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Thu 4 Feb, 2021 08:29 am
Hi all. I'm A new kid on the block, so I hope I'm doing this right.
First off , I'm not a Latin translation expert; I'm a screenplay writer with a masters in professional writing. I'm ghost writing a new project, so obviously I can't use my name, but I want to use something that ties into the story line. In voice over closing narration the name of the main character is revealed to the reader as: He who walks with man.
Like I said, I don't know Latin. I just thought it would be the most logical language to use for theatrical impact. A Latin translation of it as the ghost writer's signature on the title page would be far better hook for curious minds who "just have to know" than any silly name that I could ever cook up - but it has to be a direct word-for-word translation or it won't work. Hear lies the problem...
I'm sure I don't have to tell anybody reading this post: it ain't that simple. Depending on which word or word order, variation of the word, whether it's masculine or general, past, present or future, or used as a modifier (like an adjective), could change the whole meaning of what you want to say.
Case in point. I've been trying to use one of those goofy on-line translators and this is what I get for: He who walks with man
qui cum homine translates to: with man
pronoun for "who" (qui, quis, quisnam) preposition for "with" (cum, per, qum) and "homine" for man (masculine singular)
Okay, not a bad start. Lets add to it: Ille
translates to: He, pronoun (masculine singular), (hic, is, ille, inle, olle).
We're cooking. Lets add to it: quis
translates to: who, pronoun (singular, first person?) (qui, quis, quisnam)
Lets add to it:ambulo
translates to: I walk, Verb (singular, first person? what do I do with the "I"?) (ambulo, ingredior, spatior, gradior, obambulo, incedo)
That should do it, but this is how it comes out:
ille quis ambulo qui cum homine or (he was a man whom I have walked with the man who)
What am I doing wrong? Is there a direct word-for-word translation?
@Night Watchman,
please add
latin as a tag to your post.
George, our latin translation expert may not see it otherwise...
@Night Watchman,
Sure, I'll put it up in the title.
@Night Watchman,
If you want George to see it,
add a tag.