Sunday, October 30, 2011

Latin Proverbs: 159 Most Frequent Words

The DR number, Diederich Rank, refers to the highest number in Diederich's frequency listing, which you can see here: Diederich Ranking.

DR 158. Nisi causas scimus, nihil scimus. ~ Note: Compare the difference between knowing the causes of things and learning only from the outcome: Ex eventu sciemus.

DR 159. Animus omnia vincit. ~ Note: Just how you take the Latin word "animus" depends very much on context - mind? courage? The word is notoriously difficult to render in English!

DR 159. Amor vincit omnia. ~ Note: This motto famously appears in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, inscribed on the brooch of the prioress herself, Madame Eglantine, who is not your typical nun, of course.

DR 159. Tempus omnia vincit. ~ Note: This is but one of many "omnia vincit" sayings in Latin, e.g. "Virtus omnia vincit," "Amor vincit omnia," "Veritas omnia vincit," etc.

DR 159. Malum bono vince. ~ Note: This is the Hay family motto.

DR 159. Vi verum vincitur. ~ Note: Here the proverb depends on alliteration: v-v-v. You can find these words in Plautus's Amphitruo.

DR 159. Ferendum ut vincas. ~ Note: The impersonal neuter gerundive expresses the idea of a command: You must bear up, you must bear it - ferendum.

DR 159. Tibi ut vincas est credendum. ~ Note: Here you have ut with a subjunctive verb: "so that you might be victorious." The impersonal neuter gerundive expresses the idea of a command or necessity, with the agent in the dative: tibi est credendum, "You must have faith..."

DR 159. Vince te ipsum. ~ Note: This is the motto of St. Mary's Orphanage & Day School in Kolkata, India.

DR 159. Vincit qui se vincit. ~ Note: You can see this saying as a tattoo here: image.

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