Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
You can't polish a turd
Latin translation:
stercus non potest poliri
Added to glossary by
homuncula (X)
Jul 28, 2005 19:23
18 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
United Kingdom
33 years of experience
Native in: English
Works in: Arabic to English, German to English
You can't polish a turd
May offend
English to Latin
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Some desperate technicians want to have this in Latin to put on team t-shirts as they are fed up with miracles being expected from poor materials. Many thanks in advance.
Proposed translations
(Latin)
| 4 +4 | Stercus non potest poliri |
homuncula (X)
|
| 5 +2 | Nemo cacatum polire potest |
Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
|
| 4 +1 | Tu non potes polire fimum. |
Jonathan Spector
|
| 5 | Merda poliri non potest |
Mariusz Rytel (X)
|
Proposed translations
+4
41 mins
Selected
Stercus non potest poliri
Stercus is the more common (in my experience) word for "turd" or "dung" in colloquial usage. Also, my translation is literally "a turd cannot be polished" since I assume that the "you" in the original is just a generic "you" not a specific person. Great motto! : )
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I decided to go with this one, many thanks though to all, I particularly liked LMP's short & snappy versions & information about the motto that already existed. Sorry I can't spread the points!"
+1
26 mins
Tu non potes polire fimum.
This is a literal translation:
tu is you
non potes is cannot
polire is the infinitive for polish
fimum is the accusative for dung (no turd in my dictionary)
I hope this helps you.
tu is you
non potes is cannot
polire is the infinitive for polish
fimum is the accusative for dung (no turd in my dictionary)
I hope this helps you.
+2
2 hrs
Nemo cacatum polire potest
Litterally: "Nobody can polish (refine) what has been shat".
See the latin proverb "Cacatum non est pictum".
"You cannot paint what's shat", "You cannot paint a turd".
You could also use "spucatum", but thta's late Latin, from goliardy!
You're spoilt with choices!
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Note added at 2 hrs 22 mins (2005-07-28 21:45:39 GMT)
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Just thinking, since you need a motto, strating from the Latin proverb I just mention, you could use a shorter:
\"Cacatum non est politum\", which means more or less \"A turd is not refinished, polished\".
I agree with Homuncula: great motto!
Can I use it when failing my students? :-):-)
See the latin proverb "Cacatum non est pictum".
"You cannot paint what's shat", "You cannot paint a turd".
You could also use "spucatum", but thta's late Latin, from goliardy!
You're spoilt with choices!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 22 mins (2005-07-28 21:45:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Just thinking, since you need a motto, strating from the Latin proverb I just mention, you could use a shorter:
\"Cacatum non est politum\", which means more or less \"A turd is not refinished, polished\".
I agree with Homuncula: great motto!
Can I use it when failing my students? :-):-)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Giusi Pasi
: me gusta 'sta "schifezza" di resa :-)
1 min
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Miiiiiiiiiiii!!!
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| agree |
Joseph Brazauskas
: Vel 'quod cacatum est'.
59 days
|
17 hrs
Merda poliri non potest
I prefer "merda" for the polished object in case:), as, havin been transferred to today's Romance languages, this word provides us both with supposed offensiveness and a linguistic context withtin grasp of people unaccustomed to classical studies:)
Does it make at least a little sense?:)
Does it make at least a little sense?:)
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Joseph Brazauskas
: 'Merda' means 'excrement' in the generic sense, not specifically 'turd'.
58 days
|
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