Witty latin phrases
Rory Barr
I would like to challenge the readership of this news
group to come up with some witty line one liners.
I am designing a logo for a university society, and I think
it would be quite nice to have a Latin motto on it to give
the society a bit of prestige. Unfortunately my Latin is a
tad rusty, so I'm looking for some help.
What is the society? Well its basically a "Gentlemen's" club
the idea being the members meet, go for a curry, drink lots
of beer and then go to Rixy's nightclub (The only club here in
Durham) and continue the night.
I would be grateful if you could send me any suggestions, old ones
or original ones, relevant or just plain jocular (with translations
ofcourse).
If I get a few good ones I shall compile a list and post it for you
all to read,
Cheers,
Rory R.J....@Durham.ac.uk
Arne Dehli Halvorsen
>Hi all,
>I would like to challenge the readership of this news
>group to come up with some witty line one liners.
>I am designing a logo for a university society, and I think
>it would be quite nice to have a Latin motto on it to give
>the society a bit of prestige. Unfortunately my Latin is a
>tad rusty, so I'm looking for some help.
I remember a few joky phrases in Latin which were (bungled)
translations of English expressions. A lot of folks here will be
correct them...
Illegitimi non carborundum
: don't let the bastards grind you down
(though the brand name carborundum wasn't known in ancient times)
...et Robertus avunculus tuus sit : ...and Bob's your uncle
sic disintegrat biscuit : That's the way the cookie crumbles
Hugh Stewart McKenna
for. Unfortunately I can' remember the name. It was filled with Latin
phrases to cover all kinds of 20th century saying.
One example I remember was :
obesa cantavit: (the fat lady has sung)
Tristram Scott
: I got a book out of the local library that would be what you're looking
The book would be "Latin for all occasions" by Henry Beard. There is
also "Latin for even more occasions". Both make quite amusing reading.
--
Tristram Scott, Dept of Management| E-Mail t.s...@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz
University of Canterbury | or bus...@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz
Christchurch, New Zealand | Phone +64 3 364-2656 Fax +64 3 364-2020
Dozier Curt
>...et Robertus avunculus tuus sit : ...and Bob's your uncle
Probably more accurately ...et Robertus avunculus tuus est. Since it
doesn't have anything to be subordinate to I think you should use the
indicative mood.
-Curt
Richard M. Alderson III
writes:
>Illegitimi non carborundum
>: don't let the bastards grind you down
> (though the brand name carborundum wasn't known in ancient times)
That, of course, is why it's funny--though you do have to know about artificial
abrasives.
However, just to pick on your Latinity a bit: It's "illegitimis," a dative of
agency.
--
Rich Alderson You know the sort of thing that you can find in any dictionary
of a strange language, and which so excites the amateur philo-
logists, itching to derive one tongue from another that they
know better: a word that is nearly the same in form and meaning
as the corresponding word in English, or Latin, or Hebrew, or
what not.
--J. R. R. Tolkien,
alde...@netcom.com _The Notion Club Papers_
Timothy M Dellinger
There is always the ever-popular "Semper Ubi Sub-Ubi"
(Always Wear Underwear) ... especially popular with
8th grade Latin I classes.
Rory Barr
By far the most popular seems to be,
Nunc est bibendum! (Now we must drink)
unfortunately I dont seem to be able to read all the ones that are
being posted here.
So please keep them coming, but email them to me directly.
I shall post a list of the best in due course,
Cheers,
Rory R.J....@Durham.ac.uk
David King
apocryphal family motto (to be pronounced in classical style):
VENTOSA VIRI, RESTABIT
In a similar vein there is:
Caesar adsum iam forte. (Caesar had some jam for tea).
Cheers,
Dave King
Don Anderson
Organization: Eskimo North (206) For-Ever
In article <3bmbm9$k...@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> td3249@eehpx13 (Timothy M
-
"Si non oscillas, non tinnnare"
-
"If you don't swing, don't ring
-
Big Don <big...@eskimo.com>
R Odlin
In article <aldersonD...@netcom.com>, Richard M. Alderson III (alde...@netcom.com) writes:
>In article <adh.63....@cx.dnv.no> a...@cx.dnv.no (Arne Dehli Halvorsen)
>writes:
>
>>Illegitimi non carborundum
>>: don't let the bastards grind you down
>> (though the brand name carborundum wasn't known in ancient times)
>
>That, of course, is why it's funny--though you do have to know about artificial
>abrasives.
