Order of the Stick in Latin

[Thealtruistorc]

For a recent school assignment, I had to translate something from English into Latin. My friend suggested something from Oots, so I figured why not and tried it.

https://docs.google.com/a/madison.k12.wi.us/drawings/d/1_NYQjr9Tn58LynMYmPQ2PJIBkkgQzacUykdQ36RCNfw/edit

I am pretty sure that the paragraph with Vaarsuvius' monologue contains a metric ton of grammatical errors, so feel free to point out any I could fix. Overall, I want to hear what you folks have to say, as this might be the gateway to a new translation of the strip.

[Keltest]

I should point out that its requested (or flat out instructed, im not sure where the line falls) that we do not modify any of Rich's work without his consent. Im not sure where on this line a translation falls, but I would ask a mod just in case.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I don't know much about Latin, so I can't help you with that. One thing I would say is that if you are planning on making translations on here, you should probably make them transcriptions rather than editing the actual strip.

[Miriel]

Forum rules/copywright law notwithstanding, it's a pretty impractical mode of display for a work in progress.

But yay, Latin! :smallbiggrin: Gratuitous Latin is fun. The FAQ says something about actual translations being off the table, but doing Latin is fun (and pretty useless, translation-wise), so I'm giving it a try.

On that strip, my comments:
In general: If possible, it's best to keep the verb at the end. Most of the time, you follow the English/Romance word order. It's not false, but it's a bit weird if you seek to achieve a Classical feel.
1st panel: "Inferne! Ubi eras?" "Nusquam" -- "chaos" is Greek, "quatenus" isn't really apropriate. The vocative sounds more latin, too. The "eram" in Elan's answer is not necessary.
2nd panel: "Noli me dominum appelare".
7th panel: "Devotio globinos in somnum dejiciebat". Classical Latin doesn't have T-V distinction, IIRC, but in any case the possessive is not useful.

My take, OOTS#13
Panel 1
Haley : Cur non DICAS te volere deorsum ire?
Roy: Scalae deorsum! Gradus propius ad finem!
Belkar: Finem habemus?

Panel 2
Roy: Plane. Cur credo nos hic esse?
Belkar: Bene [?], puto solum nos ambulaturi esse, sentientes occidere quod viridem pellem habeant nec habeamus, et res eorum rapere.

Panel 3
Belkar: Quid?

Panel 4
Elan: Plane finem habemus, Belkar. Narrem te...
Roy: Ne, iterum imus... [Meh.]

Panel 5 [I'm pumping up the inversions in Elan's tale.]
Elan: Dorukani in altis tenebris quaerimus, improbum plenum barathrum beluarum.
Haley: Ac opes!

Panel 6
Elan: A Xykone demente licco* factis, immortuo mago de postate sua insane. -- ooo, male licce!
Haley: Ac opes!

Panel 7
Elan: At nos illum feriemus Xykonum et rus salvum reficemus.
Haley: Ac opes! Mane, non sensibilis est. [Meh.]

Panel 8
Belkar: Haec "opes" notio me perplexatur, et plus volo discere.
Durkon: Comodo facis ecce illud, com imaginibus? [Trying for a late latin/romance-influenced feel for Durkon.]
Elan: Novissima quam devotio mea: Vocare Fabulae Expositionem.

[Thealtruistorc]

Forum rules/copywright law notwithstanding, it's a pretty impractical mode of display for a work in progress.

But yay, Latin! :smallbiggrin: Gratuitous Latin is fun. The FAQ says something about actual translations being off the table, but doing Latin is fun (and pretty useless, translation-wise), so I'm giving it a try.

