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I would like to translate the sentence "Actions speak louder than words" into Latin.

"Actiones seneca" was the translation that Google translate provided. Is that accurate?

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    Different languages can be much more or less compact than others, but it would be a pretty impressive language indeed that had a specific word Seneca for 'speak louder than words'. (Short answer: no, Seneca is the name of a Roman philosopher and statesman, Google Translate has given a particularly terrible piece of nonsense in this case.)
    – dbmag9
    May 20, 2022 at 21:36
  • Other websites that translate gave the exact same answer so thank you so much for saving me from a lifetime of embarrasment!! Very grateful here :)
    – Noa
    May 20, 2022 at 22:25
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    It is an expression that my recently late father used to say to us all the time and it is what my siblings and I live by. It means words have no value without the actions to back them up. I wanted to translate it into Latin to make it more interesting for a memorial tattoo, so it does have to be literal. I want it to be my father's words. So I am very grateful to dbmag9 for saving me from making a terrible mistake. I will stick to the saying in English. :)
    – Noa
    May 20, 2022 at 22:47

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The expression

Clarius facta quam verba loquuntur.

... is a literal translation of the English saying, but also a time-honoured Latin expression. I could not determine who coined it -- it does not seem to be ancient -- but judging by the Google Books hits, it has to be at least a few hundred years old. (Sometimes the words get shuffled around a bit, as it happens in Latin, but this seems to be a common version.)

Other Latin expressions with a similar meaning are the curt

Facta, non verba!

(Actions, not (i.e., instead of) words!) and

Acta virum probant.

(The actions prove the man), which seems to originate with a painting by the Dutch master Jan Steen and possibly has a slightly risqué subtext. (Sine dubio et mulierem probant!)

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  • "Clarius facta quam verba loquuntur" is the literal translation of "Actions speak louder than words"?
    – Noa
    May 20, 2022 at 23:04
  • @Noa "More clearly" rather than "louder", but otherwise yes.
    – cmw ♦
    May 21, 2022 at 1:30
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    @cmw clārius refers to the force and loudness of one's voice and is thus a direct translation of 'louder'. 'more clearly, more distinctly, more comprehensibly' would call for various other translations such as liquidius (of sound), articulātius (of diction), plānius (of sense).
    – Unbrutal_Russian
    May 23, 2022 at 20:11
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    @Unbrutal_Russian Please don't put words in my mouth. I think this word is fine for that, and I never said otherwise. That's why I upvoted this answer.
    – cmw ♦
    May 24, 2022 at 1:19
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    @Unbrutal_Russian I did not correct anything. I responded to Noa about what the words "literally" mean. I have no problem with Sebastian's answer.
    – cmw ♦
    May 24, 2022 at 2:05

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