Nunquam Non Paratus,...

**Bruce Scott** · 17th May 09, 04:20 PM

....meaning 'always not unprepared' is the Johnston/e motto. Anyone know why they opted for this rather than 'always ready' (Semper Paratus).

**peacekeeper83** · 17th May 09, 04:26 PM

Well what's the obvious difference in semper.... And nunquam? I would think that translation would be the answer.

**Bruce Scott** · 17th May 09, 04:46 PM

Yes, I'm guilty of accepting one online translation, ie, 'always not unprepared', which seems rather cumbersome. Looking elsewhere I found 'Never Unprepared'.

**Sionnach** · 17th May 09, 04:49 PM

I think I would translate it slightly differently- Never not prepared, now if I recall my meager Latin training under the auspicious eye of Jesuit Latin speakers- emphasis would by on the Never, kind of in a 'do not mess with us' sense.

**peacekeeper83** · 17th May 09, 04:59 PM

Being real familiar with semper... The translation didn't work for me..
but seeing this translation it makes sense on what the motto message conveys..

**gilmore** · 17th May 09, 05:15 PM

Perhaps Semper paratus was already taken and in use.

**peacekeeper83** · 17th May 09, 05:56 PM

The Johnsons share the motto with the Irish Donoghue and a couple other families... The motto shown to be used by Johnsons in Ireland as early as 1680's in the brief reading I done on it. This I found under a search by the motto and it's a booked called the general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

It shows the family is a Border family and it's history as well as the use of the name by McGregors when their name was ordered not used.... It's an interesting reading... It's in rampantscotland.com I cannot give the link since I am on my phone..

**ghostlight** · 17th May 09, 06:42 PM

As someone who doesn't know much about latin but whose family shares the name, I honestly didn't know there was a difference.

Now I'm curious about this myself!

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 17th May 09, 07:10 PM

Crests and mottoes, unlike coats of arms, are not unique to an individual. Indeed, many families have identical crests and mottoes. In the instance of Nunquam non paratus, not only is this motto used by at least half a dozen families named Johnson, Johnston, and Johnstone, but it is also the motto of Gibbs, Knight, Kerrick, Betton , and Skinner.