Anyone speak it? Or have a functional knowledge? I cam across my families coat of arms, and the motto is "vertus sola nobilitas" and I'm getting nowhere trying to translate it.
Latin
- Thread starter Nairagorn
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I don't speak latin but I believe that Vertus means "truth", Sola means "alone" and Nobilitas means "nobility" or "known". To me, Truth Amongst Nobility or, Truth Alone Known, would sound most correct. It may help to know if there's any commas in there.
yeah, saw that, didn't think it was related (the salt of the earth thing that is). The asker's an O'dwyer, prolly a distant relative (my family's Dyer)
Vertus is what I'm stuck on really. It's not "truth" thats veritas.
Sola means either "alone" or "ground"
Nobilitas is doubtless "nobility"
the coat of arms (Irish version)
English version:
Destichado
Squire
AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHH!!!
Latin hurts my brain!
Okay, here's the deal.
"Sola" is the plural, nominative (subject) form of Solus -"alone"
"Nobilitas" is the plural, accusative (direct object) form of Nobilita -"nobility" (that was a medievally invented word, so not in classical latin dictionaries)
"Vertus" -mwahaha - is the perfect participle of Verto -a VERB meaning "to turn" I would guess the verb is Verto, Verere, Verti, Vertus "having been turned". That's why you couldn't find it in any dictionary.
Remembering that you can't always just transliterate, my best guess for Vertus Sola Nobilitas is:
"Solitude Turned [into] Greatness"
Or, if it was too difficult for the scribe at the time to find the Present Participle, it might be intended to mean:
"Turning Solitude [into] Greatness" -which would explain the unusual word-order.
*edited because I R Stoooopid and forgot to change stuff
Latin hurts my brain!
Okay, here's the deal.
"Sola" is the plural, nominative (subject) form of Solus -"alone"
"Nobilitas" is the plural, accusative (direct object) form of Nobilita -"nobility" (that was a medievally invented word, so not in classical latin dictionaries)
"Vertus" -mwahaha
- is the perfect participle of Verto -a VERB meaning "to turn" I would guess the verb is Verto, Verere, Verti, Vertus "having been turned". That's why you couldn't find it in any dictionary. Remembering that you can't always just transliterate, my best guess for Vertus Sola Nobilitas is:
"Solitude Turned [into] Greatness"
Or, if it was too difficult for the scribe at the time to find the Present Participle, it might be intended to mean:
"Turning Solitude [into] Greatness" -which would explain the unusual word-order.
*edited because I R Stoooopid and forgot to change stuff
Muchos gracias for the translation!
Here's an ice pack
Hope you didn't strain anything too bad
Here's an ice pack
Hope you didn't strain anything too bad
Destichado
Squire
Thanks, I needed that. 
It's been too long since Latin class. ...my God, has it been 10 years? ...It has!
Eeep!
It's been too long since Latin class. ...my God, has it been 10 years? ...It has!
Eeep!
Skree
Recruit
For the english version... the phrase:
"terrere nolo, timere nescio"
terrere, comes from "terreo", wich means "to frighten", in some extent.
Nolo means "i don't want"
Timere comes from "timeo", and means "to be frightened"
nescio means "i don't know"
So, at least in a basic translation, it would sound something like:
"i don't want to frighten, nor i know how to be frightened"
Trying to put this in a more decent way...
"i don't want to be fearsome, nor i know what fear is"
Something wich would be right for a ruler, i guess.
I hope to have been clear enough... i had to translate from latin to italian, and THEN in english.
"terrere nolo, timere nescio"
terrere, comes from "terreo", wich means "to frighten", in some extent.
Nolo means "i don't want"
Timere comes from "timeo", and means "to be frightened"
nescio means "i don't know"
So, at least in a basic translation, it would sound something like:
"i don't want to frighten, nor i know how to be frightened"
Trying to put this in a more decent way...
"i don't want to be fearsome, nor i know what fear is"
Something wich would be right for a ruler, i guess.
I hope to have been clear enough... i had to translate from latin to italian, and THEN in english.
Rando
Recruit
I read that Dering Terrere nolo, timere nescio (which is close to the english coat of arms) was a common phrase that translated to:
I wish not to intimidate, and know not how to fear.
Keep in mind I know nothing about Latin and I just googled the phrase but, it apparently is close to what Skree said so this is just positive reinforcement for him.
I wish not to intimidate, and know not how to fear.
Keep in mind I know nothing about Latin and I just googled the phrase but, it apparently is close to what Skree said so this is just positive reinforcement for him.
JohnathanStrange
Recruit
My family motto is Spatium Obsidemus which means "We Take Up Space" and it has meant a lot to me over the years.Nairagorn said:
JohnathanStrange
Recruit
There are, as you probably know, online Latin-English dictionaries. Unfortunately they don't seem to work once the Latin word has been conjugated or changed from the infinitive (I'm sorry I'm not particularly fluent with the grammatical terms.)
In other words, unless Babelfish has a Latin-English version, the dictionaries aren't as helpful without the user having some knowledge. But, tempus fugit, sic transit gloria mundi, veni, vidi, vici, carpe diem and all that rot.
In other words, unless Babelfish has a Latin-English version, the dictionaries aren't as helpful without the user having some knowledge. But, tempus fugit, sic transit gloria mundi, veni, vidi, vici, carpe diem and all that rot.
Yeah, conjugation is apparently tricky in latin (whoda thunk?)
I tried translating "I like cheese" with poor results.
Maybe latin-speakers didn't eat cheese...
I tried translating "I like cheese" with poor results.
Maybe latin-speakers didn't eat cheese...
That makes a lot of sense, thanks!
Got any family around Tipperary?
eodwyer said:
Woo, 2/3 for me.
