Questions tagged [idiom]
The idiom tag has no usage guidance.
313
questions
12
votes
2answers
5k views
Feminine case 3rd-person version of “Veni, vidi, vici”
How does the famous saying:
Veni, vidi, vici.
have to be changed so that it describes a female person, such as in English:
She came, she saw, she conquered.
Reversing Google Translate gives ...
3
votes
0answers
69 views
What fresh hell is this?
“What fresh hell is this?” is a question frequently uttered (or so it has been reported) by writer Dorothy Parker, on such occasions as when the doorbell or the telephone rang, expressing her ...
7
votes
2answers
210 views
What is the source of the Greek phrase πύξ, λάξ, δάξ?
πύξ, λάξ, δάξ "by punching, kicking, and biting" is described by Wikipedia as an "epigram describing how laypersons were chased away from the Eleusinian Mysteries". Where is this ...
3
votes
2answers
349 views
Furtum est, secundum lege lata, contrectatio rei alienae fraudulenta
How to say this in proper, idiomatic, classical Latin?
Theft is, according to existing law, laying hands on others' (foreign, strange, belonging to others) things fraudulently.
Would one use the ...
4
votes
1answer
65 views
How would I say “From the mind of” in latin?
I'm making a journal for my girlfriend and would like to put "from the mind of [name]" on the front page. Sort of a play on "ex libris". If that doesn't really work, or sounds odd, "[name]'s thoughts" ...
18
votes
3answers
2k views
Are there native tongue-twisters in Latin?
Many languages have well established "tongue-twisters" (phrases difficult to articulate). In my native Spanish, "classic" examples are
Pedro Pablo Pinto Pérez Pereira, pobre ...
3
votes
2answers
45 views
Translation of the proper name “Memorial Day”
I have a healthy distrust of Google Translate, which translates the proper name "Memorial Day" into...
Diem in Monimentum
The reverse translation becomes "Day of Remembrance," which is accurate if ...
5
votes
1answer
83 views
Proper use of “tenaciter servanda”
How would it be proper to characterise (adverbially or adjectivally) longus usus, opinio juris so as to mean a belief of law (belief of a legal requirement) in long use holding uninterrupted and ...
6
votes
2answers
992 views
Latin Phrase for “It goes without saying”
The title of the question pretty much sums it up.
I am looking for a Latin phrase for the English expression "It goes without saying." I am not sure if an analogous expression exists- although I would ...
11
votes
2answers
1k views
Latin for “In war and in peace”
I remember reading long ago a pithy Latin expression for “in war and peace,” or “in war as in peace,” or something to that effect. The idea is that one might say, for example, that a certain truth ...
3
votes
2answers
992 views
“Hunt like a wolf, feast like a god” — is the Google translation correct?
I want to translate this to Latin:
hunt like a wolf
feast like a god
Google gives me
sicut lupos venari
a deo quasi festum
To my understanding, the words are pretty much correct, but does ...
8
votes
3answers
416 views
Is this Latin statement idiomatic? (Can't quite link it to the English translation)
Consider the Bible verse 1 Corinthians 1:25. There are varied English translations of this verse (see here). The two most common are:
For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of ...
6
votes
2answers
761 views
How can we say “not even wrong” in Latin?
The phrase "not even wrong" is thought to have originated from Wolfgang Pauli. The phrase was allegedly spoken in German before becoming a meme:
Das ist nicht nur nicht richtig; es ist ...
25
votes
3answers
7k views
What is bullshit in Latin?
If a statement is blatantly wrong, one can call it bullshit in English.
But how about Latin?
Is there something more strong and colorful than falsus?
I am not convinced that a direct translation would ...
4
votes
1answer
123 views
Idiomatic translation for family motto from English
When working on an improved version of our clan's crest, it was decided to add the motto (which had so far been absent from the design).
The motto in English is "no time for caution".
Related ...
2
votes
2answers
120 views
Amor est adequatio rei intellectus- is this correct for 'Love is the equalizing of understanding'?
I would like to find a Latin sentence similar to 'Veritas est intellectus rei adequatio' but with Amor instead of Veritas.
