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Q: English to Latin translation ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: English to Latin translation
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: deanna6-ga
List Price: $3.00
Posted: 18 Jul 2006 15:50 PDT
Expires: 17 Aug 2006 15:50 PDT
Question ID: 747527
I was wondering if someone could translate this to Latin for me "I
will try again tomorrow" This is for a tattoo so i want to make sure
it's right.
Answer  
Subject: Re: English to Latin translation
Answered By: alanna-ga on 23 Jul 2006 17:50 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hi deanna6-ga -

Latin is a good choice for a tattoo.  I think it signifies ancient
wisdom and a modern outlook, because Latin is all around us even
today.

The translation of "I will try again tomorrow" is:

               cras iterum tentavo 

"Tentavo" is from the verb "tentare" meaning attempt, try; prove;
test; attack; brave; make an attempt.  See:

tentare
http://lysy2.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/WORDS.EXE?tentare

You could also use (as mentioned in the comments, the verb, "conor." 
The translation of your phrase using this verb is:

              cras iterum conabor

This word  translates similarly:  attempt/try/endeavor; make an
effort; exert oneself.

Either translation is well-suited for your purpose.  Perhaps you can
make your decision based on aesthetics--which one will look better. Do
you want the round c, b, and o of "conabor" or the angular t's and v
of "tentavo."

I also used Cassell's dictionary for this translation.

Cassell's  Latin-English and English-Latin Dictionary revised by
J.R.V. Marchant, M.A. and Joseph F. Charles, B.A., Funk and Wagnell's
(New York)

I hope the tattoo looks terrific,

alanna-ga
deanna6-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars
Thanks so much! :)

Comments  
Subject: Re: English to Latin translation
From: tr1234-ga on 18 Jul 2006 17:27 PDT
 
My, there seem to be a fair number of tattoo-inspired Latin
translation queries of late. It's kinda fun to try my hand at Latin
translation again, all these years after my last Latin class...

My highly unofficial stab at "I will try again tomorrow" in Latin would be:
"Iterum cras audebo"

I suspect there might be a better, less prosaic translation, tho',
which an official researcher should be along soon to provide!
Subject: Re: English to Latin translation
From: tr1234-ga on 18 Jul 2006 17:35 PDT
 
Or perhaps a slightly better (but still dully prosaic) translation would be:

"Iterum cras conabor."

That is, I think that "conor" more rightly conveys "to attempt" than
does "audere" of my first previous translation which is more like "to
dare".

"Conor" is a deponent verbm though (I know, I know--I gotta get over
my fear of deponent verbs like "conor" when making translations...
;-)) so I'm not certain if I got its future tense right.
Subject: Re: English to Latin translation
From: tr1234-ga on 18 Jul 2006 17:37 PDT
 
Blast!  I think I got that wrong!  It should be "conabar" for "I will try" right?

Every Latin teacher I ever had is shaking his head, wondering if all
their teaching was for nothing...
Subject: Re: English to Latin translation
From: tr1234-ga on 24 Jul 2006 19:56 PDT
 
Wait a minute.  If "tentare" is a regular first conjugation verb,
wouldn't the first person future indicative be "tentabo" not
"tentavo"? Or is it an irregular verb with different formations?

As I've said, I'm a little rusty on my Latin, so I could easily be
wrong, but I thought I'd mention it...

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