On that strip, my comments:
In general: If possible, it's best to keep the verb at the end. Most of the time, you follow the English/Romance word order. It's not false, but it's a bit weird if you seek to achieve a Classical feel.
1st panel: "Inferne! Ubi eras?" "Nusquam" -- "chaos" is Greek, "quatenus" isn't really apropriate. The vocative sounds more latin, too. The "eram" in Elan's answer is not necessary.
2nd panel: "Noli me dominum appelare".
7th panel: "Devotio globinos in somnum dejiciebat". Classical Latin doesn't have T-V distinction, IIRC, but in any case the possessive is not useful.

My take, OOTS#13
Panel 1
Haley : Cur non DICAS te volere deosum ire?
Roy: Scalae deorsum! Gradus propius ad finem!
Belkar: Finem habemus?

Panel 2
Roy: Plane. Cur credo nos hic esse?
Belkar: Bene [?], puto solum nos ambulaturi esse, sentientes occidere quod viridem pellem habeant nec habeamus, et res eorum rapere.

Panel 3
Belkar: Quid?

Panel 4
Elan: Plane finem habemus, Belkar. Narrem te...
Roy: Ne, iterum imus... [Meh.]

Panel 5 [I'm pumping up the inversions in Elan's tale.]
Elan: Dorukani in altis tenebris quaerimus, improbum plenum barathrum beluarum.
Haley: Ac opes!

Panel 6
Elan: A Xykone demente licco* factis, immortuo mago de postate sua insane. -- ooo, male licce!
Haley: Ac opes!

Panel 7
Elan: At nos illum feriemus Xykonum et rus salvum reficemus.
Haley: Ac opes! Mane, non sensibilis est. [Meh.]

Panel 8
Belkar: Haec "opes" notio me perplexatur, et plus volo discere.
Durkon: Comodo facis ecce illud, com imaginibus? [Trying for a late latin/romance-influenced feel for Durkon.]
Elan: Novissima quam devotio mea: Vocare Fabulae Expositionem.

Thanks. Shall I throw together a strip?

[Miriel]

Thanks. Shall I throw together a strip?
As mentioned by the previous posters, it's best not to make images. The Giant doesn't like that we modify his strips.

[T-Mick]

AH! It's beautiful! A little rough, but a good effort.

I think I'll do one too.

Ordo Virgae: Numerus Quattuordecem

2nd Panel:
V: Domine "Viridis-Capulum", tibi paeniteo loqui quod omniem nisi unum mei mundus-destruentis magias ieci.

D: Ita, ego me nihil in via magiarum habeo paene, puer.

R: Hmm, amen. Ponamus castra in hoc loco.

3rd Panel:
R: V et Durkon per noctem dormient. Primus custos ero. Haley secundus custos erit.

H: Intellego.

4th Panel:
H: Hee! Meus! Omnis Meus! Hahahaha!

5th Panel:
R: Opperimini... Cogitatione data, Belkar, secundus custos eris.

B: Vae mihi! O vae mihi!

6th Panel:
B: Bwaha! Pessimum animum habeo! Morimini! MORIMINI!

7th Panel:
Minime! Opperimini... Belkar, dormi, et Elan secundus custos erit.

8th Panel:
G: Salve. Omnemne cupimus occidere?

E: Amen!

9th Panel:
R: *sigh* Videtur qui secundus custos ero.

Hmm, I started to get lazy and change stuff to be easier to say. "It seems that I will be the second guard" is especially bad. However, I did have fun with Belkar's few lines. Also, I learned that I don't know a Latin interjection for "OK". "Amen" was the closest thing I could think of.

[Dr. Gamera]

Also, I learned that I don't know a Latin interjection for "OK". "Amen" was the closest thing I could think of.

"Certe", surely?

[ChristianSt]

The Giant said the following on translations:


I'm sorry, but my position on translating the comics remains the same as it has for several years: I'm not interested in pursuing official translation of the comic for various reasons, not the least of which is my inability to maintain quality control over the finished product (because I only speak English). I had attempted to have translations in other languages, made by volunteers, early in the strip's history; I was regularly told that they were very poorly written and eventually removed them from site. Since I have no way of personally verifying whether another person is doing a good or a bad job translating, I choose to keep OOTS in English.

