"A Mother's Love"

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danae-love
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"A Mother's Love"

Post by danae-love »

I hope this doesn't violate the rules of the forum, but I need some text translated into Latin.

"A Mother's Love" and "My children, My Soul".

I need this for a good friend of mine who has asked for my help. I think she has confused my knowledge of the Greek language with Latin. But I don't want to let her down. It's for a tattoo, because she is one of the most devoted mother's out there. Her Dad is dying of prostate cancer so I know she would like to get it done for him to see. I just don't want to tell her the wrong thing, because a tattoo is forever!

Thanks for your time

I have been given "Liberi Mea Anima" for My Children My Soul, and "Amor Matris" for A Mother's Love. Pretty confident about the mother's love one, just want to know if the first one is correct?

jamesbath
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by jamesbath »

Well here's some feedback which may not be worth much: It seems that "liberi" is a masculine word and plural. So I think it would take the plural masculine adjective "mei". On the other hand, your friend is one woman, singular, so I think she would use the singular feminine word "anima" which would take the singular feminine adjective "mea". Anima would also be a predicate nominative, I believe, putting it on equal (nominative) terms with "liberi".

So perhaps "Liberi mei anima mea". Or maybe "Liberi mei sunt anima mea." Or even "Mei liberi sunt anima mea."

I know that sounds wrong and inelegant but I wanted to jump in so that the effort will teach me, myself, something; and let you know you're not being ignored.

Good luck with your friend and her husband.

adrianus
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by adrianus »

I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

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furrykef
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by furrykef »

jamesbath wrote:On the other hand, your friend is one woman, singular, so I think she would use the singular feminine word "anima"
If you meant to imply that the feminine gender of "anima" is significant, I'm not sure the Romans thought of it that way. Grammatical gender is just that: grammatical. "Masculine" and "feminine" are convenient names more than anything. (For example, the German word for "girl" -- Mädchen -- is neuter!) For instance, the word "victima" is always feminine and takes feminine agreement even if it definitely refers to a man.
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jamesbath
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by jamesbath »

furrykef wrote:
jamesbath wrote:On the other hand, your friend is one woman, singular, so I think she would use the singular feminine word "anima"
If you meant to imply that the feminine gender of "anima" is significant, I'm not sure the Romans thought of it that way. Grammatical gender is just that: grammatical. "Masculine" and "feminine" are convenient names more than anything. (For example, the German word for "girl" -- Mädchen -- is neuter!) For instance, the word "victima" is always feminine and takes feminine agreement even if it definitely refers to a man.
Thanks for that clarification, furrykef. Now to really show my ignorance -- why are we confronted with these choices between masculine, feminine, and neuter? What would determine whether to use anima or animus?

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Hampie
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by Hampie »

jamesbath wrote:
furrykef wrote:
jamesbath wrote:On the other hand, your friend is one woman, singular, so I think she would use the singular feminine word "anima"
If you meant to imply that the feminine gender of "anima" is significant, I'm not sure the Romans thought of it that way. Grammatical gender is just that: grammatical. "Masculine" and "feminine" are convenient names more than anything. (For example, the German word for "girl" -- Mädchen -- is neuter!) For instance, the word "victima" is always feminine and takes feminine agreement even if it definitely refers to a man.
Thanks for that clarification, furrykef. Now to really show my ignorance -- why are we confronted with these choices between masculine, feminine, and neuter? What would determine whether to use anima or animus?
Animus and anima are two different words with two, though slightly different, meanings.

Code: Select all

anim.us              N      2 1 NOM S M                 
animus, animi  N    M   [XXXAO]  
mind; intellect; soul; feelings; heart; spirit, courage, character, pride; air;

anim.a               N      1 1 NOM S F                 
anim.a               N      1 1 ABL S F                 
anima, animae  N    F   [XXXAO]  
soul, spirit, vital principle; life; breathing; wind, breeze; air (element);
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jamesbath
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Re: "A Mother's Love"

Post by jamesbath »

Hampie wrote: Animus and anima are two different words with two, though slightly different, meanings.

Code: Select all

anim.us              N      2 1 NOM S M                 
animus, animi  N    M   [XXXAO]  
mind; intellect; soul; feelings; heart; spirit, courage, character, pride; air;

anim.a               N      1 1 NOM S F                 
anim.a               N      1 1 ABL S F                 
anima, animae  N    F   [XXXAO]  
soul, spirit, vital principle; life; breathing; wind, breeze; air (element);
Hampie, thanks for the enlightment.

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