1
vote
1answer
60 views
idiom for 'Don't give up the day job'
One of my favourite phrases is 'Don't give up the day job' for when someone is not very good at something. I put together 'Noli labor a die dedere'. However 'labor' is more 'task' instead of 'job' and ...
1
vote
2answers
116 views
How to translate the phrases “both worlds” and “the best of both worlds” into Classical Latin?
How to properly write the expression "the best of both worlds" and the shorter phrase "both worlds" (meant in the same context as in the larger phrase) in Classical Latin?
1
vote
1answer
166 views
How do you say “hunt or be hunted” or “hunt lest you be hunted” in Latin?
I found that neca ne neceris means "kill lest you be killed" and would like to modify this to "hunt lest you be hunted." It looks like venor is the verb for "hunting" but I'm not sure what the proper ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
Should one use the singular or plural when the number is unknown?
It just occurred to me (I'm that guy maybe starting the YouTube channel) that I don't know whether to use the singular or plural to address my audience in Latin.
My thinking goes like this: plural ...
6
votes
1answer
232 views
Is “The beginning is half of every action” truly a Greek proverb?
I found in a book from 2015 a box with the quote:
The beginning is half of every action. (Greek proverb)
I googled it and there are many "pop websites" with the same quote. But none with a ...
4
votes
1answer
257 views
What do you say in Latin when something sucks?
In English you can say: "This job/movie/party/[anything] sucks!"
This is a concise and slightly profane way of expressing displeasure.
Is there something similar in Latin?
The corresponding Finnish ...
5
votes
1answer
198 views
“How do you do?”
How to ask "How do you do?" in Latin.
Quomodo te habes, is it common?
What other common greetings for the "How are you?" exist?
I have seen:
Quomodo es?
Quid agis?
Quomodo te habes?
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Elit Scelerisque Mauris Pellentesque Pulvinar - Could some one please help to translate this
Could someone please help to transtale "Elit Scelerisque Mauris Pellentesque Pulvinar" to English?
Many thanks and best regards,
Phuong
1
vote
1answer
59 views
My boy, my woman, my man, my girl
What would be the meaning for "my girl", "my man", "my boy", "my woman" in Latin?
If I use filia tua, it means you daughter, but could be used as puella tua to mean the same, or is there other ...
1
vote
0answers
48 views
Is it possible to use a prepositional phrase with a gerundive/gerund?
can we use prepositional phrases (like "de domo") linked to a gerund or
a gerundive, can it act as an object?
3
votes
1answer
128 views
Translation to Latin of “everything is revenge”
I'm trying to translate a phrase. I'm trying to say "everything is (part of) revenge", as in "every action is an act of revenge against the ones that tried to break you". Sorry if it's not too clear ...
5
votes
1answer
575 views
May they rest in peace
This may become an inscription written on a historical marker commemorating a mass grave. Which of the following is correct: Requiesce in Pace or Requiescant in Pace? The former was offered up by a ...
4
votes
1answer
81 views
Finer Tuning on Expressions-of-Time
Qs have been asked about expressions-of-time, of the type: "in the second year" = "secondo anno"; "within three days" = "tribus diebus"; "for two years&...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Idiom for “I came, I saw, I ate” (or drank)
I'm trying to follow the "ee" sound pattern at the end of each word in the idiom "veni, vidi, vici" with translations of the following:
I came, I saw, I ate: Veni, Vidi, Edi
I came, I saw, I drank: ...
6
votes
0answers
102 views
Is there any database on idiomatic expressions in Latin?
It is often said that one has an excellent command of a language when one is able to use it in an idiomatic way, which typically involves making use of Idioms and Collocations, i.a. There are many ...
3
votes
2answers
85 views
Two by four meters in size
If I want to describe the dimensions of my office, I might say that it is about two by four meters.
How do I phrase this size, "two by four meters", in Latin?
I don't just want to say that the area ...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
How do I say “this is why…”?
I've seen this meme circulating lately, pointing out one of the many valid reasons to learn to speak dead languages properly:
My first thought was, "this is why we need to mark long vowels!" But I ...
