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Translation - Latin-English - non voce colitur

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Category Expression - Home / Family

This translation request is "Meaning only".
Title
non voce colitur
Text
Submitted by narcisa
Source language: Latin

non voce colitur
Remarks about the translation
the expression is the inscription on a family shield of arms - could have a religious (roman catholic) background

Title
One can't worship with the mouth
Translation
English

Translated by Aneta B.
Target language: English

One can't worship with the mouth
Remarks about the translation
or: "Speech does not worship"
Validated by lilian canale - 23 May 2010 20:57





Last messages

Author
Message

16 May 2010 19:06

Aneta B.
Number of messages: 4487
Hi Lilly!

Does "oral worship" really have any sexual connotation in the English language? I got some warning about it yesterday.

CC: lilian canale

16 May 2010 19:24

lilian canale
Number of messages: 14972
Ops! Yeah, I hadn't noticed your remark

I think we could translate the line as:

"Speech does not worship"

What do you think?

16 May 2010 19:36

Aneta B.
Number of messages: 4487
Hehe! I didn't realize that! Thanks!

About your proposal, I'm not sure. Actually the meaning is the same, but I guess the grammatical construction of the line focuses on some impossibility of a third person. On the other hand it is expressed in passive (actually: medium) voice, so it is impersonal yet. So, you may be right.

16 May 2010 20:02

Aneta B.
Number of messages: 4487
Lilly, I think we'd better ask the requester. She told me my translation went very well with some other context. I don't know what she exactly meant. Let's wait, ok?

16 May 2010 20:33

narcisa
Number of messages: 18
Ok, thanks for your efforts. I really appreciate it.(Btw, I'm also interested to know if "oral worship" has a sexual connotation in English.)
I like that "Speech does not worship" pretty much.
But: the original requester disclosed something about the coat of arms where this inscription belongs to: it belongs to the (South) Italian "Storti"-family derived from the (North) Austrian "Storch"-family, and this coat of arms has a stork on top. Due to the location - North of Italy and South of Austria, I myself thought the inscription could have a religious meaning - that goes well with "Speech does not worship".
So, the question is: how it comes together with that "stork"?
I've been on a great number of heraldic sites, but could not find anything plausibly.
Any idea?

16 May 2010 20:53

Aneta B.
Number of messages: 4487
Hm. Stork? You know, it is a pity I have no more context for the line. It is difficult to translate properly without it.

"voce" can also be translated "with a voice" (it could refer to stork's voices! )

Morover the verb "colo, colere" has got many other meanings in Latin (here it is in a passive/medial voice). I've chosen "to worship", but it could also be: to be cultivated, to be cared, to be devoted, to be fed (!), to be developed (!) and many others...

16 May 2010 22:23

narcisa
Number of messages: 18
Thanks a lot for taking the time to help me!
I've send your suggestions to the requester - let's see what he says.
In Portugese it makes sense, something like "one doesn't take care only with the beak", as a hint of how the stork takes care of his littles by feeding them, among other defense actions.
Isn't it superb how translation-help goes round the world Thank you!

16 May 2010 23:06

Aneta B.
Number of messages: 4487
Oh, narcisa! It is superb indeed!
Believe me, we do our best to help you. I believe Lilian can suggest even more good solutions. I am going to leave the translation in her hands now. This is really wise expert of ours.

Welcome to Cucumis! It was realy nice to meet you.


23 May 2010 20:56

lilian canale
Number of messages: 14972
Hi narcisa, since after a week, we still haven't gotten the requester's input I guess I'm going to accept this translation and place the second option in the remarks, OK?