Translation help

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adanymous
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Translation help

Post by adanymous »

Hey guys Im sure you get requests like this all the time. I have tried to figure it out myself but just cant make it happen. I want to get a tatoo (my first) in latin. I want it to say "I belong to ducky" or "property of ducky" or "my heart belongs to ducky" or "my soul belongs to ducky" I need it to be fairly long because I want it to go all the way across my shoulder blades. And ducky should be used as a name, cause thats what it is. Not "the ducky" just "ducky". By the way ducky is the only word I could find, I believe it is anaticula. Although it doesnt have the emphasis marks on it (dont know how to do that on the computer)

Kasper
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Re: Translation help

Post by Kasper »

Okay first the disclaimer: this website is inhabited predominantly by people who independently study Latin and Greek. Non of us (as far as I know) are professionals or experts (well.. some i would regard as experts). I consider myself no more than an intermediate learner of Latin, and accordingly if you take up my suggestions you do so at your own risk – for a tattoo you may wish to contact professionals.

That said:
The biggest problem is the word ‘Ducky’, because latin words don’t end with ‘y’. I suppose the third declension would simply apply…

Alternatively you could translate the word ‘duck’, which would be ‘anas’, but if you want to use it as a proper name you may prefer to stick with Ducky. Then again, something like ‘Duckynis’ just looks awful, and I really don’t think you should use it.

On the other hand, according to Diogenes, Plautus (and perhaps others) apparently used ‘anaticula’, i.e. little duck, or ‘duckie’, as a term of endearment, and it may therefore be very appropriate to use the latin term in this case.

I have placed the word ‘est’ (meaning ‘is’) in brackets below, because it is not necessary to add it in Latin. Personally I think it looks much nicer without, although it is perhaps grammatically clearer to add it.


So, I belong to ducky could be:
Anaticulae insum. (which I think is quite nice)

Property of ducky could be:
Res Anaticulae / Possessio Anaticulae

My heart belongs to Ducky could be:
Anaticulae [est] Cor Meum / Cor meum Anaticulae [est]

My soul belongs to ducky:
Anima mea Anaticulae [est]
“Cum ego verbo utar,” Humpty Dumpty dixit voce contempta, “indicat illud quod optem – nec plus nec minus.”
“Est tamen rogatio” dixit Alice, “an efficere verba tot res indicare possis.”
“Rogatio est, “Humpty Dumpty responsit, “quae fiat magister – id cunctum est.”

adanymous
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Re: Translation help

Post by adanymous »

so far so good. I really like the my heart belongs to ducky one. Hopefully more people will chime in to confirm those. Id hate to get it wrong.

adanymous
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Re: Translation help

Post by adanymous »

ducky actually is a term of endearment (she has webbed toes, Ive called her that for 10 years, kinda stuck) And what research I have done said
anaticua(e) "not sure what meaning the (e) imparts on the word". And I like the sound of it that word so Im gonna keep it I think. The rest is up in the air. I really like the "my heart belongs to ducky" one, but it still seems a bit short. I am fairly broad shouldered and would like it to go from one side to the other, but relevance is much more important than appearance in this case. If anyone can confirm the meaning of this for me I would appreciate it.

Latin is a fairly difficult language, I speak 3 but not latin. Its funny how other romance languages differ so greatly from their root.

adanymous
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Re: Translation help

Post by adanymous »

Is there anyone else who would like to chime in? I could sure use the help

adanymous
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Re: Translation help

Post by adanymous »

serioiusly........there are no latin gurus here that want to help an uneducated guy out

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