However, anyone is permitted to make a "fan translation" of the text and post it here or on another website, but please do not alter the images to place that text into the speech balloons. This is both because I generally do not allow my copyrighted images to be altered and reposted at all, and also to avoid the appearance that a given fan translation is "official." Whether or not people get tired of reading the comic with fan-translated text open in a separate window is not really a problem I am going to worry about.

(emphasis mine)

[Miriel]

R: *sigh* Videtur qui secundus custos ero.

Hmm, I started to get lazy and change stuff to be easier to say. "It seems that I will be the second guard" is especially bad. However, I did have fun with Belkar's few lines.
"*suspirium* Videtur iterum non dormiam." ?

EDIT: I added a "u" in a totally legit Latin word that got censored otherwise. Latin is hard enough without missing important words.

XV:
Panel 1
Roy: *yawn* Stolti incerti comites...
Eugene: Roy... Roy...

Panel 2
Roy: Appellaturne me?

Panel 3
Eugene: Minime, Roy, solum "Roy, Roy" clamo ad placendum.
Roy: Aaaaaa!

Panel 4
Roy: Pater?? Sed... tu materque mortui sunt.
Eugene: Sic, iocusa re ad umbram factendam, necessaria dura sunt.

Panel 5
Eugene: Nunc noli te incredulitate obstupefactus est audique: Cuum capra versetur rufa vere feriet. [The punch is almost preserved.]

Panel 6
Roy: Quid? Non... non intellego.
Eugeune: Plane non iam, portentum est.
Roy: Portentum?

Panel 7
Eugene: Di immortales, puer, est commonis schema ad intentionem efficiendam, indicando res futuras. Num docent aliquid in profusa Militis Academia tua?

Panel 8
Eugena: Plane, mater meque te magum factum esse voliebamus, sed noooooon. Quadraginta sestertia per annum mihi pagenda fuerunt ut te magnam spadam vibrare discas.
Roy: Appellatur grandem spadam, pater.

Panel 9
Eugene: Feh. Bene, hac nocte canastam ludo cuum archontibus, eo.
Roy: Mane, pater!

Panel 10
Eugene: Memento, Roy: Cuum capra versetur rufa vere feriet.

Panel 12
Eugene: Et quid? Nonne sunt sacerdotes ubi vivis? Nonne te occidit subinde Loqui Cuum Mortuus et dicere me matremque quomodo es?

[pacovf]

Roy: *yawn*

You consider this to be an untranslatable onomatopeia?

[Miriel]

You consider this to be an untranslatable onomatopeia?
Hum, no, I put it in, intending to translate it later, and forgot :smallredface:

*hians*, perhaps?

[SavageWombat]

Based on my "I never took Latin" training, I thought it was "Ordo baculum". Someone can explain the difference?

[T-Mick]

It could be "Ordo Baculi", with the -i ending making it "of the stick". I used "Virgae". Both mean "stick", but "virga" has more of the connotation of a twig or stick found lying on the ground, whereas "baculum" is more of a staff or walking stick.

[Porthos]

It could be "Ordo Baculi", with the -i ending making it "of the stick". I used "Virgae". Both mean "stick", but "virga" has more of the connotation of a twig or stick found lying on the ground, whereas "baculum" is more of a staff or walking stick.

Slight Origins spoiler:

Just so people know, a stick/twig lying on the gound is precisely how the Order got it's name. Which is probably why T-Mick is using it.

[Miriel]

Ordo Virgae XVI
Panel 1
Roy: Mane evigilis.
Vaarsuvius: Quidem non dormio.
Roy: Comitaris me.

Panel 2
Roy: Varsuvie, quantum de umbris scis?
Vaarsuvius: Scientia de civibus Tartaturi mea nullam parem habet.
Roy: Credo me ab umbra visitatus esse.

