Literal Translation: Qui tacet consentire videtur?

[Kimble]

Just trying to confirm my reading of a latin phrase:

Qui tacet consentire videtur

What he is silent to agree he is seen.

What his is silent (about) he is seen to agree (with).

Thanks in advance!

[Amadeus]

Who is silent to agree is seen.

Or

He who is silent is seen to agree.

[thesaurus]

A good translation of "videtur" or other passive forms of "videre" is "seems."

Thus, "One who is silent seems to agree." In other words, silence betokens consent.

[bedwere]

Do you know the origin of this? I heard somewhere it's a juridical phrase, probably related to Canon Law. In Italian we say "Chi tace acconsente".

[Gonzalo]

Do you know the origin of this? I heard somewhere it's a juridical phrase, probably related to Canon Law. In Italian we say "Chi tace acconsente".

I didn´t know that Italian phrase. In Spanish, at least Peninsular Spanish, it´s used with approximate or even the same sense in "Quien calla, otorga".

[Lucus Eques]

Ah, sei italiano? Benvenuto! Sempre un piacere.

[bedwere]

Ah, sei italiano? Benvenuto! Sempre un piacere.

Grazie!

[Misopogon]

Do you know the origin of this? I heard somewhere it's a juridical phrase, probably related to Canon Law. In Italian we say "Chi tace acconsente".

You're right, it's related to Canon Law (Decretales, liber VI, titulus "de regulis", regula 43,). On the other hand the Roman Law developed the opposite rule (later accepted by the Jus Commune ): qui tacet neque negat, neque utique fatetur (D. 50.17.142,). Ironically, the Decretales contains also this contradictory rule, just slighty modified (regula 44): is, qui tacet, non fatetur, sed nec utique negare videtur.

Ciao
Misopogon