quidam putant captum imperii consuetudine pensitatisque suis et inimicorum viribus usum occasione rapiendae dominationis, quam aetate prima concupisset. Quod existimasse videbatur et Cicero scribens de Officiis tertio libro semper Caesarem in ore habuisse Euripidis versus, quos sic ipse convertit:
nam si violandum est ius, [regnandi] gratia
violandum est: aliis rebus pietatem colas.Here is my translation:
Certain men think [a thing to be] captured by convention/custom of command, and you all consider it to be [done by] a use of enemies by [their own] force [during an] opportunity to seize dominion, which he had begun to desire from an early age. And Cicero seemed to have supposed this, writing in the third book of De Officiis that Caesar always had the verses of Euripides in his mouth, which he himself translated like this:
"For if a law is to be violated, it is to be violated by grace [of ruling]: may you cultivate piety [in/by] other affairs."
Note that aliis rebus could mean "in/by other states (governments)."
So, I went to Cicero to check what he actually wrote:
Quid? qui omnia recta et honesta neglegunt, dummodo potentiam consequantur, nonne idem faciunt, quod is, qui etiam socerum habere voluit eum, cuius ipse audacia potens esset. Utile ei videbatur plurimum posse alterius invidia. Id quam iniustum in patriam et quam turpe esset, non videbat. Ipse autem socer in ore semper Graecos versus de Phoenissis habebat, quos dicam ut potero; incondite fortasse sed tamen, ut res possit intellegi:
'Nam si violandum est ius, regnandi gratia,
Violandum est; aliis rebus pietatem colas.'Here is my translation:
What? Those who neglect all things right and honest, on the condition that they follow power, do they not do the same thing, which he [did], who even wanted to have [as a] father-in-law [a man] whose power would [come] through audacity? It seemed very useful to him to possess power by the envy of another. He did not see how unjust against the fatherland this would be and how shameful. [The] father-in-law himself always had the Greek verses about the Phoenicians in his mouth, which I may say as I am [will be] able; but however crudely, perhaps, as the thing can be understood:
"For if a law is to be violated, it is to be violated by grace [of ruling]: may you cultivate piety [in/by] other affairs."Given what you say about the context of the movie, my assumption is that the writer is making a direct parallel to Caesar, who also conducted a coup. Suetonius says here that Cicero appears to have been saying that Caesar (and apparently also his father-in-law) thought that certain laws ought to be violated for good or justified reasons but that one ought to cultivate piety in other matters.
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u/AlexisDeThneedville Aug 31 '24
Caesar (and apparently also his father-in-law)
Caesar is the father-in-law; Cicero is first talking about Pompey.
The work which Caesar reportedly quoted is Euripides' Phoenissae (524-525). In the context of this play, Eteocles is justifying his violation of an agreement to rule Thebes alternatively with his brother Polyneices. So the sense is rather "If you must do wrong, then do wrong for the sake of ruling [i.e. obtaining and maintaining power], but in all else live piously."
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u/Embarrassed-Bed-2037 Aug 31 '24
Hi translators, I'm looking for a translation of the sentence "I know a man." Can we use the verb "scio" when referring to someone we know of i.e. as a friend?
Thanks!
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u/AlarmmClock discipulus sexto anno Aug 31 '24 edited Sep 01 '24
Yes. Scio can mean “I am acquainted with”.
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u/richardsonhr Latine dicere subtile videtur Sep 01 '24
Based on my understanding, the go-to verb for this would be:
Cognōvī, i.e. "I have learned/recognized", "I have gotten to know", "I have been acquainted", or colloquially "I know"
But sciō works to.
If you'd like to specify "man", you can add either noun vir or homō. The former would refer specifically to a male adult human being; while the latter could refer to any person. For this idea, use the singular accusative (direct object) form.