3
votes
0answers
74 views
“Laughing our heads off” in Latin
As a follow-up of an interesting question on a typological classification of Latin (Are Latin verbs of motion satellite-framed or verb-framed? ), I was wondering if Latin has (semi)idiomatic ...
5
votes
2answers
499 views
“A killed B” translation
I hope this is the correct place to ask, I have 0 experience with Latin but need this one phrase translated.
"A killed B" as in "Tom killed John".
From what I understand, for my context the best ...
4
votes
1answer
86 views
“Any thoughts” in Latin
How would one translate "any thoughts?" into Latin?
It is an ellipse for "does anyone have any thoughts?"
I would think "ullas cogitationes?" for "Aliquis ullas cogitationes habet?"
2
votes
1answer
82 views
In high enough pressure shit becomes a diamond
I have this proverb I use quite commonly. I was wondering what it would be in latin. Can you help me?
*"In high enough pressure even shit becomes a diamond."
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Phrasing “it says” or “it reads”
I occasionally want to say something like:
Did you see the sign? It says: beware of the dog.
How can I phrase "it says" in Latin?
In English one can say "it says" or "it reads", and the direct ...
2
votes
2answers
141 views
Pro paganos civitate est civitate dei
I want to say 'the City of God is established by the existence of (aggresive) pagans. What would be the grammatical and elegant (in the style of St. Augustine) way of saying this in Latin?
I am ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Socratic Paradox
According to the Wikipedia page of the Socratic paradox 'I know that I know nothing', Latin version of the same is — 'Scio me nescire' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_that_I_know_nothing).
...
4
votes
2answers
211 views
Translation of “Do it for her”
Could someone help me translate "Do it for her" into Latin?
Context:
The "it" refers to keep working, fighting, striving, while "her" actually refers to two persons; sometimes individually (so I'd ...
1
vote
1answer
570 views
Why is the phrase “horror vacui” commonly interpreted as “nature abhors a vacuum”?
Why is the Latin phrase: horror vacui commonly interpreted as: nature abhors a vacuum?
It may well be Aristotle's intended message, given the context, but it seems like a bit of a jump. Doesn't it? ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Latin original for “Would you have a great empire?” saying, by Publilius Syrus
Can someone provide the original Latin translation for Publilius Syrus's famous axiom, "Would you have a great empire? Rule over yourself." I have searched online and not been able to find it in Latin....
2
votes
2answers
64 views
How to translate “Argument To Proof of Work”
Is the following the correct way to translate Argument To Proof of Work
Argumentum Ad Probationem Operis
The intention is to translate it in the same way as Argument to the Person
Argumentum Ad ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
An idiom for working as something
I would like to have a good idiom or two to express working in some position.
A structure like this seems to be missing from my vocabulary, or at least I don't feel confident enough that what I might ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
Expressing outrage
I'm looking for a way to express in Latin "she broke a blood-vessel in a fit of passion".
It's an English idiom, not to be taken literally, but used to express a burst of outrage or anger. I need ...
23
votes
3answers
8k views
“Oh no!” in Latin
Are there idiomatic Latin exclamations similar to the English "oh no!" used when one finds oneself in an unfortunate situation?
The only thing that I came up with is that I might want to use vae or o ...
1
vote
0answers
386 views
please translate, ‘forward, always forward’. and ‘what’s behind us is behind us’. thanks [closed]
Would you please translate the following?
‘forward, always forward’ and ‘what’s behind us is behind us’.
Thank you.
4
votes
1answer
153 views
“I came, I saw, I am playing” = “veni, vidi, ludo”?
This came up as an idea for a team phrase for a sports team. The purpose would be to convey that people visited, joined, and are still playing the sport. (Disclaimer: I know almost nothing of Latin.)
...
3
votes
1answer
133 views
Where does the saying “Quod licet Jovi not licet bovi” come from?
Where does the saying "Quod licet Jovi non licet bovi" come from? My Google research was not satisfactory. Any book or article you know of that can guide me?
