# Help with a bit of Latin, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636 "2003-08-26T00:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636/1 "2003-08-26T00:24:51Z")
I’ve created a new creature for a roleplaying game adventure I’m writing, and I’m wondering if I got the Latin name I chose for it correct. The creature is a black, inky ooze, and the English-to-Latin dictionary I found online showed me the word, _atramentum_. Is this the best word choice? This is probably going to be a published adventure, so I appreciate any help you can give. ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636/2 "2003-08-26T06:55:12Z")
My dictionary’s description for “atramentum” is “black; inking” so that sounds pretty good, logic wise. However, "atramentum doesn’t sound particularly scary. It’s probably better to go for something a little more “poetic” (ie, nonsensical :)) that sounds a bit scarier. Some suggestions (or just possibilities) slime (noun) - limus slimy (adj.) - limosus, mucosus ooze (verb) - manare, stillare ozze (noun) - no entry goo (noun) - no entry muck (noun) - no entry (some dictionary _this_ is, eh? :)) gunk - no entry sludge - no entry Latin seem’s pretty hard up on words for slimy things. Some other things I found looking for “dark”: “darkling” (whatever _that_ is) - obscurus dark (mist) - caligo darkness - tenebrae (it’s a plural, though, which might pose a problem) blacking - atramentum (and it pops up again!) Had a look at tenebrae in the latin section, has the following meanings: darkness, night, unconsciousness, death, blindness; dungeon, haunt, the lower world; ignorance, obscurity. My suggestion would just be to pop in some neat sounding english words that are sort of similar and see what comes out. “Tenebrae” sounds pretty good to me, though. Maybe not the best literal translation but I doubt the first discoverers of your disgusting, horrible creature wouldn’t have exactly been giving the thing an autopsy so they could accurately name it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636/3 "2003-08-26T07:07:18Z")
I don’t know. I think _atramentum_ sounds pretty scary. At least, as scary as _balrog_ or _gorgon_. ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636/4 "2003-08-26T08:26:56Z")
But those words have _history_ man! It’s tough to come up with a new, scary name! I mean, those movie people must have spent _seconds_ coming up with “tooth fairy”! OK, actually, atramentum doesn’t look awful, but it still brings to mind images of a periodic table. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-a-bit-of-latin-please/197636/5 "2003-08-26T11:27:47Z")
Thanks so much for your help, guys!