Concerning mottoes

**OKSooner** · 27th January 15, 10:09 PM

I have noticed that some members may use or wish to use Latin in mottoes when making a coat of arms. I am willing to help with translations and checking translations if needed. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin, so I am qualified!

If the thread is inappropriate, please delete. Anyway, offering my services if anyone in heraldry wishes to utilize them!

**MacGumerait** · 28th January 15, 12:15 AM

OKSooner , that is a very kind and generous offer . Truly in the spirit of XMarks . I'm sure your knowledge will be sought .

Best to you , Mike

**Tarheel** · 28th January 15, 05:43 AM

Thank you for the offer. I have found five different crests for my own family (three with different mottos) and only one in Latin. I may PM you to explore the others.
"Round Tuits" are hard to come by some days.

**unixken** · 28th January 15, 10:40 AM

I can't help but be reminded of the scene from "Life of Brian", where the roman guard (Cleese) "helps" Brian (Chapman) with his latin "Romans go home!"

**OKSooner** · 28th January 15, 11:30 AM

ROMANI ITE DOMUM! - Life of Brian. That is such a funny movie. Sadly, I have seen some times when someone tattooed Latin on themselves without checking words or grammar. A woman who refers to herself as her own hero used the masculine participles and word for "hero", which also means "man." Another person tattooed "flies with her own wings" on her foot but actually used the word for pigs rather than "with her own." Those words are similar, and she got the same case, so it ended up as "flies with pigs with wings."

**Mike_Oettle** · 28th January 15, 12:16 PM

A very kind offer indeed, OKSooner.
At the same time, Latin is not compulsory for armorial mottoes. Mine is in English (and very nearly was in German). Some Scots mottoes are in Gaelic, others in Scots, and some even in Norman French.
The first three schools I attended all had Latin mottoes, though:
Semper Sursum
Nil Nisi Optimum
Virtute et Opera
Regards,
Mike

**Geoff Withnell** · 28th January 15, 03:49 PM

I'm really not making fun of your very generous offer, but my favorite "Latin" motto is "Illegitimus non carborundum".

**OKSooner** · 28th January 15, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Geoff Withnell

I'm really not making fun of your very generous offer, but my favorite "Latin" motto is "Illegitimus non carborundum".

A professor used that phrase to see if I knew Latin in one graduate school class already. I have a paperweight with the phrase, including the "est" on the end.

**MacEanruig** · 28th January 15, 07:11 PM

Although I have a latin motto already, I may from time to time ask for your gracious assistance.

**CDNSushi** · 29th January 15, 12:54 AM

Through my vast Internet journeys I once discovered a neat, handy-dandy Latin motto generator site. Just input the words you'd like Latinified and Presto!

http://www.inrebus.com/latinmottogenerator.php

Although... You may want to get the grammar checked by the OP, and perhaps at least one other party before you get it tattooed onto yourself... Lest you find yourself flying with pigs with wings. ;-)