Literal Translation: Qui tacet consentire videtur?

Here you can discuss all things Latin. Use this board to ask questions about grammar, discuss learning strategies, get help with a difficult passage of Latin, and more.
Post Reply
Kimble
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:02 pm
Location: Maine

Literal Translation: Qui tacet consentire videtur?

Post by 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
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 764
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:40 pm
Location: In a van down by the river

Post by Amadeus »

Who is silent to agree is seen.

Or

He who is silent is seen to agree.
Lisa: Relax?! I can't relax! Nor can I yield, relent, or... Only two synonyms? Oh my God! I'm losing my perspicacity! Aaaaa!

Homer: Well it's always in the last place you look.

User avatar
thesaurus
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 1012
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 9:44 pm

Post by 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.

User avatar
bedwere
Global Moderator
Posts: 5101
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:23 pm
Location: Didacopoli in California
Contact:

Post by 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
Textkit Enthusiast
Posts: 510
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:58 am

Post by Gonzalo »

bedwere wrote: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".

User avatar
Lucus Eques
Textkit Zealot
Posts: 2037
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 12:52 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:

Post by Lucus Eques »

Ah, sei italiano? Benvenuto! Sempre un piacere.
L. Amādeus Rāniērius · Λ. Θεόφιλος Ῥᾱνιήριος 🦂

SCORPIO·MARTIANVS

User avatar
bedwere
Global Moderator
Posts: 5101
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:23 pm
Location: Didacopoli in California
Contact:

Post by bedwere »

Lucus Eques wrote:Ah, sei italiano? Benvenuto! Sempre un piacere.
Grazie! :D

Misopogon
Textkit Member
Posts: 121
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:05 am
Location: Treviso, Italy

Post by Misopogon »

bedwere wrote: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

Post Reply