Aug 24, 2003 11:16
21 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Latin term
Nil desperandum carburundum illegitami
Non-PRO
Latin to English
Other
NIL DESPERANDUM CARBURUNDUM
ILLEGITAMI
ILLEGITAMI
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +6 | Don't let the bastards grind you down. |
achisholm
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| 5 +3 | Don't let the bastards grind you down! |
David Moore (X)
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| 5 +1 | THIS IS NO ANSWER |
verbis
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Proposed translations
+6
2 mins
Selected
Don't let the bastards grind you down.
Very good motto to adopt for all aspects of life.
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:20:14 (GMT)
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or also sometimes said as
\"don\'t let the bastards get you down\"
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:23:14 (GMT)
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It is a mock latin motto to convey the message I quoted. It is not a proper translation. It is supposed to be humourous. Obviously humour varies greatly from one country to another, and very often, not even the best of translators can understand non native language humour.
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:26:57 (GMT)
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Carburundum, the mineral, is often used as an industrial abrasive - hence the adoption of the word.
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:20:14 (GMT)
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or also sometimes said as
\"don\'t let the bastards get you down\"
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:23:14 (GMT)
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It is a mock latin motto to convey the message I quoted. It is not a proper translation. It is supposed to be humourous. Obviously humour varies greatly from one country to another, and very often, not even the best of translators can understand non native language humour.
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:26:57 (GMT)
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Carburundum, the mineral, is often used as an industrial abrasive - hence the adoption of the word.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sheila Hardie
: grind you down or get you down: this question has been asked before several times - please also check Proz glossary:http://www.proz.com/?sp=h&id=120176&keyword=bastard
4 mins
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| agree |
Elenacb
7 mins
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| agree |
Marie Scarano
48 mins
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| neutral |
verbis
: carburundum??? is this Latin???????
1 hr
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not to be taken literally, but humourously.
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| agree |
Begoña Yañez
1 hr
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| agree |
sarahl (X)
: rightum!
6 hrs
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| agree |
Jacqueline van der Spek
7 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Graded automatically based on peer agreement."
+3
6 mins
Don't let the bastards grind you down!
Rather a cynical expression, but that's exactly what it means.- "illegitimi", by the way.
It's actually the cynic's extension to the motto "Nil Desperandum" ("Never despair"), which is a quotation from Horace, and was adopted as a motto by.. oh, I forget!
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:54:05 (GMT)
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Note to all: please don\'t be unkind to the asker when the question comes through \"Yourdictionary\" or any other on-line facility; the asker is not going to know about our glossaries, now is s/he?
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:54:39 (GMT)
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BTW, it appears at the top of the page, above the question panel
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:23:25 (GMT)
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Note for verbis: the \"carburundum\" (or \"carborundum\") of which you complain is the \"grinding agent\" in the above (mis)quotation. Who could ever say where it originated.....
It's actually the cynic's extension to the motto "Nil Desperandum" ("Never despair"), which is a quotation from Horace, and was adopted as a motto by.. oh, I forget!
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:54:05 (GMT)
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Note to all: please don\'t be unkind to the asker when the question comes through \"Yourdictionary\" or any other on-line facility; the asker is not going to know about our glossaries, now is s/he?
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Note added at 2003-08-24 11:54:39 (GMT)
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BTW, it appears at the top of the page, above the question panel
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:23:25 (GMT)
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Note for verbis: the \"carburundum\" (or \"carborundum\") of which you complain is the \"grinding agent\" in the above (mis)quotation. Who could ever say where it originated.....
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Elenacb
4 mins
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| neutral |
verbis
: Horace did not write "carburundum", for sure!!!!!
1 hr
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C'mon, verbis, read the comment: it says that the ORIGINAL was a quote from Horace, doesn't it????
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| agree |
achisholm
: Norman Stanley Fletcher - adopted the motto. (in humour).
1 hr
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Thnks, Alex; but I'm sure I remeber hearing this long before RB and "Porridge" appeared on the screen!
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| agree |
Catherine Norton
8 hrs
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+1
54 mins
THIS IS NO ANSWER
what about carburundum??????
could anyone tell me how this sentnce is built/phrased?
it sounds to me "Latinus grossus qui facit tremare pilastros".......
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:14:11 (GMT)
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p.s. \"carburundum\" is silicon carbide.............
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:20:17 (GMT)
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pp.ss.: and did not exist as a word in classical Latin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The word \'carburundum\' doesn\'t exist in Latin, it adopted later for silicon carbide
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:21:21 (GMT)
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IT WAS ADOPTED, sorry
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:27:51 (GMT)
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\"Quid quid latine dictum sit, altum viditur\"
Translation: Anything said in Latin sounds profound
Analysis — \"Illegitimi Non Carborundum\"
Wrong — \"Illegitimi Non Carborundum\"
Neither grammatically correct, nor true Latin saying.
Less Wrong — \"Nil Carburundum Illegitimis\"
\'illegitimi\' is a dangling nominative. \'illegitimis\' is the correct form. The word \'carburundum\' doesn\'t exist in Latin.
Better — \"Ne Nothi Te Redigant\"
nothus = bastard (i.e., an illegitimate person);
redigere = to grind to a powder
This is literal but not idiomatic and would not have made sense to a Roman. The concept of bastard didn\'t mean an unpleasant person in ancient Rome, and while redigere fits the intent of \"Carborundum\", it would have seemed awkward if not nonsensical.
http://www.christopherlydon.org/viewtopic.php?topic=1204&for...
finally found a confirmation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
could anyone tell me how this sentnce is built/phrased?
it sounds to me "Latinus grossus qui facit tremare pilastros".......
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-08-24 12:14:11 (GMT)
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p.s. \"carburundum\" is silicon carbide.............
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-08-24 12:20:17 (GMT)
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pp.ss.: and did not exist as a word in classical Latin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The word \'carburundum\' doesn\'t exist in Latin, it adopted later for silicon carbide
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:21:21 (GMT)
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IT WAS ADOPTED, sorry
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Note added at 2003-08-24 12:27:51 (GMT)
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\"Quid quid latine dictum sit, altum viditur\"
Translation: Anything said in Latin sounds profound
Analysis — \"Illegitimi Non Carborundum\"
Wrong — \"Illegitimi Non Carborundum\"
Neither grammatically correct, nor true Latin saying.
Less Wrong — \"Nil Carburundum Illegitimis\"
\'illegitimi\' is a dangling nominative. \'illegitimis\' is the correct form. The word \'carburundum\' doesn\'t exist in Latin.
Better — \"Ne Nothi Te Redigant\"
nothus = bastard (i.e., an illegitimate person);
redigere = to grind to a powder
This is literal but not idiomatic and would not have made sense to a Roman. The concept of bastard didn\'t mean an unpleasant person in ancient Rome, and while redigere fits the intent of \"Carborundum\", it would have seemed awkward if not nonsensical.
http://www.christopherlydon.org/viewtopic.php?topic=1204&for...
finally found a confirmation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
achisholm
: its not a literal translation - see above
9 mins
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alexander, carburundum does not make any sense........................
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| neutral |
David Moore (X)
: Carb*O*rundum is certainly not Latin, nor was ever claimed as such; it is a fusion of carbon and corundum, the latter originating from Tamil "kuruntam" as long ago as the 18th century.
21 mins
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so the question is not appropriate here!!!!!
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| neutral |
Sheila Hardie
: It's a joke see:http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/9/messages/296.html
2 hrs
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Discussion
The saying certainly was in use at the Riley Motor company before 1935.