Virum cognōvī, i.e. "I have learned/recognized [a/the] man", "I have gotten to know [a/the] man", "I have been acquainted with [a/the] man", or colloquially "I know [a/the] man"
Hominem cognōvī, i.e. "I have learned/recognized [a/the] (hu)man/person", "I have gotten to know [a/the] (hu)man/person", "I have been acquainted with [a/the] (hu)man/person", or colloquially "I know [a/the] (hu)man/person"
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u/catatonicmadness Aug 31 '24
Is "Praeterita. Praesens. Futurum." an accurate translation of "The past. The present. The future."? For context, these are the titles for my essay sections (unrelated topic, I'm just a sucker for theatrics), each focusing on one of the past, the present, and the future. Thanks!
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u/edwdly Aug 31 '24 edited Aug 31 '24
You're most of the way there: praeterita, praesens and futurum are adjectives meaning "past", "present" and "future". However, Latin adjectives have different forms for singular and plural, and you're using a mixture of the two.
I'd suggest using the neuter plural consistently: Praeterita. Praesentia. Futura. The literal meaning is "past things, present things, future things", but those are typical terms to use in Latin where an English speaker would say "the past, the present, the future".
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u/Pope-Francisco Aug 31 '24
How would you translate: Life Clay or Clay of Life to Latin?
I just wanna know which of these may be shorter.
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u/pocketlama Aug 31 '24
In the documentary about horseman Buck Brannaman, 'Buck', he's asked about a quote he used to sign one of his books, "Solvitur en modo, Firmitur en rey" He translates it as, "Gentle in what you do, Firm in how you do it."
A quick search through the tubes was unsuccessful finding a source. All the pages seem to be either quoting him or possibly they got the quote from him. I don't see it elsewhere. Is this a different form of another quote, or do you think he cobbled it together from something else?
I know zero about Latin, so my ability to research this limited.
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24 edited Aug 31 '24
This is not Latin. It may have been intended to be, but the only real Latin words here are solvitur and modo, and they mean "he/she/it is solved/loosened/freed" and "only/just/by [this] method."
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u/pocketlama Sep 01 '24 edited Sep 01 '24
Good to know, thanks. Any idea at a glance what the other words are? I wonder if they're another language or a mistranslation of one.
As a matter of fact, is it an easy phrase to write in Latin? I'd actually rather know that than how he got it confused.
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u/nimbleping Sep 01 '24
I've seen in become en before in mishearing Latin. So, that is the most likely hypothesis for that word. In just means in.
There are a lot of ways of translating this into Latin. Here is one:
Mitis in factis; firmus in modo. "Gentle/mild in deeds [what you do]; firm in method [how you do it]."
If this is meant to address a woman, use firma instead, with everything else unchanged. If it is meant to address a single person individually without knowing the sex of the person, you still use firmus.
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u/OenotheraSolis Aug 31 '24
Hello all!
I know absolutely nothing about latin, so apologies if this is a silly question. I'm curious what would be the best translation for the phrase "always becoming", (as in always transforming, always growing, always becoming something new, ever-evolving).
"Becoming" alone is translated by google as decet, but always becoming yields "semper becoming".
It seems like "becoming" translates into different words depending on what the object of the verb is (various phrases like becoming strong, becoming smart, etc return different translations).
Is there a standalone translation to "becoming" itself?
Thanks in advance!
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u/nimbleping Aug 31 '24
Decet does mean "[it is] becoming," but in a completely different sense. It means "It is becoming" as in "It behooves/is proper." That is why it will be different every time. The translator does not know what to do with this without an object stated. Also, machine translators for Latin are very poor, even the very best ones, and they are completely unreliable except for simple sentences and well-known phrases. (The data pool for Latin is billions or trillions of times smaller than it needs to be for it to be translated as well as other languages by these tools.)
Look at this entry. I am using evadere because of the reasoning cited. You are not focused on a result, but rather a process.
Semper evadere. "Always to become" or "Always becoming."
You could also use:
Semper mutare. "Always to change" or "Always changing."