>
>However, just to pick on your Latinity a bit: It's "illegitimis," a dative of
>agency.
>--
>
>
Supposedly something like this phrase occurs in the Confessio
Goliae or somewhere in the works of the Archpoet. Anyone?
Robert Groover
>>>Illegitimis non carborundum
>Goliae or somewhere in the works of the Archpoet. Anyone?
Where do you find texts of Goliardic verse?
(Ideally with a trot, or at least copious notes)
I've been hearing about it for years, but I've never seen any.
Robert Groover
gro...@netcom.com
pat...@attmail.com
214-490-5335
R Odlin
In article <grooverD...@netcom.com>, Robert Groover (gro...@netcom.com) writes:
>Where do you find texts of Goliardic verse?
>(Ideally with a trot, or at least copious notes)
>I've been hearing about it for years, but I've never seen any.
>
>
The only texts I ever had were in *The Oxford Book of Medieval
Latin Verse,* in Helen Waddell's companion volume to *The Wandering
Scholars* (probably this was called *Medieval Latin Lyrics*), and in
a collection New Directions published in the 50s, edited by one
George Whicher. I am 3000 miles away from all of them, but one or
another has got to have some decent bibliographical data.
Jennifer Arnott
but can't remember the author.
(Re. phrases in Latin...)
Jennifer Arnott
Adam Bucky
Forte dux fel flat in gutture
-AB
Ikeco
Groover) writes:
<Where do I find texts of Golliardic verse?>
Try "The Cambridge Songs" Karl Breul Cambridge Univ. Press 1915
as well
"Medievil Latin" K.P. Harrington Univ. of Chicago Press 1925
Timothy M Dellinger
> Forte dux fel flat in gutture
> -AB
There is a quite long one which is somewhat similar... if anyone can
remember the entire thing, please post it. I really can't recall the beginning.
(Something about (john?) and mary seeing a lot of objects...)
Then... fortibus es in ero. Noces mari thebe trux vatis enim
pax a dux?
Michel Vuijlsteke
: In article <3bhmnf$2...@mercury.dur.ac.uk> Rory Barr <R.J....@Durham.ac.uk> writes:
: ...et Robertus avunculus tuus sit : ...and Bob's your uncle
I don't believe it! This has been the motto of the Albania for King Zog
Committee (Moose Dept.) for the last year or so!
|~~~~\/~~~~|//++======================================================++
| \\ // || >>>>>>>>>>> Michel.V...@rug.ac.be <<<<<<<<<< ||
| |\/| \// || The Moose Project c/o Albania for King Zog Committee ||
|___| |___| ++======================================================++
Gregory Lewin
td3249@eehpx13 "Timothy M Dellinger" writes:
> (Something about (john?) and mary seeing a lot of objects...)
> Then... fortibus es in ero. Noces mari thebe trux vatis enim
> pax a dux?
As I remember it:
Civile, si ergo.
Fortibus es in ero.
Noces mare thebe trux.
Vatis enim?
Causam dux.
Oh the joys of youth!
--
Greg Lewin -- gr...@g0nen.demon.co.uk -- Hawthorns Music
Amy Vail
AB> From: abu...@cc.swarthmore.edu (Adam Bucky)
AB> Organization: Swarthmore College
>
> VENTOSA VIRI, RESTABIT
>
>
> In a similar vein there is:
>
> Caesar adsum iam forte. (Caesar had some jam for tea).
And also that deathless verse:
O, Sibili, si ergo
fortibus es in ero
Nobili, demis trux
Sweatis enim? Causandux!
(This is posted in the Classics Common Room at Queen's University.
Incoming grad students normally find it very puzzling. I know I did!)
Timothy M Dellinger
>> (Something about (john?) and mary seeing a lot of objects...)
>> Then... fortibus es in ero. Noces mari thebe trux vatis enim
>> pax a dux?
>As I remember it:
> Civile, si ergo.
> Fortibus es in ero.
> Noces mare thebe trux.
> Vatis enim?
> Causam dux.
ALOT of people have posted this one, but there is another, which I in my
ever so biased opinion think is MUCH BETTER. I will see poeple over
Christmas who know the entire thing.