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You can't polish a turd

Latin translation: stercus non potest poliri

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:You can't polish a turd
Latin translation:stercus non potest poliri
Entered by: homuncula (X)

19:23 Jul 28, 2005
English to Latin translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: You can't polish a turd
Some desperate technicians want to have this in Latin to put on team t-shirts as they are fed up with miracles being expected from poor materials. Many thanks in advance.
Maureen Millington-Brodie
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:23
Stercus non potest poliri
Explanation:
Stercus is the more common (in my experience) word for "turd" or "dung" in colloquial usage. Also, my translation is literally "a turd cannot be polished" since I assume that the "you" in the original is just a generic "you" not a specific person. Great motto! : )
Selected response from:

homuncula (X)
Grading comment
I decided to go with this one, many thanks though to all, I particularly liked LMP's short & snappy versions & information about the motto that already existed. Sorry I can't spread the points!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4Stercus non potest poliri
homuncula (X)
5 +2Nemo cacatum polire potest
Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
4 +1Tu non potes polire fimum.
Jonathan Spector
5Merda poliri non potest
Mariusz Rytel (X)


  

Answers


26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Tu non potes polire fimum.


Explanation:
This is a literal translation:
tu is you
non potes is cannot
polire is the infinitive for polish
fimum is the accusative for dung (no turd in my dictionary)
I hope this helps you.

Jonathan Spector
Israel
Local time: 14:23
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
59 days
  -> Better late than never
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41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
you can't polish a turd
Stercus non potest poliri


Explanation:
Stercus is the more common (in my experience) word for "turd" or "dung" in colloquial usage. Also, my translation is literally "a turd cannot be polished" since I assume that the "you" in the original is just a generic "you" not a specific person. Great motto! : )

homuncula (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I decided to go with this one, many thanks though to all, I particularly liked LMP's short & snappy versions & information about the motto that already existed. Sorry I can't spread the points!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tandethsquire: I'll have to remember that one.
40 mins
  -> Thanks... it's a fun one!
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
54 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
1 hr
  -> Thanks!
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
59 days
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
you can't polish a turd
Nemo cacatum polire potest


Explanation:
Litterally: "Nobody can polish (refine) what has been shat".
See the latin proverb "Cacatum non est pictum".

"You cannot paint what's shat", "You cannot paint a turd".

You could also use "spucatum", but thta's late Latin, from goliardy!

You're spoilt with choices!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 22 mins (2005-07-28 21:45:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just thinking, since you need a motto, strating from the Latin proverb I just mention, you could use a shorter:

\"Cacatum non est politum\", which means more or less \"A turd is not refinished, polished\".

I agree with Homuncula: great motto!
Can I use it when failing my students? :-):-)

Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
Local time: 13:23
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Giusi Pasi: me gusta 'sta "schifezza" di resa :-)
1 min
  -> Miiiiiiiiiiii!!!
agree  Joseph Brazauskas: Vel 'quod cacatum est'.
59 days
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
you can't polish a turd
Merda poliri non potest


Explanation:
I prefer "merda" for the polished object in case:), as, havin been transferred to today's Romance languages, this word provides us both with supposed offensiveness and a linguistic context withtin grasp of people unaccustomed to classical studies:)
Does it make at least a little sense?:)

Mariusz Rytel (X)
Local time: 13:23
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Joseph Brazauskas: 'Merda' means 'excrement' in the generic sense, not specifically 'turd'.
58 days
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