Translation Question

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Carpe Diem
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Translation Question

Post by Carpe Diem »

How would you translate this: "If you can read this, you are probably dead."?

qui hoc legere scit, paene certe est mortuus.

si hoc legere potes, probabiliter es mortuus.

Thanks!

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ptolemyauletes
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Re: Translation Question

Post by ptolemyauletes »

Both are probably ok, although I would add an 'is' to the second half of the first sentence.
qui hoc legere scit, is paene certe est mortuus.

probabiliter is not a terribly Latin way of expressing probably (at least not in my experience), a word which in general is awkwardly expressed. Perhaps sine dubio would work better.
The only thing we can guarantee when communicating via the internet is that we will be almost completely misunderstood, and likely cause great offence in doing so. Throw in an attempt at humour and you insure a lifelong enemy will be made.

adrianus
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Re: Translation Question

Post by adrianus »

double post, somehow.
En epistula quodam modo bis missa
Last edited by adrianus on Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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.

adrianus
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Re: Translation Question

Post by adrianus »

ptolemyauletes wrote:probabiliter is not a terribly Latin way of expressing probably (at least not in my experience), a word which in general is awkwardly expressed. Perhaps sine dubio would work better.
OLD and L&S give it classically in Cicero, mind you, in a sense of probability.
Apud Ciceronem obiter secundum OLD et L&S dictionaria id probabilatis sensu reperitur.

Post scriptum
Strictly speaking, "without doubt" isn't "probably", of course, but it doesn't much matter, I agree.
Nec strictim "probabiliter" significat "sine dubio". Quid autem refert, tecum concurro.
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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