Panel 3
Durko: Umbra? Reverse Immortu! [See above.]
Roy: Gaa!
Vaarsuvius: Occuli mei!

Panel 4
Roy: Durko, solum loquimur. Nullus immortuus. Iterum dormi.
Durko: O, penite.

Panel 5
Vaarsavius: Ita, nonne nuntium trans Styge accipis? Plane *** adnuntiatione grave?
Roy: Sic, reor. Id, atque culpae sensum.

Panel 6
Vaarsuvius: Usu meo, tales epistolae intuendum sunt ex sepulcro. Modus *** quo homines tala portenta negant me miratur. [I don't know how to translate the joke.]

Panel 7
Durko: [something]? Reverse Immortu!
Roy: Aaaa! Damnatio, Durko!
Vaarsuvius: Occuli mei!!!

Panel 8
Durkon: O, penite, penite. Solo odi illos immortuos. De novo non accidet. Num at strato.

Panel 9
Roy: ALIOQUI... Credo id spiritum mei patris fuisse.
Vaarsuvius: Enim? Ergo verbis maiorem fidem dem, quoniam tala portenta miranda sunt.

Panel 10
Roy: Suspicor ut super nos ille et mater me spectant, quod bonum est. [Still no joke.]

Panel 11
Durko: [something]? Reverse Immortu!
Roy: Certe, num longum est.
Vaarsavius: Dolces misericordes dii, miseri inutiles occuli mei!


As I noticed in Panel 6, V's gender is an issue. I couldn't translate the undead jokes.

[T-Mick]

Here we go again!

Ordo Virgae: Numerus Septendecem

Lepos in Acumine Gladii

Panel 1
R: Vaarsuvium Durkonemque adinspectabo dum parant suas magias. Trias furtiva, speculamini aut facite aliquem.

Panel 2
B: Debemusne portare Elanem? Ineptus valde est.

H: Non ineptus est, sed utensilis non est per se.

E: Haley gratias!

H: Non adiuvas.

Panel 3
B: Phy! Elanne, gladium portas?

E: Certe! Spatha habeo!

B: Illamne macram vocas gladium? Id destruam magno verbo.

E: Sed non potes facere hunc!

Panel 4
Spatha: Scabere! Scabere!

Panel 5
B: Heu! Ille dignus est!

H: Eia!

T: Et nos laborem invenientis vos relaxat.

Panel 6
Nihil...

Panel 7
B: Nonne nos videns et audiens conatum ante nunc desumus?

T: Ita. Male.

Panel 8
B: DAMNET!

Spatha: *Destruit*

Interesting thing learned from wiktionary while doing this. "Gryllus, Grylii", which means "grasshopper", can also mean "a comic figure in art". Ordo Virgae librum gryliorum est!

[Jay R]

Bonum est.

[Miriel]

Ordo Virgae XVIII

Panel 1
Belkar: Inferne, quid est istud?
Elan: Non scio -- eruditio vatis mihi deest.

Panel 2
Trigak: Chimaera Trigakus sumus. Xyko scis vos multos goblinos occidisse. Nos misit. Nunc morimini.

Panel 3
Belkar: Miratus sum.
Elan: Me etiam.
Haley: Sic, bene, me permittite responsionem obferre.

Panel 4
Haley: REPENS IMPETUS!

Panel 6
Belkar: Psssst, inceptum vicisti, iterum i.
Haley: O, certe.

Panel 7
Haley: REPENS IMPETUS!

Panel 8
Trigak: Euheu! Illus primus impetus inexpectatus fuit... at OMNINO secundum non exspectavi. Stulti repentes impetus.

Ordo Virgae XIX
Panel 1
Belkar: Impetandum est.
Elan: Quomodo? Gladium disrupisti!
Haley: Cave, caput draconis!

Panel 4
Haley: Effugium!