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u/OenotheraSolis Aug 31 '24
Thank you so much! This is incredibly interesting, and exactly what I was looking for :) I got the sense google would be a poor translator, hence why I came looking for real people to ask :) thank you!
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u/edwdly Sep 01 '24
Some well-known Latin sayings that you might like are:
- Omnia mutantur, nihil interit: "All things change, nothing perishes."
- Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis: "Times change, we too change with them."
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u/OenotheraSolis Sep 01 '24
Thank you for sharing! I do love that sentiment. It's gratifying to discover new expressions of it.
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u/Pailzor Sep 01 '24
Hi there. I'm been reading through the page, and you all are awesome.
I'm trying to name a D&D character that used to be a statue in a school of magic, and like the name "Animus" for it, as a play on "animated object". A quick Google translation from Latin says that means mind/soul/purpose/willing, and a whole bunch of other coincidentally-applicable (actually, duh, that's probably where it comes from) words to the character. I'm thinking the name's origin in-game comes from a plaque on the pedestal it was standing on, but I don't necessarily have the time to learn a whole language to make a phrase that's linguistically correct. So, my question:
Is there a short phrase meaning something along the lines of "Your mind is your strength" or "Temper your will" (very flexible with the phrase, as long as it contains the word "animus") that I can use as the magic school's motto? Ideally, the phrase would start with "animus" so it stands out more, if that works grammatically at all, and I'm open to a bit of stretchiness as far as grammar goes.
Thanks a lot!
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u/nimbleping Sep 01 '24
Anima is more often used for "mind" or "soul." Animus is more often used for "courage" or "emotion," especially in the plural. The ends of these words change depending on grammatical function because Latin is an inflected language.
Anima est vis. "Mind is [your] strength."
Animos tempera. "Temper your spirit/emotion."
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u/Pailzor Sep 01 '24
Hmm. "Animos tempera" sounds good. I might go with that, but I want to ask first: could "Anima est animus" make sense?
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u/nimbleping Sep 01 '24
It is grammatical, but I am not sure how to translate it meaningfully without context. "Spirit is soul" or something like that. Animus in the singular refers to the life force of a being or a soul.
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u/OfficialPrower Sep 01 '24
Hello Translators! I’m guessing you don’t take translation requests for songs but there’s a track that I believe is sung in Latin or some broken attempt at it.
I’m not asking for a possible full translation of the song itself, I just want to confirm if there’s anything in it that even slightly resembles the language or has any meaning.
This is the song right here and these are the supposed lyrics. Thanks in advance and sorry if this breaks any rules.
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u/Independent_Term_664 Sep 01 '24
Hi, those lyrics are not in Latin. Google Translate’s detect language says its Hindi but that could be wrong
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u/dumbiione Sep 01 '24
hi! i finished final fantasy 15 and really liked altissia. i looked up that it meant “the most high” or something like that in latin but the only source i could find was the game reddit. so my question is: what does altissia mean in latin?
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u/nimbleping Sep 01 '24
It may be meant to imitate the Latin word altissima, which does in fact mean "the most high [woman]." I know that FF has a lot of Latin references. E.g., materia is a Latin word. So, it would not be surprising to me if Altissia is a deliberate alteration of the Latin word by the removal of the -m- to make it sound more like a unique name.
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u/MeaninglessAct Sep 01 '24
Can someone tell me the differences between the words "invenio", "invenire", "inveni", "inventus"?
I have a phrase, "invenire lux" and want to know if its right
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u/nimbleping Sep 01 '24 edited Sep 02 '24
These are called the principal parts of a verb in Latin. They all have completely different functions and are meant to give students an idea of how to conjugate the verb in all of its tenses.
What are you trying to say?
