Latin/High Gothic help?

[RocketRollRebel]

So after much consideration and encouragement from my girlfriend, I'm looking to get myself an aquilla tattoo :p. I wanted to have "For the Emperor" in latin or high gothic (if that one is possible) as well, but I want to make sure I get the correct and most appropriate translation. Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks!

[Sinistermind]

sorry cant help with the translation but i also am planning on getting a tattoo

im getting the inquisition capital I with the skull on it and under it written "even though you have nothing to hide, you still have something to fear"

[The Lyzer]

as far i know "Ave Imperator" means "Hail Emperor"

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Imperator,_morituri_te_salutant

[Necron2.0]

I never learned Latin formally, but I do know that many articles that we have in English and other languages are treated as suffixes in Latin. As such, I believe "For the Emperor" would simply be "Imperatori."

I did manage to find the following:
http://s-and-j.co.uk/warhammer/latin/index.html

[Lunar Camel]

Here's a site that I use for Latin-English translations. The context might not be right but at least the words are.

http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/

Hope it helps.

[ragnarcissist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN1YxjhxTCk

[Denzark]

The motto of the Legion of the Damned was 'For the Emperor Beyond the Point of Death'.

This was translated in a White Dwarf, as:

In Dedicato Imperator, Ultra Articulo Mortis.

However can't say how much this is *******/pig latin.

[Wolfshade]

It isn't ringing any alarm bells...

[Chris*ta]

I studied Latin for 10 years,* and the closest translation of for the Emperor is indeed the dative of imperator, i.e. IMPERATORI. But this doesn't really get the sense across, especially to anyone who sees it and doesn't read Latin :D

However, in the tradition of GW, I'd suggest something with more words:
IN NOMINE IMPERATORIS in the name of the Emperor
CONSECRATUS IMPERATOREM (I am) dedicated to the Emperor
DEDICATUS IMPERATOREM (I am) dedicated to the Emperor

Yes, those last two translate the same, but the feeling is different, the first is more about the spiritual stuff, whereas the second is more practical. I'd be inclined to the first, if only because it has a subtle sense of "revere as a god"

I'm assuming you're male, if not, change the last two to CONSECRATA and DEDICATA instead.

That said if you want to use any of these, reply here and I'll double check them. It means getting out my big, scary, even-the-definitions-are-in-Latin dictionary though :eek:

Also, I'd recommend checking them with someone you know who knows a bit of Latin, as although I know I know a lot of Latin, you don't. This is the internet after all ... I'm also an astronaut and a lion tamer.

* 10 years of study, and what does it get me? Over long posts on a Warhammer forum. Your education dollars at work. If you live in Australia, anyway.

[Chris*ta]

Latin in WH40K, by someone who (sort of) speaks latin

If you're looking for a Latin/High Gothic phrase to use on your minis/tattoo/whatever and you want it to be actually correct Latin, you've got to be very careful about anything that GW has published, also any sort of translation website, and any list of Latin phrases you find on the net.

GW uses a lot of Pig Latin (i.e. stuff that sounds Latinish, but is really chosen so it'll make sense to people who don't read Latin) in their stuff, plus they have a wilful disregard to the suffixes (i.e. endings) of Latin words, which I sometimes find charming, but varies between a little wrong and decidedly weird.

Any of the translation websites will have big problems with the suffixes, which are what tell you the relationships in a sentence (i.e. who's verbing whom) and often have odd choices in terms of vocabulary too.

Any list of translations on the web is, ultimately, only as good as wherever they got the phrases from, and, in my experience, that means you will get a lot of phrases that just aren't right.

If you're using single words, e.g. the Emperor, victory, death, etc. you are generally safe to just go to a Latin dictionary, but if you're looking for a phrase, and you want the Latin to be correct your best bet is to ask someone who knows Latin. There are several free Latin dictionaries online, so check a couple and see what Latin word keeps coming up, I guess.

And if you're getting a tattoo, you probably want to make sure ... I depart from my prepared remarks now to share an anecdote ... a young man in South America had the nickname "chico loco", literally, 'crazy boy' and he decided to get this tattooed on his chest. He went to his friend, who had a tattoo gun to get his tattoo. Now, he wanted to get the tattoo in English, but neither he nor his friend spoke particularly good English. He ended up with BOY CRAZY tattooed across his chest :D

P.S.: If anyone wants me to provide a Latin translation, message me or post in this thread, and I should be able to do it for you. Within reason, of course.

