I am looking for a useful Latin motto to use for a creative endeavor.
"We think, therefore we can" is what we prefer, but it does not
translate well. this is because the Latin word "possumus" (for 'we
can') does not have a positive association in many people's minds. 
Are there alternative Latin words and phrases we
might consider for the 'we can' part of the motto? Something
expressing the idea of capability, or being
able to accomplish a difficult task or creative challenge, is what we
are looking for.

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Clarification of Question by dianee-ga on 25 Jul 2002 19:14 PDT

First off, thanks to everyone for your suggestions!! You've been
great! My partner and I have studied tham all, and have decided we
like the idea of journalist-ga to use creo (to create, make). But we
need to have the exact form for "We think, therefore we create". Would
it be "cogissimus ergo cremus"?
Please folks, give journalist-ga a chance to respond first, to claim
the prize, if he/she can confirm the exact spelling)

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Clarification of Question by dianee-ga on 30 Jul 2002 19:47 PDT

Well, it looks like it is time to open up the field. Please anyone,
confirm if "cogissimus ergo cremus" would be the correct spelling and
syntax for the Latin translation of "We think, therefore we create."

dianee...

As noted by corydon-ga, in the comments,
"The correct Latin is, of course, 'cogitamus, ergo creamus'".

I checked to see if he is an official google researcher,
and he seems not to be, since he posted his email in the
comment, which is not allowed, and since his only
entry on this site is the one comment to this question.

Cogissimus is not a valid word, as evidenced by searches
on two excellent sites:

The Latin-English Dictionary:
http://www.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/

and the Perseus Digital Library's Latin/English archives:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/resolveform?lang=la

Another page, linked from the Latin-English dictionary
home page, is loaded with links to Latin resource sites:
http://www.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/resources.html

Cogito means 'to think, ruminate, ponder, consider, plan'

'We think' would conjugate as cogitatum, as indicated
by the Java Latin conjugator program, at:
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/mmclar/Latin.html

Creo means 'to create, make'and conjugates as creamus,
for 'we create'.

Ergo, the correct phrase would be 'Cogitatum, Ergo Creamus'
with the comma and capitals optional.


Searches done, via Google:

dictionary + latin
://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=dictionary+%2B+latin

If you desire any clarifications prior to rating the answer,
please post one, and I'll happily follow up.

sublime1-ga

How about "We think, therefore we do"

I think 'do' would be, efficio, facesso, or facio,
depending on ultimate desire of context.

-AI

Nos Cogitio, Ergo Nos Facesso

not bad...

-AI

Greetings!  I hesitated to post these as I do not know the correct
translation of the "we ___" in Latin.  If you find one of these to be
adequate for your needs, please contact Google and let them know as,
in that case, I will happily claim the fee.  : )

We think, therefore we act

to make, do, act, perform, cause, bring about. 
facio 


We think therefore we endure

that which will endure, abide. 
mansurus

to endure, undergo. 
perfero, pertulit 

to endure. 
perpetior 

to hold up, sustain, endure. 
sustineo 

to keep on, persist, persevere, endure. 
teneo 

to last endure, persist. 
eduro

How about Cogitamus, Ergo Faciamus?

PS - and the obvious:

We think therefore we create

create 
creare (inf.)[Verb] 

to bear, bring forth, produce/ create, make, get. 
pario 

to beget, engender, produce, create. 
genero 

to create, make. 
creo

Okay, one more:

We think, therefore we think.  ; )

Hi Diane,

It's been a long time since my high school Latin days, but I do recall this phrase:

Mens agitat molem
The mind moves the matter.

The phrase I recall hearing most when facing a challenge was this one:

Parvus sed ingens
Small but mighty.

Good luck finding your slogan,
fsw

I can't remember enough Latin to conjugate it, but I think this verb
seems to convey what you're trying to express:

pervinco -vincere -vici -victum [to conquer completely; to surpass ,
outdo; to induce, prevail upon; to carry one's point; to achieve,
effect; to prove, demonstrate].

So it would sort of be 'We think therefore we conquer - but in a
positive, achieving, non-oppressive kind of way' :-)

Hope this helps!

You guys are coming up with reasonable words but aren't conjugating
them.

Any latin verb ending in "o" is first-person singular, as in "I do". 
Verbs ending in "mus" signify 1st-person plura, as in "We do".

So, unfortunately, any expression you use with "We" is going to have
that unfamiliar "mus" ending, as in "Cogissimus faciemus" (sorry if
the i/e spelling, etc. is off . . . my high school Latin is way behind
me.)

Alienintelligence, btw, the "nos" is usually omitted for being
redundant.  If you did use it, however, it would be "Nos cogissimus,
ergo nos faciemus" (e.g. but with corrent spelling.)

yah, you are absolutely right joey...
I'm sorry and that demonstrates
one of the reasons I took German
in HS ;-) Just ignore me on this one.

-AI

A few suggestions:
  cogitatione potentes           = strong(plur.) through reason
  ut ratio,ita actio             = our action mirrors our thought
  ut cogitatum,ita factum        = ""
  opinio nos ad operam impellit  = belief drives our work
  triumphat mens                 = reason prevails
  victoria ratione nata          = Victory is the daughter of Reason
  sapientem sequitur gloria      = Glory follows the wise
  montes e mente surgunt         = mountains rise from the mind
                                   (which might unfortunately suggest that
                                    you had rocks in your head)
  arbitramur,ergo creamus       =  (literal translation)

I hope one of these will take your fancy,but for a truly classical encomium
of the labour of Art and its conquest of time and death,Horace 3.30 is quite
without parallel.

I am thrilled you like my idea, and I only wish I'd had the
opportunity to claim the fee.  : )  I've been a researcher for many,
many months but didn't want to answer with the translation until you
decided you liked my answer.