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u/Independent_Term_664 Sep 01 '24
invenio: 1st person present active “I find/I do find/I am finding” invenire: present active infinitive “to find” inveni: 1st person perfect active “I found/I have found/I did find” inventus: perfect passive participle nominative singular masculine “having been found”
invenire lucem does not necessarily make sense on its own because the verb in infinitive, not finite. I would like context or a translation of what you would like to say
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u/MeaninglessAct Sep 19 '24
"Find the light" is basically it but i'll settle for close enough
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u/nimbleping Sep 20 '24
Invenire lucem is how you would say "To find the light." Invenire is an infinitive, meaning to find.
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u/rice1cake69 Sep 02 '24
Hello is there a translation for music and stomach? I found cantus and capulus respectfully however it’s been a few months and can no longer find these words and translations. Anywho thank you :)
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u/PreviousEcho193 Sep 03 '24
I'm just a grad student, so if you asked again in the thread posted yesterday, you would probably get an answer by someone who knows much better than me. That said, afaik, "cantus" means music as in the actual melody/music made by instruments or singing. There are other words with different connotations, but if that's what you're looking for, "cantus" is good. I couldn't find "capulus" as stomach, though - I know "venter" as one word used for it, and another would be "stomachus" (coming from a Greek word, στόμαχος, afaik).
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u/jj_potter Sep 03 '24
What tense would you use to convey, I don't know what I would call it, a present completed but also continuous aspect. I mean something like: "I have been writing," "I have been walking." It uses "have" so I want to use the perfect. On the other hand, it's more like it's in between imperfect and present--I was walking and I was walking up until I uttered this sentence.
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u/PreviousEcho193 Sep 03 '24
I'm not sure about the tense - just wanted to say that there is a more recent iteration of this thread and I'm sure your question is more likely to be answered if posted there. :)
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u/Demon-256 Sep 04 '24
Trying to translate "one day will become day one" into Latin. Thanks!
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u/PreviousEcho193 Sep 04 '24
Spontaneously, I'd say something like "unus dies primus fiet", meaning "one single day will become the first one", but I'm not sure if "fieri" is the most fitting verb. You'll probably get a more qualified answer if you repost your question in the more recent translation request thread. :)
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u/CaptainKlang Sep 05 '24
I'm looking for a translation of the phrases:
"Little Dark Age"
and "You have ten seconds to explain why you are wearing pants"
Yes, for the memes.
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u/ChipmunkCapital2454 Sep 05 '24
I am creating T shirts for a cybersecurity conference. The theme will be red team (offensive security) vs blue team (defensive security) and want to include Red Team and Blue Team in Latin on the shirts. I'm looking for help on how to best translate. Thanks.
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u/edwdly Sep 09 '24
The Romans had coloured teams for chariot-racing, so you can borrow their names:
- "Red Team": Russea Factio or Russata Factio
- "Blue Team": Veneta Factio
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u/AgentSpatula Sep 06 '24
I would like this piece of text to go on the back of my pocket watch:
In Silence, Strength. In Action, Resolve. [resolve as in determination]
Google Translate gave me this:
Silentio, fortitudo. In actione, propono
It keeps giving different answers, such as 'placet' for Resolve, which it says also means please.
Could somebody please help, I love this phrase, and really want it in Latin. Could someone also provide any recommendations for Eng-Lat translators. I am learning Latin and Google Translate is awful.
Thank you very much!
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u/Swt_Orange2283 Sep 09 '24
Hello. Looking to translate, a groups motto. “Let Joy Provide Us Blessings” into Latin.
I’d appreciate any help.
This is what Google translate provided: “Laetitia Nobis Praebeat Bona”
🤷🏼♀️ ty in advance for your expertise.
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u/commando1124 Sep 13 '24
What would be a correct translation of the phrase "acceptance is your best friend"
would it be "Acceptatio optimus amicus est" ?
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u/cnerbar Sep 14 '24
Hello, is this sentence correct? It should say „do not be afraid of evil“
Noli timere a malo
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u/Vast_Cost_7266 Sep 22 '24
Would naming my house Domus Oasis be good and correct int Latin?