P.P.S.: Wondering if I should maybe turn this rant into a thread. Hmm, possibly without offer of free translation. Maybe I should start charging people in miniatures :p

[Psychosplodge]

Yeah I heard about someone wanting the kanji for "outsider" and ended up with "gaijin" Which in modern Japanese is apparently slightly offensive, though technically correct...

[Jmaximum]

"gaijin" truly means: barbarian/savage foreigner.
Not something you want to throw around in polite dinner company.

[Wolfshade]

I always think it is important to get the suffix correct, and it irks me tremendously when this does not occur. It is things like "Octopi" *shudder* its not even latin :mad: Octopuses (if you must) or my personal favourite Octopodes, though technically correct is not in common usage, similiarly with Rhinocerantes.
The one I hear most frequently at work though is "Matrixes" or "Matrix" (meaning plural), I mean how hard is it to use the correct "Matrices".
I was going to post a ninjabread comic showing the latin error in the 1st Company's logo but it is down :(

[Chris*ta]

I have been tempted to make a T shirt with kanji for "gaijin w**ker" on it.

mainly for that one time you're wearing it, and someone who reads Japanese asks if you know what it says :D

[Psychosplodge]

lol, do they have a kanji for wanker?

[Chris*ta]

lol, do they have a kanji for wanker?

Not sure, but you just need a term that is similar: someone who is up themselves, thinks they know more than they do, and is appropriately offensive.

[Psychosplodge]

I suppose when you look at it like that...

[Chris*ta]

I always think it is important to get the suffix correct, and it irks me tremendously when this does not occur. It is things like "Octopi" *shudder* its not even latin :mad: Octopuses (if you must) or my personal favourite Octopodes, though technically correct is not in common usage, similiarly with Rhinocerantes.
The one I hear most frequently at work though is "Matrixes" or "Matrix" (meaning plural), I mean how hard is it to use the correct "Matrices".
I was going to post a ninjabread comic showing the latin error in the 1st Company's logo but it is down :(

The suffixes are even more important in Latin.

In English, the suffixes only tell you singular or plural. In Latin, it also tells you the relationship of the noun to what's going on in the rest of the sentence, i.e. whether it's the nominative (the one that's verbing) or accusative, (the one that's being verbed) if it's a genitive, (i.e. the possessive) dative (typically to/for the noun) or ablative (most common use is to follow prepositions). And then there's vocative and locative, but they're fairly rare.

Oh, and adjectives' endings have to match the noun that they describe

And that's just the nouns. The verbs are more complicated! :eek:

TL;DR it's surprisingly easy to make a Latin sentence that's total gibberish, unless you a) know a fair amount about Latin and b) either refer to tables for the actual forms of the suffixes, or have those tables memorised.

[Wolfshade]

Exactly, most people recognise that there are plural or singular forms, but anything other than the nominative seems to be lost :(
You also have similiar things with greek and hebrew but that is another matter...

[da_WaaaghMaster]

Wow. Educational AND informative. Thanks BoLS! Latin lessons in a gaming forum. This truly is a classy place :D

[Chris*ta]

Wow. Educational AND informative. Thanks BoLS! Latin lessons in a gaming forum. This truly is a classy place :D



I voted the same, but for the opposite reason. If I can't fit the models in to my force, then I will just get the mini-book on eBay. Otherwise, I'm planning on it. There are advantages to playing a Cursed Renegade Chapter...

The bigger question is when. Charistoph Jr's birth a few months back has set my available fundage and time back a ways.

And yes, he's far too cute to sell on eBay.

Did anyone else assume Charistoph Jr was a nickname for a certain part of his anatomy? Or is that just the way my mind works ...

I can also make this a less classy place :D

[Psychosplodge]

We can all do that, but then we could just visit other parts of the interwebz...

[Psychosplodge]

Just thought this was appropriate...

http://wilwheaton.tumblr.com/post/29967908085/thedorseyshawexperience-this-patch-was-designed