# Latin translation for a motto **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940 "2013-05-09T23:47:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Melaleuca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Melaleuca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melaleuca)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/1 "2013-05-09T23:47:05Z")
It’s surprisingly hard to find an online English to Latin translator, perhaps as Latin can say a lot in a few words, and the same Latin words can have multiple shades of meaning. Anyhow, I want to translate “I can do it myself” into Latin, if possible with the inference that I don’t need anyone else interfering/I get stuck with the heavy lifting. Kind of a personal motto that I might include in a faux coat-of-arms. Any help? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/2 "2013-05-10T00:32:06Z")
[Google Translate](http://translate.google.com/) is surprisingly hard to find? For the record, it comes out as “Possum facere me ipsum”. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/3 "2013-05-10T00:33:53Z")
_Possum_ seems to be Latin for “I am able,” which is the closest succinct translation I can find for “I can do it myself.” Maybe make it _Ego Possum_ to emphasize “ **I** am able,” but that really wouldn’t make it any less ridiculous to English speakers. ---
**Author:** ![YourAdHere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/65b543/32.png) [@YourAdHere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourAdHere)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/4 "2013-05-10T00:56:30Z")
Ego ipse id facere possum Ipsa if you are female ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bob\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_X)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/5 "2013-05-10T03:52:54Z")
“Solus possum” would be more concise and Latin-y ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/6 "2013-05-10T15:21:56Z")
That’s giving me visions of a cartoon character. The Lone Possum. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/7 "2013-05-10T16:37:27Z")
> [@Bob\_X](#): > > “Solus possum” would be more concise and Latin-y That means “I, a lone male, can [do whatever].” I would say “Ipse possum” (male) or “Ipsa possum” (“I, myself, can [do whatever]”). Or if you like, “Mihi sumo,” which is “I take it upon myself.” Looking around, if you combine solus + ipse, you get “solipsism,” whose etymology I’d never thought about before. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Vaevictis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f04885/32.png) [@Vaevictis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vaevictis)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/8 "2013-05-10T20:49:42Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > [Google Translate](http://translate.google.com/) is surprisingly hard to find? > > For the record, it comes out as “Possum facere me ipsum”. That means ‘I am able to fashion myself’. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/9 "2013-05-10T20:52:41Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > … Looking around, if you combine solus + ipse, you get “solipsism,” whose etymology I’d never thought about before. Huh. Consider me very slightly less ignorant as of now! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/10 "2013-05-10T22:40:40Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > [Google Translate](http://translate.google.com/) is surprisingly hard to find? > > For the record, it comes out as “Possum facere me ipsum”. Such tools as Google translate will rarely provide a correct translation. They’re especially bad when you want to translate a specific sentence and be sure to convey a specific meaning. They’re useful if you want to get the gist of a longer text written in a foreign language. ---
**Author:** ![Archaic\_Entity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@Archaic\_Entity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archaic_Entity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/11 "2013-05-10T22:44:40Z")
> [@Melaleuca](#): > > It’s surprisingly hard to find an online English to Latin translator, perhaps as Latin can say a lot in a few words, and the same Latin words can have multiple shades of meaning. > > Anyhow, I want to translate “I can do it myself” into Latin, if possible with the inference that I don’t need anyone else interfering/I get stuck with the heavy lifting. > > Kind of a personal motto that I might include in a faux coat-of-arms. > > Any help? I thought you said you could do this yourself… ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/12 "2013-05-10T22:48:25Z")
> [@Vaevictis](#): > > That means ‘I am able to fashion myself’. Perfect motto for the self-made man! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/13 "2013-05-10T22:53:36Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Perfect motto for the self-made man! Omne Galtum divisa est in tres partes…? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/14 "2013-05-10T22:59:02Z")
“Facile possum stare cum cane” is perfectly good Latin for “I am easily able to stand with the dog.” ---
**Author:** ![Archaic\_Entity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@Archaic\_Entity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archaic_Entity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/15 "2013-05-10T23:41:45Z")
So long as we’re going into nonsense, “igitur” is my favorite Latin word. So I’m going to give you a translation using that. “Igitur solus” Means “therefore alone” Igitur can be used to mean, “in the circumstances” So… when the circumstances call for it, I am alone. Seems coat-of-armsy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation-for-a-motto/657940/16 "2013-05-10T23:52:33Z")
> [@Melaleuca](#): > > It’s surprisingly hard to find an online English to Latin translator, perhaps as Latin can say a lot in a few words, and the same Latin words can have multiple shades of meaning. We had a [long discussion of Latin translation](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=683100)a few months back. You might find the thread interesting. The difficulties come down to (1) Latin’s peculiar and dense structure (2) lack of need and (3) something of a trace of snobbery on those who know Latin. Mostly #2. It would be a fearsomely complex job and there’s not a lot of need for it. Google Translate’s Latin capability was universally judged as “not even laughable,” BTW.