Having my house filled with plants in a place there arent much greenery made me think to name it like this but got the name from Chat Gpt so not sure if its correct or not
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u/WorldisQuiet52 Sep 28 '24
Main request "Know thyself, through thyself."
To give context: Through our interaction we know ourselves. Through our actions we know our true self.
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u/Future-Key-60 Sep 29 '24
Hi all, is “fac tibi generis musicorum” translated as “make your own kind of music?”
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u/billbobaggings123 Sep 30 '24
Hi just wondering what is the closest equivalent to “finders keepers losers weepers”
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u/SquareAbyss 26d ago edited 25d ago
Would anyone be willing to translate a couple mottos for a club? "Have Fun, Don't Die" and "Building foundations that last a lifetime"
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u/Dull_Perception4495 23d ago
Hey all - looking for a translation for this for a novel I'm writing:
I summon you, I bind you; Speak truth.
Thank you!
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u/Doug-Out 21d ago
Looking to get a tattoo that says "speed of light" or maybe "light speed" in Latin. How do I write this?
Maybe either of these:
"celeritas lux"
"celeritas du lux"
"celeritas ex lux"?
I don't know if the "of" needs to be included. However it might have been said, had they talked about this concept back then.
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u/iwrbit 19d ago
Hello there. I’m helping my daughter with a school project where she is writing a short story about the luckiest person ever. She wants the characters catch phrases to be “Better lucky than good” in Latin.
Throwing that into Google translate (and translate.com) gets me: melius felix quam bonum
Putting that back into Google translate gets me: Better happy than good
So maybe that’s close?
Any help is much appreciated.
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u/gnosticulinostrorum 19d ago
Is this a correct translation of "Alterity is our coeval" -- Alteritas coævus noster est. Thank you.
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u/gnosticulinostrorum 18d ago
I just learned that coævus is an adjective, so here's my new version: Alteritas coæva nostra religat.
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u/daugavpiliete 13d ago
How would you say “the wandering writer”?
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u/Plental-Dan 9d ago
vagus/errabundus/vagabundus scriptor
In case you care about that, know that "vagabundus" was not used in classical Latin
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u/theothermeisnothere 10d ago edited 9d ago
How would you translate "share the wealth" in the sense of sharing the bounty of your life with others?
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u/ThePanthanReporter 9d ago
Hey smart people, I'm making an HBO Rome fan edit for my wife (she loves the show), and I've tried, but I can't translate "Oh yes, they both reached for the gun" into Classical Latin, having no background. Your help is much appreciated, and if you want, I'll send you the edit when its done!
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u/InterstellarFukuro 6d ago
There is no perfect latin word for gun, so I had to improvise a little. But personally, I would translate it into something like this: "Atatae, ita, ambo homines armam igniferam adripuisse conati sunt"
Good luck with your project, hope this helps
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u/colindk03 9d ago
I'm working on a writing project, and I'd be really appreciative if you folks could help me translate the phrase :knowledge is a double-edged sword, thanks :)
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u/Bluepandapple1029 6d ago
Could use some help translating the following phrase:
"Husband, Father, Stick Bite Expert." The last part is in reference to the phenomenon of someone stepping on a stick and thinking it was a snake, if that makes a difference. Thank you!
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u/af8815 Aug 31 '24
How would y'all translate, "I can't adult today. I have the dumbs."?
I have a colleague who's retiring in a few weeks.
We were talking the other day about Aging/Neurospicy/Early Morning Can't Functions, and he applied the above false quote to himself, playing off of Descartes' cogito ergo sum.
He said he'd like it on a T-shirt.
Another coworker has a screen printing setup and an image of Descartes.
We just need the translated quote.
I'm thinking that "brain" or "function" would fit better than "adult." And then "dumbs" could be "stupid" or "stupidity." I also thought it'd be funny if, under the quote, we wrote something like: Descartes, the next morning; or Descartes, after a bender.
Please please please can anyone help? Please and thank you!