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alma

English translation: alma mater

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:alma
English translation:alma mater
Entered by: liz askew

15:25 Feb 13, 2007
Latin to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Certificates, Diplomas, Licenses, CVs / University
Latin term or phrase: alma
Whenever I have a diploma to translate, I have a doubt as to the best way to render the term "alma" when referring to a university.

For example, I am doing one now which says "Noveritis omnes *Almam* Universitatem Glasguensem alumnum suum creasse..."

Would a standard English diploma really say "that the nourishing Glasgow University..."?

How about "that his alma mater, Glasgow University, ..."?

Would someone with more experience in the field be kind enough to provide some input? A reference to an original English-language diploma using the term would be helpful. Thank you.
Nicholas Ferreira
Canada
Local time: 11:56
alma mater
Explanation:
I wouldn't use "foster mother" at all. This will just get a lot of tittering.

See:
The University of Glasgow :: Newsletter :: Issue 255 - PeopleTwo years later he was offered the principalship at Glasgow and came back to what he later came to consider his Alma Mater. Facing him was the need to ...
www.gla.ac.uk:443/newsletter/details.cfm?id=2367&issue=255&... - 11k - Cached - Similar pages

University of Glasgow :: Press Release :: Adam Smith Research ...Adam Smith (1723 - 1790) entered Glasgow University at the age of fourteen. ... that he found Oxford a far inferior pedagogic institution to his alma mater. ...
www.gla.ac.uk:443/pressreleases/stories.cfm?PRID=3991 - 7k - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from www.gla.ac.uk ]

Welcome to the Hunterian Museum and Art GalleryA history of the University of Glasgow ... The University seen from Kelvingrove Park in 1873 (The Graphic) ... ‘May our Alma Mater rise again in glory’ ...
www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/history/university/new_building.sht... - 27k - Cached - Similar pages


Selected response from:

liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:56
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3alma mater
liz askew
4 +1foster mother
Joseph Brazauskas


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
foster mother


Explanation:
This is how I often render it. But though diplomas are monotonously similar in phraseology from institution to institution, other renderings will be called for depending upon the immediate context. I have seen diplomas where 'nourishing' was a viable translation; elsewhere 'patroness' seemed better.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 11:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 62

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
27 mins
  -> Maximas tibi gratias ago.
agree  Matthias Quaschning-Kirsch
48 mins
  -> Magnae tiibi a me gratiae sunt habendae, Matthia.
neutral  yeswhere: Your translations are perfectly valid, but when referring to our old school or college, we use alma mater, an accepted and understood latin term in the English language. PS. Fascinated by 'native' latin speaker . Was it your first language?
22 hrs
disagree  Jim Tucker (X): never!
32 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
alma mater


Explanation:
I wouldn't use "foster mother" at all. This will just get a lot of tittering.

See:
The University of Glasgow :: Newsletter :: Issue 255 - PeopleTwo years later he was offered the principalship at Glasgow and came back to what he later came to consider his Alma Mater. Facing him was the need to ...
www.gla.ac.uk:443/newsletter/details.cfm?id=2367&issue=255&... - 11k - Cached - Similar pages

University of Glasgow :: Press Release :: Adam Smith Research ...Adam Smith (1723 - 1790) entered Glasgow University at the age of fourteen. ... that he found Oxford a far inferior pedagogic institution to his alma mater. ...
www.gla.ac.uk:443/pressreleases/stories.cfm?PRID=3991 - 7k - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from www.gla.ac.uk ]

Welcome to the Hunterian Museum and Art GalleryA history of the University of Glasgow ... The University seen from Kelvingrove Park in 1873 (The Graphic) ... ‘May our Alma Mater rise again in glory’ ...
www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/history/university/new_building.sht... - 27k - Cached - Similar pages




liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  yeswhere: totally agree - don't translate unless you want to draw some laughs from the readers. 'Alma mater' can be found in UK and US English dictionaries.
29 mins
  -> Thanks for your support! I'd hate an English-speaking audience to be in tittering when some poor soul goes up to receive his/her Degree/Diploma.
agree  Olga Cartlidge: As far as I am aware, "Alma mater" is used without translation in English, Russian, Gerrman and Italian.
2 hrs
  -> Many thanks for your support.
agree  Jim Tucker (X): Of course, this is the only way to do it.
32 days
  -> Thank you!
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