# Again with the Bad Latin **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359 "2012-03-20T23:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/41 "2018-05-31T10:56:48Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Thanks. _Sceleritus_ must be a derived adjective. I distinctly recall _puer sceleritus_ as “rascally boy.” The series of slender books was called _Ecce Homo_ (“Behold! A man!”). Are you it wasn’t the _Ecce Romani_ series? 🙂 [Here’s a list](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/resolveform?type=start&lookup=scel&lang=la) of Latin words starting with ‘scel-’ from L&S. I think it must have been ‘puer scelestus’. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/42 "2018-05-31T11:05:00Z")
In the immortal words of Captain James T. Kirk: _Me transmitte sursum, Caledoni!_ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/43 "2018-05-31T13:28:26Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Are you it wasn’t the _Ecce Romani_ series? 🙂 > > [Here’s a list](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/resolveform?type=start&lookup=scel&lang=la) of Latin words starting with ‘scel-’ from L&S. > > I think it must have been ‘puer scelestus’. You’re right about the name of the series. I’m sure about [“sceleritus,” though.](https://books.google.com/books?id=bQlKAwAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA102&lpg=RA1-PA102&dq=sceleritus&source=bl&ots=nUhv_R0Qg0&sig=FKpJ5660zJjO1bnKRqQv5paOziA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjTqbvVhrDbAhXk6oMKHVPOBd0Q6AEwAXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false) ETA: I misspelled it — it’s “sceler **a** tus” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/44 "2018-05-31T13:35:30Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > integer vitae scelerisque purus - “upright of life and free from vice” > > Just a plaque somewhere? A pic of his grave appears to just say the first part: > [Ohio Governor Gravesites: #28 Jacob D. Cox](http://ohiogovernorgravesites.blogspot.com/2012/01/28-jacob-d-cox.html?m=0) Thanks! Yes, it’s on a plaque in the front lobby of the Cox Administration Building at Oberlin College. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/45 "2018-05-31T22:50:09Z")
Terry Pratchett, in _Lords and Ladies,_ has Nanny Ogg reading a label on a wine bottle, and she decides that “Chat-eau” means “Cat’s Water.” ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/46 "2018-05-31T23:50:28Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Terry Pratchett, in _Lords and Ladies,_ has Nanny Ogg reading a label on a wine bottle, and she decides that “Chat-eau” means “Cat’s Water.” aqua felix → aqua felis 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/47 "2018-06-01T03:48:41Z")
Better than “toilet water,” I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/48 "2018-06-02T01:05:47Z")
Caesar carri donna militari orgi versus Belgao, Helvetii, Venetii, Britanni, iunemit. Romis glorius sed Caesar, nomen me impunit. Meni traedit, Veringetorix, forin stans. Caesar noctim sili fors ticinis nec aut. Ab lumen nervi felo sed Caesar, Marcus Antonius sed iubet. - commentaries on the Gallic wars, condensed version. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/49 "2018-06-02T01:31:06Z")
Ha!! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/50 "2018-06-03T20:31:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > What they want is more like “Ambulā in calceōs meōs ut morēs meōs intellegās.” Just call somebody, for crapping out loud. It’s not that hard. Approbo sententiam Latinam tuam, amice. I never got to go to a Latin class. I’m self-taught. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotickatie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Kaotickatie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotickatie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/51 "2019-09-07T12:19:21Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Since Harry Potter always uses proper Latin for its spells (Oculus Reparo!), I was appalled that in that one HP parody episode AD did not take the same care. “Lavete las manos” does not show up in any Latin dictionary! The reason that it isn’t Latin is because he was in a dope house. The man who told him to Wash his hands before handling their product. That’s why it wasn’t meant to be Latin. Paying attention to the entire episode would have helped. Why would a Spanish drug chemist be speaking Latin? ---
**Author:** ![Kaotickatie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Kaotickatie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotickatie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/52 "2019-09-07T12:32:20Z")
The translation is correct if done as such… Ingredior! in meus calceus quod vos mos agnosco Which means… in rough Latin … Walk! In my shoes and you will know. It’s technically a perfect translation if you have correct punctuation… but only because they wanted to go to a translator and type in one word and then follow it with a sentence… The irony is that whoever did the translation probably wasn’t exactly a latin scholar It’s not an easy language to navigate with all of the double and hidden meanings… to be honest it’s more complicated than English. > [@Johnny\_Angel](#): > > Probably not worth a pit thread, but once again I am disappointed at a TV writer’s refusal to pick up a phone and call somebody who actually knows Latin. A recent episode of American Dad featured an old man casting a curse with these words: > > “Ingredior in meus calceus quod vos mos agnosco!” > > I had trouble working out what these words were even supposed to be, because they weren’t pronounced by any recognizable English standard, much less an actual Latin one. But googling around I was able to find translators that give more or less this exact wrong translation. > > What they mean to say, reading just by the vocabulary used, “Walk in my shoes and you will understand.” What it actually says is more like “I, my shoes, walk in what you people I, morals, come to recognize.” > > What they want is more like “Ambulā in calceōs meōs ut morēs meōs intellegās.” Just call somebody, for crapping out loud. It’s not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotickatie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Kaotickatie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotickatie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/53 "2019-09-07T12:43:54Z")
Though another way it can be read is Ingredior! in meus calceus quod vos mos agnosco. Walk! In my shoe and you will understand. Either way the issue is in punctuation replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotickatie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@Kaotickatie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotickatie)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/54 "2019-09-07T12:50:34Z")
The really funny part is if you use a vocal translator… like a MUAMA Enence … it says something like walk my shoes you will understand ---
**Author:** ![bd133](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@bd133](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bd133)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/55 "2024-12-13T00:53:41Z")
Because it is Spanish, not Latin. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2024, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359/56 "2024-12-13T19:32:30Z")
That’s the joke, yes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-with-the-bad-latin/616359.md?page=2)