Jul 24, 2008 23:10
15 yrs ago
Latin term
Rick & Ted
sis navigo quaero obviam finiculus
Latin to English
Tech/Engineering
Ships, Sailing, Maritime
naval
saying
Proposed translations
(English)
| 1 | [discussion of possibilities] |
matmcv (X)
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| 3 | Should you wish, I sail; I ask that the hawser [be] to hand. |
Joseph Brazauskas
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Change log
Jul 25, 2008 00:45: Veronica Prpic Uhing changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Proposed translations
2 hrs
Selected
[discussion of possibilities]
I've not got an answer, but there isn't enough room in the Note to Asker boxes to say everything.
"Finiculus" apparently means "little end", but it actually seems to be a term meaning "small cord", used especially in biology, and otherwise spelt "funiculus". (Google)
"Obviam" IS a real word, an adverb meaning "to meet" or "against" (dictionary) altho they don't look like adverbs to me. It could also be the feminine accusative singular of the adjective "obvius", which meant either "in the way/opposite/against" or "at hand/accessible". But that seems unlikely here as no noun to go with.
"Quaero" is not only "enquire", but "seek, try to get, acquire, investigate" etc. But it is supposed to be transitive, where is the direct object?
"Sis", as a contraction of "si vis" (if you want) means "please" (dictionary); otherwise could "sis" be a mistake for "sit" (let it be), "sic" (thus, in this way) or "si" (if)?
My suspicion is it is "invented Latin", created by someone who didn't know the language but just leafed thru a dictionary. I find it suspicious there are two first person singular present tense verbs consecutively, as that is the first verb form that is given in dictionaries.
My best guess is: "If you want to sail look for the rope to hand".
I did think maybe sis -> sit, "Let It Be" (The Beatles), navigo = "I Am Sailing" (Rod Stewart) etc. but I think that line of thought is unprofitable. ;)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-07-25 02:46:36 GMT)
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Hmm Olga, what verb could "obviam" be a future 1st sing form of? It would have to be 3rd/4th conjugation, which rules out "obviare", which was a real verb. I see some references to "obvire" on Google, but so few I wonder if they're misspellings for "obviare". It seems to have a similar meaning (meet/withstand vs. resist) and source (obvius).
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-07-25 02:54:13 GMT)
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"Please: I sail, I seek, I will resist the little cord". Well, it's yet another possibility! :-D
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Note added at 1 day22 hrs (2008-07-26 21:20:02 GMT) Post-grading
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Hey thanks for points, shame I couldn't come up with anything definite! :/
"Finiculus" apparently means "little end", but it actually seems to be a term meaning "small cord", used especially in biology, and otherwise spelt "funiculus". (Google)
"Obviam" IS a real word, an adverb meaning "to meet" or "against" (dictionary) altho they don't look like adverbs to me. It could also be the feminine accusative singular of the adjective "obvius", which meant either "in the way/opposite/against" or "at hand/accessible". But that seems unlikely here as no noun to go with.
"Quaero" is not only "enquire", but "seek, try to get, acquire, investigate" etc. But it is supposed to be transitive, where is the direct object?
"Sis", as a contraction of "si vis" (if you want) means "please" (dictionary); otherwise could "sis" be a mistake for "sit" (let it be), "sic" (thus, in this way) or "si" (if)?
My suspicion is it is "invented Latin", created by someone who didn't know the language but just leafed thru a dictionary. I find it suspicious there are two first person singular present tense verbs consecutively, as that is the first verb form that is given in dictionaries.
My best guess is: "If you want to sail look for the rope to hand".
I did think maybe sis -> sit, "Let It Be" (The Beatles), navigo = "I Am Sailing" (Rod Stewart) etc. but I think that line of thought is unprofitable. ;)
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-07-25 02:46:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Hmm Olga, what verb could "obviam" be a future 1st sing form of? It would have to be 3rd/4th conjugation, which rules out "obviare", which was a real verb. I see some references to "obvire" on Google, but so few I wonder if they're misspellings for "obviare". It seems to have a similar meaning (meet/withstand vs. resist) and source (obvius).
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Note added at 3 hrs (2008-07-25 02:54:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
"Please: I sail, I seek, I will resist the little cord". Well, it's yet another possibility! :-D
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Note added at 1 day22 hrs (2008-07-26 21:20:02 GMT) Post-grading
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Hey thanks for points, shame I couldn't come up with anything definite! :/
Note from asker:
| Please see my comments and thanks |
| I agree with invented latin...this cap was purchased at a truck stop p:) |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Olga Cartlidge
: If we dropped the final s in SIS we d get - I wonder if I am navigating towards the limit, boundary, closure ( ''finiculus'' is still dubious) CF - obviam ire periculis, Sall. : courir au-devant des dangers, s'exposer aux dangers. (Dic latin de Jeannot)
14 mins
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Could be, but would that add any sense to the sentence? I like the "please" sense, that's neat and seems likely in a jokey motto on a cap./See new note in explanation
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
4 hrs
Joseph Brazauskas
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
When You Want It Done Right
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
, Spanish (Variant: Standard-Spain)
Works in: Latin to English, English to Latin, Greek (Ancient) to English, and 23 more.
Should you wish, I sail; I ask that the hawser [be] to hand.
Going with what we have, and making a slight emendation ('finiculus' does not exist and 'funiculus' is at least possible, if not probable), then I would suggest the rendering which I've supplied above.
'Sis' is of course a contraction of 'si vis'. The present indicative sometimes has a future force, when a sense of immediacy or necessity is intended, and this may be the case here with 'navigo' and 'quaero' instead of 'navigabo' and 'quaeram' respectively.
'Obviam' is simply an adverbial accusative, meaning originally 'in the way' but developping a wide array of nuances, I have translated the one which I deem most likely.
'Funixculus', if it really is a mistake for 'funiculus;, I would take as a synonym for'rudens', as in the title of Plautus' play of the same name, which likewise dealt, at least n part, with a maritime theme.
'Sis' is of course a contraction of 'si vis'. The present indicative sometimes has a future force, when a sense of immediacy or necessity is intended, and this may be the case here with 'navigo' and 'quaero' instead of 'navigabo' and 'quaeram' respectively.
'Obviam' is simply an adverbial accusative, meaning originally 'in the way' but developping a wide array of nuances, I have translated the one which I deem most likely.
'Funixculus', if it really is a mistake for 'funiculus;, I would take as a synonym for'rudens', as in the title of Plautus' play of the same name, which likewise dealt, at least n part, with a maritime theme.
Discussion