# Accurate English to Latin translation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 14, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652 "2014-11-14T23:38:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/1 "2014-11-14T23:38:21Z")
My favorite co-worker frequently describes our job by saying “This is no way to live.” I got him for Secret Santa and would like to get him a keychain with that engraved on it in Latin. After what I’ve seen the on-line translators do to Spanish, I don’t trust them. Any Dopers able to help? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/2 "2014-11-15T01:59:14Z")
I’ll give it a go: _Hoc nullus modus vīvendī est_. I’m not sure if the demonstrative should be _hic_ to agree with _modus_, or _hoc_ as a neuter abstraction. I also wonder about word order (vainly trying to understand [this](http://books.google.ca/books?id=6ClqWu9CMQ0C&pg=PA80&dq=nullus+syntax&hl=cy&sa=X&ei=S7NmVKLANoj2igL_5ICQDw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=nullus%20syntax&f=false)). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/3 "2014-11-15T14:09:13Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I’ll give it a go: > > _Hoc nullus modus vīvendī est_. Try _Hoc modus vivendi bonus non est_ instead. If you want to get away from a literal translation, consider _Hoc modum vivendi non mihi placet_ ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/4 "2014-11-15T14:23:49Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Try _Hoc modus vivendi bonus non est_ instead. If you want to get away from a literal translation, consider _Hoc modum vivendi non mihi placet_ The latter meaning “I don’t enjoy this way to live”, correct ? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/5 "2014-11-15T14:28:39Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Try _Hoc modus vivendi bonus non est_ instead. If you want to get away from a literal translation, consider _Hoc modum vivendi non mihi placet_ In that case, it would have to be _hic modus_, and wouldn’t it still be _modus_ in the latter example? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/6 "2014-11-15T15:57:38Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > In that case, it would have to be _hic modus_, I forget; isn’t _modus_ neuter? > [@](#): > > and wouldn’t it still be _modus_ in the latter example? You’re correct - I erroneously put it in the accusative case. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/7 "2014-11-15T16:27:12Z")
Personally I’d say “Hoc vivere non potest” (“It is impossible to live this way”) but my Latin days are loooong past ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/8 "2014-11-15T16:37:59Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Personally I’d say “Hoc vivere non potest” (“It is impossible to live this way”) but my Latin days are loooong past It’s too easy to read this as “This cannot live.” \*Modus vīvendī \*is definitely what you want for “way to live,” and \*modus \*is masculine. I still think _nullus modus vīvendī_ for “no way to live,” so maybe just the word order: _Nullus modus vīvendī est hoc._ (I still prefer _hoc_ to show that it’s not modifying modus, but a general “this [situation].”) Perhaps: _Hīc laborāre nullus modus vīvendī est_—Working here is no way to live. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/9 "2014-11-15T18:09:13Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Try _Hoc modus vivendi bonus non est_ instead. If you want to get away from a literal translation, consider _Hoc modum vivendi non mihi placet_ > [@Kobal2](#): > > The latter meaning “I don’t enjoy this way to live”, correct ? It’s more like “This way of life doesn’t please me.” I think a very literal translation would be “Hoc est non modō vivere.” But I vote for “Hoc modus vivendi bonus non est.” Or maybe “Hoc mihi non est bonum vivendi.”-- or “bonum vitae.” Maybe we can post all the translations and have a poll. ---
**Author:** ![rackety](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@rackety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackety)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/10 "2014-11-17T20:59:32Z")
I had a couple of phrases translated by [Quintus](http://www.thelatintranslator.com/index.htm) when my team at work was required to have a mission statement. There is a fee, but they definitely know their stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/11 "2014-11-17T21:28:08Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Drake] It’s too easy to read this as “This cannot live.” [/QUOTE] True, true. But it’s terse and most importantly (in this particular context) : it sounds the shit, don’t it ? 🙂 The “bonus non est” version, paradoxically, is better actual Latin but _sounds_ more like dog Latin to a layman’s ear IMO :o. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/12 "2014-11-17T21:43:52Z")
I vote for _Hic est nullus modus vivendi_. _non fere_ - “hardly” might work for _nullus_ if that’s more the sentiment, but it sounds overwrought to me… ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/accurate-english-to-latin-translation/704652/13 "2014-11-17T21:46:11Z")
My co-worker is the product of Catholic education k-12 and college. He had some instruction in Latin along the way, so better actual Latin would be the way to go. Thanks to all who have replied so far.