Handy Latin Phrases.

[Dogbrain]

Would that be the correct latin?

Ad infernum vadete! literally means the following:

Ad        to (preposition)
infernum  word used in Vulgate Bible for hell/sheol/hades (accusative case)
vadete    go (second person imperative)

Generally, the verb goes last in Latin commands. Indeed, the verb very often goes last in Latin sentences.

 

[morrolan]

Helvetios a maioribus suis institutos esse, uti obsides accipere, non dare consuerint.

The Helvetii were trained by their ancestors such that they were accustomed to take hostages, not to give them.

Ok, maybe not that handy but anyway...

 

[Teflon Billy]

I wish I could remember the latin motto of the "Addams Family" as outlined in the movie of the same name.

The translation was :"We would gladly dine on the flesh of those who would subdue us"

 

[Dirigible]

The gist of the joke is that it is very much not Latin and very obviously not Latin to anybody who knows any Latin, but it might be thrown about by somebody who is trying to appear impressively educated and is so clueless as to not recognize such an obvious gaffe.

Obvious gaffe, huh? Like, not recognizing an old, classic line of dog Latin that's been around for donkey's years?

This is a sort of "comedy" pseudo-Latin... thus ruining the joke altogether. Rather appropriate, considering.

Is it Irony O'Clock already?

 

[Hypersmurf]

In this case, the verb can be omitted, especially if poetic meter might demand it.

You can get away with pretty much anything in Latin if poetic meter might demand it

"iacta" means, literally, "thrown."

And it's where we get such wonderful English words as "jaculate".

(That's even on-topic for a D&D board!)

-Hyp.

 

[Dogbrain]

Obvious gaffe, huh? Like, not recognizing an old, classic line of dog Latin that's been around for donkey's years?

I recognized it. I also recognized that the joke had been utterly ruined.

"Carborundum" that is "translated" as "grind you down" is witty--it's the classic joke.


"Corobundum" that is "translated" as "get you down" is just ignorance--it's as not "classic" as the most non-classic thing you could imagine.

 

[Babette]

vox clamantis in deserto...

 

[Gez]

"Alia iacta est"

It's Alea.

And it's where we get such wonderful English words as "jaculate".

Or "jet", or "project" (throwing something ahead, litterally), or reject (tossing something back), or many other *ject word, even "object" (thrown before [the mind]) and "subject" (tossed below).

That's why I prefer it written Alea Jacta Est. There were no distinction between I and J (nor between U and V), but every words that have been derived from latin jacta in more modern languages use a j rather than a i.


On the other hand, I would not write "veni, vidi, vici" that way: "uenj, ujdj, ujcj", but it's valid nonetheless. Except the words that have been derived from them (avenue, video, victory) choose the v and i versions.

When using modern alphabet to write ancient latin, try to be consistent with the letter choices made for this modern alphabet in modern version of latin.

Just a minor gripe. Iacta don't annoy me as much as the diety of theives and rouges.

 

[diaglo]

Carpe poul

 

[Staffan]

I like a lot of the "latin" that shows up now and then in Discworld books. Like the motto of the Ankh-Morpork Watch, "FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC"