McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Latin Translations
Suilan:
Uilos, I've just noticed: in your second post you say "Shadow's Death" (= one shadow, so it's Mors Umbrae), but in your first post, you say Death of Shadows. So, if it's more than one, the correct translation is:
Mors Umbrarum = Death of (the) Shadows, or
Nex Umbrarum = (violent) Death of (the) Shadows, or
Umbrarum Nex = Shadows' (violent) Death
(word order is a stylistic choice)
Pluto, God of the Roman Underworld, was called: Umbrarum Rex (King of Shadows/dead spirits), so Umbrarum Nex would be a bit of a world play.
novium:
--- Quote from: Shecky on July 13, 2009, 09:56:37 PM ---My advice? Don't ever use a translation program or bilingual dictionary unless you know the language well enough to translate it yourself. That leads to things like "The wine was good, but the meat was spoiled" and "I marched comforter the risers" (the first via two-way bilingual-dictionary "translation" of "The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak", the second of "I walked down the steps"). Translation programs stink, and bilingual dictionaries are SUPPORT tools; neither one should be a primary resource.
--- End quote ---
Thus the first part of my suggestion: buy a copy of wheelock. But anyway, I don't think it really matters for this sort of thing. We're hardly discussing embarking on a career as a translator. A) Latin is a fairly rare language and B) it's mostly used in fiction to make things look cool or come up with names, and so for that, I don't think a grasp of the language worthy of Cicero is necessary.
Shecky:
--- Quote from: novium on August 04, 2009, 07:57:00 AM ---Thus the first part of my suggestion: buy a copy of wheelock. But anyway, I don't think it really matters for this sort of thing. We're hardly discussing embarking on a career as a translator. A) Latin is a fairly rare language and B) it's mostly used in fiction to make things look cool or come up with names, and so for that, I don't think a grasp of the language worthy of Cicero is necessary.
--- End quote ---
Even that can come back in weird, unexpected and sometimes even embarrassing ways. When you want a translation, it's ALWAYS best to ask someone who speaks or at least writes both languages.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: novium on August 04, 2009, 07:57:00 AM ---Thus the first part of my suggestion: buy a copy of wheelock. But anyway, I don't think it really matters for this sort of thing. We're hardly discussing embarking on a career as a translator. A) Latin is a fairly rare language and B) it's mostly used in fiction to make things look cool or come up with names, and so for that, I don't think a grasp of the language worthy of Cicero is necessary.
--- End quote ---
But if you get your Latin wrong, and I read it, I will think negatively of it, review the book negatively, and mention it if anyone asks me about it.
Whatever you do in fiction, take the time and effort to do right. Unless you have an in-story reason for deliberately doing it wrong.
novium:
I'm just saying: classicists and the classically educated are a rare breed. Even more rare are those fluent enough in Latin to notice anything short of a ridiculously obvious error without having to think about it. So, given the right context, I don't think a little dog latin is going to hurt anyone. Of course, if it's super-important to the plot or setting or in keeping with something previously established*, sure, translation is the way to go.
Plus, there's always the chance that if someone buys a copy of wheelock to try and hack their way through a translation, they will become hooked on Latin, become a billionaire, and donate a lot of money to Classics departments.
* e.g. if you're got a character who is supposed to be fluent in Latin who has just gotten seriously pissed and always swears in Latin, or is a Roman who magically pops up in the modern world or something along those lines....
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