GalacticCactus Forum

Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Noemon on July 14, 2006, 12:12:56 PM

Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Noemon on July 14, 2006, 12:12:56 PM: If so, I could use a hand. I've been asked to translate the phrase "Every Airman, Every Aircraft" into Classical Latin. The fact that concepts like "airman" and "aircraft" didn't *exist* in the Roman world throws a hitch into this assignment (as does my near total ignorance of Latin). I posted about this on Hatrack, but thought that I'd do so here as well.

Note that "pilot" won't work as a synonym for "airman", since the term has to involve anyone in any way associated with planes, including mechanics, ground crews, etc.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:13:54 PM: A) I don't know Latin
B) From what you've said, it really seems an impossible task.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:18:17 PM: Impossible to translate into existing Latin words, anyway, but not impossible to create some new compounds.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:21:45 PM: But if they are new compounds, it's no longer classical latin.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:26:24 PM: Yeah, but there are no classical Romans alive to complain about it. ;)
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:30:17 PM: But that's precisely why I said it was an impossible task. They are going to have to give a little on either the classical part or the meaning part, or give up completely.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:34:36 PM: Dude, you're so literal.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:35:30 PM: Yup, especially in situations, like this, where I think it's warranted. :P
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:40:29 PM: Okay then, Mr. Literal, here's a riddle for you: if you translate the word air into Classical Latin and translate the word man into Classical Latin and then join those two words into a compound, what language is it?
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:45:26 PM: Modern Latin? JonBoy Latin? Elvish?

BTW, I was flipping through the channels earlier today, and it is John-Boy on the Waltons.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:50:05 PM: Quote
Modern Latin? JonBoy Latin? Elvish?

Actually, come to think of it, I have seen "Modern Latin" in etymologies in the OED.

Porteiro: 1
Jon Boy: 0

Quote
BTW, I was flipping through the channels earlier today, and it is John-Boy on the Waltons.
Isn't that what I've always said?
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Porter on July 14, 2006, 01:51:30 PM: You said that you thought it was John-Boy.

And now I'm letting you know that you were correct.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: Jonathon on July 14, 2006, 01:52:47 PM: Gotcha.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: pooka on July 15, 2006, 07:58:50 AM: I had 4 years of high school Latin. I'll see what I can dig up.

Is there any missing subtext such as "every airman [for] every aircraft?"

I also wonder if we need to have aircraft the same way we have airman. There is a word for a swift vessel "actuarius". Every is getting me into some trouble. I sort of have an idea how it should go together, but not quite. I got to do some stuff today, but in a phrase where both are nominative...

Cuius Vir Aerius, Cuius Actuarius.
Title: Anyone Have Any Degree of Latin Proficiency?
Post by: pooka on July 16, 2006, 05:16:43 PM: What, you never check back? Well, I guess this had been up for a few days, and there were several Latin Lovers on Hatrack (and I don't mean Eddie).