h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Someone I work with has let slip she'd like a tattoo of a phrase in Latin.

I thought I'd see if I could find a good (prefereably cheap) translation service to provide the wording correctly, so she doesn't spend the next few years having any history laughing at her, and failed to locate anyone, miserably.

We're based in Surrey, does anyone know of any such service?

Banjo Golly U756050 used to be good at this, but seems to have ed. If you know the English text, Ask has been useful for that so far.

Common phrases can be found at A218882.

Why do you need to translate accurately? Nobody speaks Latin.

Just blag it: A21776754

I know someone who sight-reads Latin. What's the phrase?

Nobody speaks Chinese either:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/chinese-classical-poem-was-brothel-ad-1058031.html

echomikeromeo is very good with Latin but she's not about much any more.

I know a bit, post the English and I'll see if I can help.

I usually use

http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/wordes.exe

Thanks for the help so far everyone.

Icy : Post 6 is the reason for wanting a good translation service.

Clive : She's farmiliar with that site, and apparently a great many more. She's just nervous of getting a tattoo done until she's sure it's absolutely right.

The phrase she's after is : "with passion, true purpose and a pure mind".

Yes its tricky, because as well as getting the endings right in terms of gender and case, you need the right sense of translation. Such as the word 'passion' can be translated in the sense of the passion of christ and I'm sure its not that. I have hazy memories of O level Latin, and did a bit of internet looking up.

So to get the ball rolling,

Cum impeto, verus voluntas, et putus mens

Doesn't the ablative case usually means "with", so I think you can drop the "cum" if you like.

RF

As an aside, I was always rather partial to:

Isi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam

I have a catapult.
Give me all your money or I will fling enormous rocks at your head

How about:

ignis veritas sinceritas

Yes RF I thought that at first too, but then ablative can mean , 'by' 'with' or 'from' so I think you need to specify..

Strangely I always found Latin much easier than modern languages which I was hopeless at..though by no means easy..but it's just like a puzzle of rules that you only do on paper, without speaking obviously.

Mine's a bit rusty too, Effers - O Level 20-something years ago. I was always better at Latin than my teacher thought I was, and surprised him by passing. What did he think I was there for? My health?

I think Taliesin's has the elegance required of a good motto.

RF

What about Quod subigo farinam -- because I knead the dough?

>>Isi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam <<

actually translates as, "Unless you give me all of your money, I will fling an enormous rock at your head". (Habes catapultam, supervi?)

...or even, "Catapultam non habes, supervi?"