Latin Question

[Guest Wellington]

Hi

I feel lucky (for once) not to have been born too late! I have been able to study English, German, Latin and classical Greek. It made a hell of a weekly schedule, but was worth it! There was a major downside, however. I was far better in Latin and Greek than in German, which is a problem when you feel it is easier to speak in Latin rather than in German. I always had difficulties to remember German words and grammar and it is very close to the Latin one! I made the error to stop Latin after 4 years to keep a second spoken tongue but I had to give up German the year after, for it would be no help to me in my exams... I managed to keep Greek for 5 years in total, and it was so pleasing to read and translate! Greek poetry is a real wonder! I hope I will find time to get beack to it when I retire (in, say, 38-39 years!).

I feel lucky, then, because a few years later, they decided to put the learning of ancient languages aside, with little hope for a pupil to study them even if he was dying to. That was a real shame, because the French words come from Latin and Greek in a huge majority. It makes it easier to understand the meaning of an unknown or unused word when you know its roots and their meaning. It is very helpful too to bypass spelling tricks!

Regards

[The Old Man]

Thanks for the info on the languages...

I went to high school in Abergele North Wales, UK.

We had to take Welsh and French in the first few years. Then they let us take German at the expense of either Welsh or French. I dropped Welsh which I think is an awfull langauge and damn difficult to pronounce. Sorry if I offend anyone over that comment but the only good Welsh Speakers are the Welsh themselves, the language is so difficult to speak.

Gra.

[The Old Man]

Latin to English Translator

Does what it says on the tin...

Gra.

[seesthru]

10 years later and I want to ask about the same thing. Now I didn't take Latin in school. I took spanish, and ASL. Since Spanish has it's origins in Latin, I vaguely recognize some of the words. We all recognize English words not far removed fromt eh latin parents.

Now there is Google, and all sorts of online translators it brings us to.

However google searches have brought me 2 different translations of the "This is who we are" phrase

1. Hoc est qui sumus

2. Is est quisnam nos est

I like the second one better, It has a better syllabic flow. But is it correct? Are they both correct? Or is the second one wrong?

[Earthnut]

In the Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary, second edition ~

"This" is listed as both an adjective and pronoun ~ hic, haec, hoc

"Is" is not listed

"Who" is listed as a pronoun ~ quis? quae? quid? (relative pronoun ~ qui)

"We" is listed as a prounoun ~ nos

"Are" is not listed.

I also went to one of my translations sites and it came up with ~ Is est quisnam nos es (no "T")

[seesthru]

• Yeah, the "T" was a goof on my part, sorry about that. I didnt' realize I'd put it there.

The only latin phrase I am relatively sure of outside of semper fi is "semper ubu sub ubu". ( always wear under wear)

[Earthnut]

The only latin phrase I am relatively sure of outside of semper fi is "semper ubu sub ubu". ( always wear under wear)