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

Okay, so here's my question: Anyone here feel like translating some medieval Latin for little more than a poor PhD student's eternal gratitude, and the promise of dinner when/if I'm ever in your neck of the woods?

You see, I have a document, about 11-12 pages in length, written in 1278, that is a bitÉproblematic (occasional random subjunctives, odd passive paraphrastics). It's important to my PhD thesis, but between teaching two classes, working 20 hours a week outside of academia, and writing the *rest* of the thesis, I'm flat out of time to do it myself. Not to mention that I have a hard time with translations in the first place.

So, if you're interested, leave me a message here, and let me know how to get the document to you. I'm looking at a month window (by the end of March, say), so there you have it. I'm begging here.

*waves to the Montana Redhead*
Long time no chat!




1278 was quite a while ago.
And there must have been some great variety in the levels of Latin
scholarship throughout Europe. After all, Latin evolved into so many
other European languages. Then of course there's the Plague to consider
and the impact that had on the transmission of knowledge in many
places in those days.

I have recently been frustrated in finding a good translation site for the
few Latin phrases I encounter, so I sympathize greatly with having to do
a dozen pages, especially if the subject matter of your thesis is something
not known in early Rome, for which there would be no 'classic' Latin equivalents.

In any case I hope you'll appreciate that this useless posting of mine
is intended only to bump your request up the line a bit so more people
will see it and, hopefully, give you the answers you want and need.

Personally, I'll be lurking for good links to Latin/English/Latin translator sites.


~jwf~

you're awesome. And I have dictionaries, and 'Latin WORDS' which is the best translation software available. I just don't have time to do it!

>> dictionaries, and 'Latin WORDS' <<

OMG that'd be like re-building Rome one brick at a time.
Could take a while. Certainly more than one solar day.


~jwf~

Why not do a post-modern treatment?

http://www.infiltec.com/j-postmd.htm

Basically make something up, but in such obfuscated terminology anyone reading it won't want to appear as though they don't understand it.

Yeah, that doesn't work when one is writing for people who do, in fact, understand it. As in your advisor and thesis director.

I hesitate to raise my hand but . . .


My background is Classical Latin, but I am a Mediaevalist so I've touched on the Mediaeval flavour at times . . .

I seem to remember I did a bit of Gervase of Canterbury for this: A993297 . . .

What's the document?



I'm pretty paranoid about posting my email online, but Mudhooks, clzoomer, taliesin and azahar all are able to contact me. If you have any contact with them, you could find me through them.

My email addy is on my PS (one of 'em )

I'll be happy to act as intermediary, if you're mad enough to let anhaga translate

I make the offer cautiously. I have a lot of my own stuff on my plate right now, but I would be happy to take a look and I'll be honest with you if I don't think I can do anything with it in a timely manner.

It's the Doctrina de modo procedendi contra hereticos. No known author. I have it and can scan it in in the next couple of days and get your email. or you could shoot me oneÉI've got a semi-throwaway account that will workÉmatteau AT gmail DOT com. And I appreciate it. I'm at my wits' end.

or you could both send messages via facebook as you are both on my friends list and could link up that way

Oo 'The Approved Methods of Dealing with Heretic Scum'*

Sounds yummy!


* A loose translation, admittedly. Hey, I was only a Catholic in my yoot

It's a really rather meh document, by which I mean not nearly as fun as Gui's Practica, but it's certainly boilerplate.

thanks to Taff, Montana, I've dropped you a note on facebook. Is this the Doctrina de modo procedendi contra hereticos that was published in Martene and Durand's Thesaurus novorum anecdotorum?

glad to be of help

It remains to be seen whether any help will come of it.

Due to the limited confidence I have in my ability to actually help, I thought I'd bump this back up to the top of the list in case there's an actual expert in medieval Latin out there somewhere.

anhaga, indeed, it is the Martene!

sadly, my local university library doesn't seem to have it.

Just bumping this up in case there's a Latin geek lurking with nothing to do
on a slow Friday afternoon...


~jwf~