Panel 5
Belkar: Impetus!
Elan: Elude, elude, elude inevitabilem contra-impetum! [A good translation would create poor latin verses.]

Panel 6
Haley: Exundum est nobis! Nimis validus est!
Elan: Illusionam efficiam ad eum distractandum dum currimus.

Panel 7
Elan: Currite!
Belkar: Spero iocas!

Panel 8
Trigak: Paenitet, in coniugio sumus. Non vos, sed nos. Ad eos!

Panel 9
Haley: Aaaa, dulce est.
Belkar: Districtionem elegantem, stultus, nos sequitur usque caudam [???]
Elan: Eu! Quomodo sciam non lusor?
Belkar: Umquam noli dicere "lusor".

[Quartz]

For a recent school assignment, I had to translate something from English into Latin. My friend suggested something from Oots, so I figured why not and tried it.

Hopefully you've yet to hand it in, because it's dreadful. Not a single frame is even remotely correct. 1/10 for originality. Tear it up and start over. I don't do other people's homework, and it's 30 years since I studied Latin seriously, so I'll just start you off by noting that in the first frame you probably want something like 'Ubi erras?' (remember that you've got to get the sense as well as the words) and you want to remember that Latin sentences are not structured like English ones.

[Miriel]

Hopefully you've yet to hand it in, because it's dreadful. Not a single frame is even remotely correct. 1/10 for originality. Tear it up and start over. I don't do other people's homework, and it's 30 years since I studied Latin seriously, so I'll just start you off by noting that in the first frame you probably want something like 'Ubi erras?' (remember that you've got to get the sense as well as the words) and you want to remember that Latin sentences are not structured like English ones.
Hum, given that I had already stated all your substantive comments in the third post of this thread, and politely at that, your reply seems unnecessarily harsh.

Anyway.

Ordo Virgae XX
Panel 1
Roy: Perfectum?
Vaarsuvius: Enim. Reportorium replevi cantaminis.

Panel 2
Vaarsuvius: Mens arcana minitente rumpere incanditur potentia. Dies nova est, aurora etiamsi non videtur postestatem mysticam refotatam salutat.

Panel 3
Vaarsuvius: Ad quem praecantationem laxo habeam parmam...

Panel 4
Trigak: Xyko vobis mortem mittit.
Haley: Juve! Roy! V!

Panel 5
Roy: Omne tibi, canis.

Panel 6
Vaarsuvius: Mane odorem vespertilionis sterci diligo. Olfacitur ut... victoria.

Panel 7
Vaarsuvius: Globus Ignis!
Trigak: Aaaaa!

Panel 8
Vaarsuvius: Fulmen!
Trigak: Aaaaa!

Panel 9
Vaarsuvius: Evani Tentaculum (?) ad Introitum Cogendum.
Trigak: Mane, quid?

Panel 10
Roy: O, id incommodum debet esse.
Elan: Non possum videre.
Belkar: Nunc, me exspectare usque ad occidentem admonete antequam Vaarsuvium insultam.
Trigak: Quam horror... quam horror!

[Quartz]

Hum, given that I had already stated all your substantive comments in the third post of this thread, and politely at that, your reply seems unnecessarily harsh.

Your comments were better than the original but not much. 'Chaos' occurs in Latin as well as Greek, for a start (I remember 'aque chao...' from a set text). At least you got using the verb at the end right, though you don't put that into practice. And you've fallen into the same trap, by translating the words and not the meaning. 'Omne tibi, canis'? Really? 'Ecce homo' might be rather better. Also 'I love the smell of bat guano in the morning' would be better as 'Odorem faecum vespertilionum mane amo' - note the genitive plural case (because it's not one **** of one bat) and Latin word order.

It's been 30 years; someone who's a Latin scholar will be around to correct me presently.

