Hey guys!
So, if you don’t already know, I take Latin at my school. Willingly. Our school requires one year but it will be the language I continue to study.
I enjoy Latin! It’s relatively easy, the grammar helps with English, and the words, since English derives a lot from Latin, help English become more recognizable.
Latin is a translating/reading language, and less of a conversational language. If that makes sense.
It’s not really meant to be spoken in, more written. Of course you can converse in Latin, but you learn to translate since that’s mostly what Latin can do.
It is fun!
However, as with translating ANYthing, there are two options. Poetic translation, and literal translation.
Literal translation is translating every word as is, from Latin to English or vice versa.
Poetic translation is keeping the meaning of the original.
Allow me to use a non-English example: think Lavina’s Kraj Mene.
English: I’m at the lowest I have ever been
Serbian: Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim se? (Can’t you see how much I’m breaking?)
See how the meaning is the same?
So, I get bored, and I want to translate songs into Latin. Because of course.
And, after doing it a few times, I have some tips for if you decide to!
GET A LATIN DICTIONARY
I use The New College Latin and English Dictionary by John C. Traupman PhD for school. You’ll need it for most words in anything, really. It really helps!! This copy has English -> Latin and Latin -> English, so it’s a great way to double check things!
DO IT POETICALLY
Literal translation might seem easier. Just plug and play words.
IT REALLY ISN’T.
LATIN HAS STRICT GRAMMAR AND CASES. AND THINGS WILL EXPLODE IN SYLLABLE COUNT.
It’s a lot easier to aim for a deneral meaning. Like if I was translating Arcade, I wouldn’t try and translate “Loving you is a losing game” directly. I’d translate it like “Non possum ludum amoris vincere” or “I am not able to win the game of love” or something.
Again, trying to keep the meaning.
YOU NEED LATIN GRAMMAR
Even if you don’t take Latin, you’ll need it to translate. Look for grammar guides online for things like Ut Clauses, which can help with temporal things or indeirect commands. Trust me. Latin grammar gets complex. You need guides. They will help.
If you have a friend who does Latin Grammar: ask them for help if you’re really stuck!
Since I have Certamen buddies, I ask my grammarian friend for help when I’m really, REALLY stuck.
However, I might also ask him to translate back into English what I put into Latin, or make fake Certamen questions for reading comprehension!
This helps me know if my translation kept the meaning of the original text well enough, or if I translated it correctly.
USE COMMON LATIN ABBREVIATIONS, IDIOMS, OR QUOTES
If applicable. Idioms can be REALLY REALLY helpful for translating! Whether it’s to trim down the syllable count or increase it. Both can work and help!
Those are all my tips for Latin translating! I can try to help with grammar stuff, we can learn together 🙂
Let me know if you guys make anything cool!
Alright bye 😀