Is this translation of "new mind/attitude" correct?

Question

I've been trying to find a proper translation for a phrase that means something like "a new mind" or "a new attitude", etc. I would like to use it as an inspiration for a company-name.

The words that I would like to combine are Novus and mente, so a way of naming a company would then be novamente. I like the way this sounds, but I'm not sure if the grammar in this one is correct. I've tried to look up all the grammar rules but it's just too complicated to make sense of, as someone who doesn't know Latin.

Could someone please help me with this?

Answer 1

If you want to combine mens and nova to say "a new mind", the correct way is mens nova or nova mens. Putting the adjective after the noun is more common.

The singular ablative of mens is mente and that of nova is nova. Therefore mente nova or nova mente (spelled as two words!) can mean something like "with a new mind". The ablative has many uses, so the interpretation is not unique.

It should be mentioned that mens is not the only possible translation for "mind". You can look for other possible words in various online Latin dictionaries. You can the put the adjective "new" before or after it in the correct gender. Dictionaries mention which gender words are, and the masculine, feminine and neuter versions of the adjective we are using are novus, nova and novum. There might be other adjectives as well, but this has the benefit of being simple and easily recognized. The word mens is feminine, so it goes with nova, not novus or novum.

Answer 2

I'd say that both @Earthliŋ 's comment and @JoonasIlmavirta's answer are arguments against novamente. It also seems that there already is (or has been) a company called Novamente.

It sounds like you're thinking of a fairly broad meaning of "mind," however, while the Latin word mens has a pretty narrow meaning, limited to rational faculties of thought, often as opposed to physical faculties. For the kind of broader meaning you seem to have in mind there's a better Latin word, which is animus. This is usually translated "spirit" but "attitude" is just as good a translation in many situations—as is "courage," "spirits" (as in "in good spirits"), "belief," "imagination," and so on. If you wanted to use that word, the combination would be Novus Animus.

I hope our answers haven't been disappointing—and good luck with your company.