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Q: English translation of Latin phrase. ( Answered,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: English translation of Latin phrase.
Category: Arts and Entertainment > Books and Literature
Asked by: sorrel-ga
List Price: $2.50
Posted: 28 Feb 2003 14:20 PST
Expires: 30 Mar 2003 14:20 PST
Question ID: 168520
What is the translation of the Latin phrase "In Ius Voco Spurious"?  I never
studied Latin, so my best effort is "No false Speech" or "No lies" or (since
this is on the wall of a small business in Texas) "No bullshit allowed". The
owner of the business said the sign was left when he moved in, and he
doesn't know what it means.
Answer  
Subject: Re: English translation of Latin phrase.
Answered By: pinkfreud-ga on 28 Feb 2003 16:39 PST
 
Literally, "In Ius Voco Spurius" means something like "I speak the law
to the illegitimate."

To break it down: 'ius' is a variant form of 'jus', or 'law. 'Voco'
means 'I speak'. 'Spurius' is Latin for 'person born out of wedlock'.

A more succinct (and more amusing) way to say this is "Sue the
bastards."

Here are a couple of online citations (one of which misspells
'spurius' as 'spirius', but what's a typo here or there?):

"In ius voco spurius... Sue the bastards" 

Albert Pike Demolay
http://www.albertpikedemolay.org/sricf/currentroster.html

"In Ius Voco Spirius (sue the bastards in Latin)"

Way of the Exploding Octopus Guestbook
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/9868/geobook.html

This reminds me very much of a sign that my doctor has had in his
waiting-room for many years, with the slogan "Illegitimi Non
Carborundum" -- which is garbled Latin for "Don't Let the Bastards
Grind You Down." More on that phrase may be found here:

Santa Cruz Public Library
http://www.santacruzpl.org/readyref/files/a-b/bastard.shtml

My search strategy started with my rather rusty knowledge of Latin. I
then proceeded to search the Web for backup:

Google Web Search: "in ius voco"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22in+ius+voco

Thanks for asking an amusing question. If anything I've said is
unclear or incomplete, or if any of the links do not function, please
request clarification; I'll be glad to offer further assistance.

Die dulci freure (Have a nice day)!

~pinkfreud
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