[Miriel]

Your comments were better than the original but not much. 'Chaos' occurs in Latin as well as Greek, for a start (I remember 'aque chao...' from a set text).
*looks back in dictionary* Oh, I must have missed "chaos" the first time. All the same, it does not mean "hell". In any case, it would be better to have actual Roman swearwords. The closest I have is "mehercules" in second position or "di immortales", but it would quickly get boring.


At least you got using the verb at the end right, though you don't put that into practice.
Generally, if I don't put the verb at the end, it's because I see a good reason for it. After all, the verb is just normally at the end, not always, + some constructions have the verb somewhere else. In the above translations:
- I never used the verb at the end with Durkon, as he has a distinctive speech in the comic, and the only distinctive latin I know is one that's somewhere between Latin and Romance languages, which implies SVO.
- I mix words a lot when Vaarsuvius is speaking, because they also have a distinctive speech, so the verb may or may not be at the end. I'm aiming for something like Cicero, but perhaps it fails.
- Other reasons such as emphasis, etc., can happen.
Occasionnally, I slip or don't know better (I'm not sure where adjectives or genitives go -- in my experience of Latin texts, they end up most anywhere).


And you've fallen into the same trap, by translating the words and not the meaning. 'Omne tibi, canis'? Really? 'Ecce homo' might be rather better.
It's a partial view. If you compare others, you'll notice I . However, sometimes, I have no idea how to translate it, so I go with a literal translation. That can happen (it happens a lot in fact, I'm not a native speaker). But thanks.

Note that the interjections I use are just a mix of wild guess and stuff I remember from the Satyricon.


Also 'I love the smell of bat guano in the morning' would be better as 'Odorem faecum vespertilionum mane amo' - note the genitive plural case (because it's not one **** of one bat) and Latin word order.
Sure, thanks!

Sorry, but you're really coming out as smug sometimes. I think we're doing this for fun, and if it's good, then so much the better. If you have comments or corrections on something, give them and explain, like in that last one. Not with a smug "Really?" like in the one before, and certainly not your previous post. Not everyone has the same level in Latin, and most of us are better at reading than at writing.

[SylvanAuctor]

OOTS and Latin are two of my favorite things! Seeing them together made my day!

Here is "ThorPrayer" translated into Latin, to the best of my grammatical knowledge.
Notes:
I know "in a bad way" is an English idiom, and so not really appropriate as Latin "in mala via." Does anyone know a better translation?
I tried to come up with spells appropriate for the Latin context and spellings. I hope you all like it.

Ordo Virgae VII - ThOratio

Panel 1

Durkon: Elan in malā viā est… et mea CDVa (Cura Dira Vulnera) confecta sunt.

Roy: Fac quod potes, Durkon.

Panel 2

Durkon: Servus tuus humilis, Magne Thor, te auxilium in meā horā inopiae rogat.

Panel 3

Vox: Salve! Et bene advenisti ad ThOrationem®.

Panel 4

Vox: Rogare Vulgate, cane “Unum” nunc. Ech tod kodo kra’th, sh-- “deth” frek.

Durkon: Unum!

Panel 5:

Vox: Si nomen miraculi quod velles deligere scias, cane “unum” nunc.

Durkon: Unum!

Panel 6

Vox: Cane primas litteras tres nunc.

Durkon: Bene, te volo curare, itaque… C-U-R!

Panel 7

Vox: “Curculiones Diras Famelicasque” delegis. Si hoc vera est, “unum” cane. Si non est, “duo” cane.

Durkon: “Duo!”

Panel 8

Vox: “Culpam Fatalem” delegis. Si hoc vera est, “unum” cane. Si non est, “duo” cane.

Durkon: Duo! DUO!

Panel 9

Vox: “Dumum” delegis. Deligere speciem dumi quo inimicos Thoris conficies, cane “tres” nunc.

Durkon: Tres! Minime! Stercus!

Panel 10

Vox: “Dumum sterilem” delegi.

Durkon: Gaa!

Elan: Possumne habere modo potionem?