Aug
30th
2014
Some help with Latin · 4:37am Aug 30th, 2014
Evening folks! Work continues on the next MM chapter and I'm hoping to have it done... soonish? In the meantime I was hoping to secure the help of an individual who can help with Latin translations. As we all know XCOM has a penchant for patches with pretentious latin mottos and in an effort to avoid any further embarassing mistakes I'd like to ask if anyone here might help me with some phrases. Any volunteers?
Surprise me.
I know a little bit of Latin, but it mostly involves the law, so I don't know how much help I can be...
I am taking Latin currently, so I may be able to help.
I took Latin in High school (Latin III), but I'll freely admit I barely remember much at all from it. So I'd like to help, but I'd likely not be any use.
I took Latin 1 in high school. I think I got a C. I'm pretty sure English is derived from it. Let me know when you want me to start!
I've been doing a tiny bit of Latin translation for one of the fics I'm editing, but I'm still very inexperienced in it. I could probably answer correctly with some research, but your best bet would likely be one of the others.
If you need just stock Latin Phrases, Wikipedia and other places have them. Or do you want original OC phrases for XCOM itself? Though if you do that, you might try some phrases from member nations.
Here are a few.
Alea iacta est ("The die is cast") is a Latin phrase attributed by Suetonius (as iacta alea est [ˈjakta ˈaːlea est]) to Julius Caesar on January 10, 49 BC as he led his army across the River Rubicon in Northern Italy. With this step, he entered Italy at the head of his army in defiance of the Senate and began his long civil war against Pompey and the Optimates. The phrase is still used today in Italy (Il dado è tratto) to mean that events have passed a point of no return, that something inevitably will happen.
Experto crede is a Latin motto which means "Believe one who has had experience in the matter".[1] It is usually used by an author as an aside to the reader, and may be loosely translated as: "trust me", "trust the expert", "believe one who has tried it", or "have faith in experience".
Sapere aude (pronounced sap-er-reh ow-day) is a Latin phrase meaning "dare to be wise", or more precisely "dare to know". Originally used by the Roman poet Horace, it has become closely associated with the Enlightenment after being cited by Immanuel Kant in his seminal essay, What is Enlightenment?. Kant claimed it was the motto for the entire period, and used it to explore his theories of reason in the public sphere. Later, Michel Foucault took up Kant's formulation in an attempt to find a place for the individual in his post-structuralist philosophy and to come to terms with the problematic legacy of the Enlightenment. In Epistémè baroque: le mot et la chose, Jean-Claude Vuillemin proposes to make "Sapere aude" the motto of the Baroque episteme.[1]
Invicta (meaning undefeated or unconquered) was used in Roma invicta meaning "Unconquered Rome" and is the motto of the county of Kent, England.[1](You could add the properly conjugated Terra to that)
(Given Discord's presence, you could have fun with this phrase)
Reductio ad absurdum (Latin: "reduction to absurdity"; pl.: reductiones ad absurdum), also known as argumentum ad absurdum (Latin: argument to absurdity), is a common form of argument which seeks to demonstrate that a statement is true by showing that a false, untenable, or absurd result follows from its denial,[1] or in turn to demonstrate that a statement is false by showing that a false, untenable, or absurd result follows from its acceptance. First recognized and studied in classical Greek philosophy (the Latin term derives from the Greek "εις άτοπον απαγωγή" or eis atopon apagoge, "reduction to the impossible", for example in Aristotle's Prior Analytics),[1] this technique has been used throughout history in both formal mathematical and philosophical reasoning, as well as informal debate.
The "absurd" conclusion of a reductio ad absurdum argument can take a range of forms:
Rocks have weight, otherwise we would see them floating in the air.
Society must have laws, otherwise there would be chaos.
If there were a smallest positive rational number, it could be divided by two to get a smaller one. (Rejection of this absurd conclusion allows one to conclude that there is no smallest positive rational number.)
The first example above argues that the denial of the assertion would have a ridiculous result that goes against the evidence of our senses. The second argues that the denial would have an untenable result: unacceptable, unworkable or unpleasant for society. The third is a mathematical proof by contradiction, arguing that accepting the conditional statement (there is a smallest positive rational number) would result in a logical contradiction (there is a smallest positive rational number and yet there is a positive rational number smaller than it).
