Does "Take nobody's word for it" mean "take nobody's word as that of the final authority"?

Forums: English, Esl, Grammar, English Grammar, English As A Second Language
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Context:
A useful characteristic of a scientific theory is that it must be possible, at least in principle, for experimenters to prove it wrong. Newton and Darwin, two of the greatest theoreticians, both set out ideas in this way, putting their heads on Nature's chopping block. In Newton's case, at least, his ideas have been superseded after proving inadequate in some circumstances. Unlike many religions, science has no final authority; the Royal Society, the UK academy of sciences, expresses this neatly in its motto "Take nobody's word for it".

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7979211/Has-Stephen-Hawking-ended-the-God-debate.html

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 2,441 • Replies: 7

[+3] - contrex - 05/12/2013The Royal Society's motto is Latin, 'Nullius in verba' and is usually translated as "on the word of no one". 'Take nobody's word for it' is an approximate idiomatic equivalent. The 'it'...

View best answer, chosen by oristarA

@oristarA,

No, well, kinda.
He means that each religion or sect can give the final word.
Science, on the other hand, has no ruling body. So the Royal Society is saying, trust no one but yourself.
Newton was brilliant, but even he made mistakes. In other words, take the theory and do your homework.

1 Reply

@Ceili,

Ceili wrote:

No, well, kinda.
He means that each religion or sect can give the final word.
Science, on the other hand, has no ruling body. So the Royal Society is saying, trust no one but yourself.
Newton was brilliant, but even he made mistakes. In other words, take the theory and do your homework.

Thank you Ceili.
"For it" gives me a hard time to understand.
Would you like to unravel it in details?

0 Replies

The Royal Society's motto is Latin, 'Nullius in verba' and is usually translated as "on the word of no one". 'Take nobody's word for it' is an approximate idiomatic equivalent. The 'it' in that refers to 'whatever it is you are investigating as a scientist'.

2 Replies

@contrex,

contrex wrote:

The Royal Society's motto is Latin, 'Nullius in verba' and is usually translated as "on the word of no one". 'Take nobody's word for it' is an approximate idiomatic equivalent. The 'it' in that refers to 'whatever it is you are investigating as a scientist'.

Excellent!

0 Replies

@contrex,

Is nullius read as /nʌliəs/?

1 Reply

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

Is nullius read as /nʌliəs/?

I don't know: I don't understand those weird phonetic symbols. The way I was taught Latin was to say both the 'u' vowels identically, as in the English words pull, full, etc.

1 Reply

@contrex,

Neither do I, and I'm glad you said so.

0 Replies

Does "Take nobody's word for it" mean "take nobody's word as that of the final authority"?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know