Comments on: Vero Possumus = In Truth To Be Able http://www.bythefault.com/2008/06/21/vero-possumus-in-truth-to-be-able/ seismic politics, earth-shattering economics and volcanic commentary Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:20:14 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: nwbblu http://www.bythefault.com/2008/06/21/vero-possumus-in-truth-to-be-able/comment-page-1/#comment-611 nwbblu Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:24:35 +0000 http://www.bythefault.com/?p=654#comment-611 How tempting it is to dream up Latin renderings for the motto. Nah, I don’t feel like giving them any help. However, I might be inclined to ask the candidate a question similar to yours: nonne stultior es? You’re pretty stupid aren’t you? Isn’t it curious that he/they would trouble to use Latin at all? Why not just use the English “Yes we can”? The seal is ersatz, it’s a “seal” in permanent quotes! Using a proxy language isn’t going to make it authentic or legitimate. A pretense by any other name... As for arrogant, we have several choices, but here are two: "arrogans", natch, which is good because it lets us borrow Cicero’s "iste minax atque arrogans", "that menacing and arrogant man". Then there is the ever-popular "superbus", which is good because it’s a “bus” and it “goes on top of”, hahaha. Too bad it cuts both ways and may also connote a positive trait. But really. What were Obama's "balatrones" (jesters) implying, when they put the motto inside his greatish sealish ? “Those silly Framers! They were just wising-off when they designed the original.”? Talk about "ineptus" = unsuitable, out of place, tasteless, silly. How tempting it is to dream up Latin renderings for the motto. Nah, I don’t feel like giving them any help. However, I might be inclined to ask the candidate a question similar to yours: nonne stultior es? You’re pretty stupid aren’t you?

Isn’t it curious that he/they would trouble to use Latin at all? Why not just use the English “Yes we can”? The seal is ersatz, it’s a “seal” in permanent quotes! Using a proxy language isn’t going to make it authentic or legitimate. A pretense by any other name…

As for arrogant, we have several choices, but here are two: “arrogans”, natch, which is good because it lets us borrow Cicero’s “iste minax atque arrogans”, “that menacing and arrogant man”. Then there is the ever-popular “superbus”, which is good because it’s a “bus” and it “goes on top of”, hahaha. Too bad it cuts both ways and may also connote a positive trait.

But really. What were Obama’s “balatrones” (jesters) implying, when they put the motto inside his greatish sealish ? “Those silly Framers! They were just wising-off when they designed the original.”?

Talk about “ineptus” = unsuitable, out of place, tasteless, silly.

]]> By: FrenchDoc http://www.bythefault.com/2008/06/21/vero-possumus-in-truth-to-be-able/comment-page-1/#comment-586 FrenchDoc Sun, 22 Jun 2008 07:51:42 +0000 http://www.bythefault.com/?p=654#comment-586 Indeed, now, if only I could remember the Latin word for "arrogant"! (Who knew these 6 years of Latin would finally pay off!) Indeed, now, if only I could remember the Latin word for “arrogant”!

(Who knew these 6 years of Latin would finally pay off!)

]]> By: Charles Lemos http://www.bythefault.com/2008/06/21/vero-possumus-in-truth-to-be-able/comment-page-1/#comment-584 Charles Lemos Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:13:45 +0000 http://www.bythefault.com/?p=654#comment-584 But a fair question. But a fair question.

]]> By: FrenchDoc http://www.bythefault.com/2008/06/21/vero-possumus-in-truth-to-be-able/comment-page-1/#comment-583 FrenchDoc Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:03:30 +0000 http://www.bythefault.com/?p=654#comment-583 "Quam stultus es vos?" Now, that wasn't nice! “Quam stultus es vos?”

Now, that wasn’t nice!

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