Latin Help? (creative)

[Otomodachi]

Hi Playgrounders! I work at a Motel, I run the front desk. My boss had a fun idea- we're going to all get a secondary nametag to wear when we're feeling silly. We're all going to have titles that are sort of classical or medeival- we've got a Lord Commander of the Motel, we've got a Motel Jongluer, we've got a Keeper of the Desk.

I want something in Latin, ideally, but I don't know Latin. Any suggestions? I used google translate go get Technica Firmamentum (tech support?) but for all I know that is actually just gibberish. Get creative! Anything related to computer support, giving directions, researching answers... just something fun and fancy sounding.

Thanks in advance for letting me crowdsource you. :P

[golentan]

I would suggest Praefectus Fabrum, the term for an officer in charge of the fabri (trained artisans) in the roman legions. Effectively "head of engineering."

[Vinyadan]

Ok, that is actually cool :smallbiggrin: firmamentum is both a prop or the sky. Technica can mean "technical" or "the technical things". It is an adjective. Technicus was the master of a certain technique (in a broad sense): the expert.

Rector Technicus would be "he who governs concerning tech". Personally I like "Arbiter Computatorum", Lord/Judge of Calculators. It is a play on words, because the Arbiter Elegantiarum (judge of Elegances) was Petronius, a debauched friend of Emperor Nero who left us pieces of a very weird novel called Satyricon until he killed himself in a very complex and playful way. I think that, if someone with some knowledge of Latin were to see it, would understand the joke.

Otherwise you can go with Comes Tabulae, which is more medieval. The Comes Stabuli was an official who was responsible for the horses in the stable (stabulum), you would be the one responsible for the reception desk (tabula). Ops, I had not noticed that was already taken :smallwink:

For answers, there's always oraculum. Largitor Responsionum would be "donor of answers".

[Otomodachi]

Thank you both for being so QUICK!

I am leaning towards either Largitor Responsionum, Praefectus Fabrum or Rector Technicus. I like the Computatorum in-joke, but it doesn't flow off my tongue as well as I like. :P

If the system they use to engrave the nametags can handle Chinese, I am thinking I might go with Propogator of Deportment, 宣儀 , which is just TOO COOL. Maybe I'll get one in latin and one in chinese.

[T-Mick]

This is my job! I'm relevant!

I don't like to translate word-to-word except in special situations, sense-to-sense is better. To that end, for the aspect of "Tech Support" that refers to the person who does the job, "Praefectus" is a great word, but I prefer "Custos." "Praefectus" has a kind of "this guy is the big boss" kind of feel, whereas "Custos" is more "this guy takes care of stuff." For the record, "Custos" is typically translated as "guard/watch" or "attendant," sometimes "preserver." "Keeper?"

Using either of those with "technicus" makes it sound like the guy is technical himself, but that's just me. Plus, it's a dirty Greek word. Gross.

"Technologiae" is "of technology," sounds better, but still Greek. "Instrumenti" (of instruments) would be my choice. Definitely includes "tech" in its meaning, typically translated "tool" or "instrument (of doing whatever)." And before the pedants jump down my throat, it totally has a collective sense even in the singular!

"Custos Instrumenti" nomino te, vale, salve, et tibi volo bene ex animo! (I dub thee "Custodian of the Technology," be healthy, be strong, and I wish you well with my whole heart!)

[Brother Oni]

Tech-Priest Enginseer Otomodachi? :smalltongue:

[Otomodachi]

Nomino te, vale, salve, et tibi volo bene ex animo!

So, we're going to get this made onto a banner and hang it over the door so people see it when they leave the lobby. This is REALLY good. Is all the conjugation still the same, if I leave off the Custos Instrumenti part?


Tech-Priest Enginseer Otomodachi? :smalltongue:

All praise the Omnissiah!

[Peelee]

So, we're going to get this made onto a banner and hang it over the door so people see it when they leave the lobby. This is REALLY good. Is all the conjugation still the same, if I leave off the Custos Instrumenti part?

You may want to cut out the "Nomino te," since that would be meaningless if you cut out the title. It's the, "I dub thee" part.

[Brother Oni]

All praise the Omnissiah!

May all your Rites of Percussive Maintenance strike true!

[Otomodachi]

If you're ANYTHING like me, here's the payoff from all this-

http://i.imgur.com/0Mfb75i.jpg

Thanks again, T-Mick, definitely deserves bragging rights in my book!

That's Cranberry Red against Waterbury Cream, with trim in Navajo White if anyone's keeping track. Don't mind the drop cloth. ;)