8

Quo modo expressio Anglica "fool proof" Latine reddi potest? Nullum idioma Latinum significatione simile scio. Eandem rem Latine exprimere possum, exempli gratia dicendo "perbene munitus", sed malim vocem (aut voces) invenire, qua utebantur iam Romani antiqui. Ecce exemplum usus: "Hoc systema securitatis ____ est."


Short English version: How to translate "fool proof" into Latin? Perbene munitus?

2
  • Mea hoc interest rogatum, nec ullum reperire responsum possum. Neologismum proponerem ut e.g. "instultabilis, -e," non vero exstat scilicet in corpore ubique. Apr 21, 2016 at 20:02
  • @JoelDerfner, nescio an inveniri possit idioma Latinum aptum ad stultitiam ullo modo attinens. In lingua Finnica expressio similis est, Anglice fere est "idiot safe" (idioottivarma), sed nolo nimis extrapolare e duobus punctis datis.
    – Joonas Ilmavirta
    Apr 21, 2016 at 20:07

1 Answer 1

8

Ne perderetur quomodo sensus communicetur voce anglica foolproof, dicerem aliquid et(iam) stultis idoneum esse. Hoc et vel etiam addo, nam mea sententia foolproof recte dici potest anglice alteris verbis significare, "even an idiot could not mess this up, so a fortiori you, who are not an idiot" (et stultus hoc destruere nequit, itaque quanto magis ipse tu, stultus qui non es.")

Si tamen libertas aliis utendi verbis mihi esset reddenti in latinam, uterer uno ex verbis Vergilio gratis: fidum (Lewis & Short, sensus IIus rebus exanimis pertinet): certus, fidelis, incolumis, fidedignus. Hoc modo defectuum absentia magis significatur.

Si altera ex parte conaris sensum "operandi simplicitatis" aut "quomodo falli potest?" communicare, forsan uti deberes his: facile (usu) vel planum, exempli gratia:

satin' haec sunt tibi plana et certa! (Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 1)

In exemplo tuo, forsitan reddendum est duobus superioribus verbis implicatis:

Hoc systema securitatis facile fidumque est


Or, if you don't want to wade through the above quagmire: as my professor used to say when things got difficult in Latin: anglice paulisper:

If I wanted to preserve the same idea as foolproof, I would say something like et(iam) stultis idoneum. I add the et or etiam to stultis idoneum because I believe foolproof can be glossed as "even an idiot could not mess this up, a fortiori you, who are not an idiot."

That said, if I were translating this in a case that did not require this exact idiom, I would use one of Virgil's favorite words: fidum (Lewis & Short, meaning II for inanimate objects): sure, certain, safe, trustworthy. This emphasizes the "lack of failure" aspect of foolproof.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for the "simple to operate" or "what could go wrong?" sense, perhaps facile (usu) or planum, e.g.:

satin' haec sunt tibi plana et certa! (Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 1)

In your example, perhaps a good translation would combine two of these suggestions:

Hoc systema securitatis facile fidumque est

5
  • Me festinante errata permulta abundare haud dubium est, nec invitus vos ad corrigendum exoro!
    – brianpck
    Apr 21, 2016 at 21:20
  • 1
    Hem. Mihi illud perplacet etiam stultis idoneum. Quod ad systemam securitatis tamen vox "fidum" aliam significationem tenet, nempe "hæc systema a furis insuperabilis est"—id quod aliud diversum significat. Apr 22, 2016 at 17:01
  • Nonne "insuperabilis" (vel sicut dixi "absentia defectuum") in sensibus vocis "foolproof" inest?
    – brianpck
    Apr 23, 2016 at 15:41
  • 1
    Hmm. Rogatum, respectum, contortulius fit. Mihi vox "foolproof" duos habere sensus videtur: quod est "foolproof" vel I) et stulto tractari quit, vel II) fraudari haud potest. Systema quidem securitatis fortis non fraudari potest sed fortasse stulto tractari nequit. Clostellum tamen stulto tractari quit sed fortasse fraudari potest. @JoonasIlmavirta sensum alterum in animo habere videtur, quali in casu recte dicis, "insuperabilis" quidem inest! Apr 23, 2016 at 17:38
  • @JoelDerfner Interpretor vocem "foolproof" non fraudari haud posse significare (cum "fool"=fallere) sed contra stulta probatum esse. Vide etymologiam.
    – Ben Kovitz
    May 11, 2017 at 0:44

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.