A stranger in these parts...

[edenworkshops]

Good Afternoon

I am a stranger in these forums, what brings me here, is the desire to understand how to translate a peculiar English phrase into Latin.
I am a bookbinder here at Downside Abbey in Somerset UK.

I wish to give as a present to an aspiring bookbinder, a knife sharpening kit, a sharp knife is a necessity to a binder, and it can be a particularly exasperating skill to master.

The title of the lady in question is Dr.Wendy Creed. I have some very little knowledge of Latin. I believe a bookbinder...or "One who glues books" is called a glutinator (fem) or glutinatoris (masc.), also that the Latin for a sharp knife is cultellus...and that is about where my understanding ceases, which must seem lamentable to the learned scholars present.

What I wish to be able to put in Latin is something to the effect:

A Bookbinders Knife Sharpening Kit for Dr. Wendy Creed from her friend Richard.

I would be extremely grateful for your assistance in this rather obscure project.

Sincerely Yours.

Richard Norman

[benissimus]

Hi Richard, welcome to our happy little forum

I believe I can translate this, though I will have to make use of some very arcane words which you have provided Glutinator is actually the masculine form (glutinatoris is the genitive) and I suppose one could invent the feminine version glutinatrix, glutinatricis, though I doubt it existed in Roman times. I found an adjective acuminarius meaning "of/for sharpening", but this is not in Classical use either, so I just used what words I have.

We also have to decide what you want the names to be in Latin. I can just not decline them (4th declension neuter, anyone? ), or I can give you Latin names. Fortunately, since Wendy has a title, this makes sense without declining her name. I would recommend using Ricardus for Richard, but as you may or may not know, the name "Wendy" is only as old as the story Peter Pan, so I can't say what the Latin equivalent is.

Others may create something better, but here is what I have conceived:
Doctori Wendy Creed donata glutinatoris instrumenta cultelli acuendi a Ricardo suo.

[edenworkshops]

I walk very humbly in the presence of considerable intelect, being a bear of very little brain I can only thank you profusely for your (prompt) kindness in replying, I shall take enormous delight in inscribing this present as you have suggested.

I am still laughing at the thread in the academy regarding the inverse properties of a donut.
I thought intelectuals were not supposed to have a sense of humour...

Richard

[benissimus]

I walk very humbly in the presence of considerable intelect, being a bear of very little brain I can only thank you profusely for your (prompt) kindness in replying, I shall take enormous delight in inscribing this present as you have suggested.

I am still laughing at the thread in the academy regarding the inverse properties of a donut.
I thought intelectuals were not supposed to have a sense of humour...

Richard

It was a delight to write for you! By the way, I did reword it a little from the English to make it seem more Latin and here is the literal translation:
"To Doctor Wendy Creed [are] bestowed by her (dear) Richard the bookbinder's instruments of sharpening the knife."

I am still laughing at the thread in the academy regarding the inverse properties of a donut.
I thought intelectuals were not supposed to have a sense of humour...

Yes, we intellectuals occasionally fail to repress our sense of humor, but such behaviors are discouraged.

[Ulpianus]

Doctori Wendy Creed donata glutinatoris intrumenta cultelli acuendi a Ricardo suo.

Nice. Little typo: intrumenta should read instrumenta.

[benissimus]

Whoops! I looked very carefully for errors in my Latin but I missed a little typo

[edenworkshops]

Dear benissimus

Being a passionate believer in the idea of "What goes around comes around".

Is their something a bookbinder could do for you?

Design you a bookplate for example.......


Richard

[Episcopus]

Don't forget the -us in the genitive singular of fourth declension neuter! Also the plurals are declined nicely so names do have to be declined even in such a "veru, cornu, gelu" declension!

What goes around comes around...You're pretty much forcing that though as opposed to permitting that nature take its course that he be rewarded...

[edenworkshops]

"Being a passionate believer in the idea of "What goes around comes around"

Is the product of a psyche whose primary function is that of Feeling...

"What goes around comes around...You're pretty much forcing that though as opposed to permitting that nature take its course that he be rewarded"

Is the product of a psyche whose primary function is that of Thinking...

The former is energetic in it's nature and may appear forceful.

By the way...

Minimus araneus
compluvium ascendit.
Deorsum pluvia
araneum eluit.
Tum sol lucet,
et pluviam siccat,
ut minimus araneus
rursum ascendat.

[benissimus]

Oh Richard, the fact that you will use my words in a work of art is repayment enough. Besides, I'm saving up my kharma right now!

Lovely rendition of the Itsy Bitsy Spider
Minimus araneus
compluvium ascendit.
Deorsum pluvia
araneum eluit.
Tum sol lucet,
et pluviam siccat,
ut minimus araneus
rursum ascendat.