I can lend you a hoof, absolutely. What do you need? Give a bit of context, I'm sure there's something suitably badass-sounding that can be found.
Darkness Becomes Us (for stealth units) is 'Tenebrae decebat'
Semper potentior is 'ever-powerful', good for the MEC boys
Percute certus translates to 'Unerring strike', if you're a sniper with Damn Good Ground, Squad sight and In The Zone, I suppose... throw in Archangel armor for a bonus...
If you're looking for general badassery, try 'Non cadunt'. "We will not fall". Alternately, 'Non deficiet' for "We will not fail".
Lastly, there's the simple 'Adunatum'. It means "United as one"
Did somepony say Latin?
Here I am, willing to help! What do you want this wonderful language to do, maestro?
Ave Arad, ad Latinam translaturi te salutant!
I did take a Latin class back in high school: thought knowing a root language would improve my vocab, help me for SATs and stuff. Got a certificate (with professional calligraphy and everything).
.............. I did terribly in that class. ^^;;;
2413200
You only know The Law?
Clearly this calls for a tri-way crossover featuring Judge Matt.
I got some simple military esk stuff from my old-as-shit-languages study days
Non Timebo Mala; "I will fear no evil," the literal translation is not I fear evil.
Neca Eos Omnes, Deus Suos Agnoscet; "Kill them all, God will know his own," a personal favorite of mine, I've gotten some looks from this one actually. Plus when you know you're marching into some shit, it feels pretty fucking good to say.
Nemo Malus Felix; "No rest for the wicked," make all the borderlands and cage the elephant fans, faun over your glorious meat bicycle.
Nil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos; "Death, therefore, is nothing to us," make aaaaaaaall the goths write emo poetry about your drab meat bicycle.
Nunc Aut Nunquam; "Now or Never," if I remember correctly, this is actually the motto of the deutch special forces, I may be wrong.
Ave Nex Alea, Saluto Nex Alea; huehuehuehuehue, this is more of a joke one, but if someone seriously gets it, or knows where it's from, they're my new beste, for we all are under it's guidance, and through it, we are purified.
Here are some Latin mottos of Canada.
Fortis et liber – Strong and free
Alberta
Multis e Gentivus Vires – from Many Peoples, Strength
Saskatchewan
Splendor sine occasu – Splendour without diminishment
British Columbia
Gloriosus et Liber - Glorious and free
Manitoba
Parva sub ingenti – The small protected by the great
Prince Edward island
Munit Haec et Altera Vincit – One defends and the other conquers
Nova Scotia
Spem reduxit – Hope restored
New Brunswick
Quaerite prime regnum Dei – Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Newfoundland and Labrador
Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet – Loyal she began, Loyal she remains
Ontario
A Mari Usque ad Mare – From sea to sea
Canada's Main motto.
Patria, vires- Our country, our strength
I forget...
Any provience not listed, QC, NWT, NU, YT, does not either:
A) have a latin motto.
B) have a motto at all.
Pretty sure America might have some catchy Latin mottos, but my favorite probably would be Nova Scotia or Prince Edward island.
2413621 Glory be to the cube
Took a bit of Latin a while back, still remember some of it; probably won't help, but feel free to call me in.
Man took a good 3 years of Latin back in high school some 14 years ago..... Fully remember pronunciation, but rest if quite fuzzy. still have a Latin dictionary or two around and possibly some other material to get conjigations right. Would be willing to try helping if no one else can. If I can find said materials deep in the depths of the home library.
sorry I only took two years of latin in high school and I was all like
and only getting a C as the final grade.
Shiet, I had a year and a half cuz I failed the last semester. I'd still be happy to help with what I can.
I think I can help short of full conversations, if I have some time.
Thanks, everyone for expressing their interest! I'll be contacting some folks who posted here (or messaged me privately) to assist with the translations. If you're not contacted don't despair! I may contact folks in the near future for other translations.
Step one: Roll face on keyboard.
Step two: Repeat step one until someone calls you out.
Step three: Insist its actually Latin.
While I am helpful with grammatical errors and the like, I only know two languages.... English and Bad English lol. My Latin sucks, but good to see folks here have stepped up to help ya out.