# Fake translations of commonplace phrases **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2007, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646 "2007-02-03T07:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/1 "2007-02-03T07:06:09Z")
Even in this more relaxed and informal era, there are still a number of foreign (non-English, for all you polyglots out there in Notamericastan) phrases in common use in literature, the arts, and snooty restaurant menus. A correct definition is only a google away, but what fun is that? What follows is what some of those phrases ought to mean. [ul] [li] **Honi soit qui mal y pense** : “Don’t be a hater.”[/li][li] **Novus ordo seclorum** : “Jefferson had some really righteous bud.”[/li][li] **Annuit Coeptis** : “We really, really want to be Rome.”[/li][li] **E Pluribus Unum** : “Don’t you dare walk out that door.”[/li][li] **Quod erat demonstrandum** (QED): “Aren’t you sorry you asked?”[/li][li] **Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori** : “You go first.”[/li][li] **Kyrie eleison** : “FREEBIRD! FREEBIRD!”[/li][li] **Agnus Dei** : “Be honest. You chewed the host.”[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Barrington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Barrington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrington)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/2 "2007-02-03T11:32:41Z")
[ul] [li] **In flagrante delicto** : “You forgot to lock the door.”[/li][li] **Caveat emptor** : “You paid _how_ much?”[/li][li] **Mea culpa** : “So sue me, dude.”[/li][li] **Vox populi** : “Excuse me sir, could I have five minutes of your time?”[/li][li] **Carpe diem** : “It’s too nice out to sit in an office. I’m going fishing.”[/li][li] **Ex libris** : “Give me back that book!”[/li][li] **Rigor mortis** : “Man, this is strong weed!”[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/3 "2007-02-03T14:44:31Z")
\*\*\* J’accuse réception\*\*: The secretary did it! ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/4 "2007-02-03T14:49:20Z")
**Spaghetti bolognese** : spaghetti with bologna **Spaghetti carbonara** : spaghetti on fire ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/5 "2007-02-03T15:14:02Z")
[QUOTE=kayT] **Spaghetti bolognese** : spaghetti with bologna **Spaghetti carbonara** : spaghetti on fire [/QUOTE] Priceless!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/6 "2007-02-03T23:00:02Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] **Kyrie eleison** : “FREEBIRD! FREEBIRD!” [/quote] I don’t understand this one. > [@Derleth](#): > > **Agnus Dei** : “Be honest. You chewed the host.” But the \*Agnus Dei \* is said before communion, not after. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/7 "2007-02-04T03:43:29Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] I don’t understand this one. [/QUOTE] It reminds me of church goers who can’t sing the more difficult hymns, but practically shout out the Kyrie. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/8 "2007-02-04T07:42:47Z")
\*\*do you have/sell matches \*\* = would you like to go back to my place bouncy bouncy ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/9 "2007-02-04T13:37:03Z")
From _BTVS_: Willow: Carpe diem! Buffy: Fish of the day? ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/10 "2007-02-04T22:36:26Z")
**Illegitimus non carborundum** This (bastard) file is dull and won’t cut. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/11 "2007-02-04T22:38:40Z")
**Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres** : Some people have enough gall to start a third party. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/12 "2007-02-05T00:02:57Z")
**ad nauseam** : disgusting commercial. **Bona fide** : non-chemically-enhanced erection. **Je ne sais quoi** : He takes a shower every day. ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/13 "2007-02-05T00:22:38Z")
[QUOTE=Mighty\_Girl] **Bona fide** : non-chemically-enhanced erection.. [/QUOTE] Bravo!! ---
**Author:** ![SpectBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@SpectBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpectBrain)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/14 "2007-02-05T00:36:53Z")
**Qui s’excuse, s’accuse** He who smelt it dealt it. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/15 "2007-02-05T00:52:48Z")
**Magna cum laude** : didn’t get much sex in college. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/16 "2007-02-05T01:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=NinetyWt] > [@Cunctator](#): > > I don’t understand this one. It reminds me of church goers who can’t sing the more difficult hymns, but practically shout out the Kyrie. [/QUOTE] Yes, but what does Freebird mean? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/17 "2007-02-05T01:46:48Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] Yes, but what does Freebird mean? [/QUOTE] It’s arguably the band Lynyrd Skynyrd’s greatest hit–one of those endless jam songs that are so popular with hair band enthusiasts, the songs where every band member gets a turn to be pretentious. Anyway, drunk clueless arseholes in the audience who can’t remember their own names can always manage to bellow “FREEBIRD, FREEBIRD!!” every ten seconds during a concert because it’s the only song they know/can remember. Yup, the kyrie is kinda like that… **Quis custodies ipsos custodiet:** Dude, where’s your car? **Quo vadis?** : DAMMIT, CAT! Those were my favorite shoes! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/18 "2007-02-05T04:02:12Z")
**Nil desperandum** : We really need a goal here. **Post mortem** : Zombie thread. **Pro bono** : U2 is my favourite band. **Pro forma** : Retired football player. **Hors de combat** : Catfight. **Pièce de résistance** : A woman who won’t put out. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/19 "2007-02-05T04:34:13Z")
**Iwanakutemo Wakare** Damn stupid foreigner… ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646/20 "2007-02-05T04:39:21Z")
**Sic transit gloria mundi** –Gloria began her work week by puking on the subway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fake-translations-of-commonplace-phrases/390646.md?page=2)