# Latin Translation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419 "2003-01-14T01:20:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trafalgar\_Laura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trafalgar_laura/32/2907_2.png) [@Trafalgar\_Laura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trafalgar_Laura)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/1 "2003-01-14T01:20:45Z")
Our family motto is “It beats working” as in: (Q) Do you want to play Boggle? (A) It beats working. I would like to embroider this phrase in Latin for my hubby’s cubby, but haven’t had any success in finding a Latin Phrase translation site online. Well, I mean a free translation site. Can anyone out there help me? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Fatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d2c977/32.png) [@Fatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fatman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/2 "2003-01-14T03:11:46Z")
Maybe, “Hoc vincit labor.” Which is sort of “This conquers the work.” The state motto of Oklahoma is “Labor omni vincit.” It means, “Work conquers all.” ---
**Author:** ![Peregrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Peregrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peregrine)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/3 "2003-01-14T03:22:09Z")
I’ve heard good things about [The Oracle of Loxias](http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxias/search.htm) “Want a Latin motto for yourself, your school, your company or club, or as a special gift for that difficult friend? Tell me roughly what you have in mind, and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible.” ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/4 "2003-01-14T03:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Hoc vincit labor. should be _Hoc vincit laborem._ or _Hoc laborem vincit._ (As the object of “conquer,” “work” must be in the accusative case.) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/5 "2003-01-14T05:25:36Z")
A more literal option might be _Hoc laborem prosternet_. (This beats down work) Another suggestion: _Es melior quam labore_, or “It’s better than work.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/6 "2003-01-14T06:37:41Z")
I like to say _Quod irae toro, cornum recidet_ “Mess with the bull you get the horns” Does that work? (Your humble correspondent is uncertain as to the propriety of hi-jacking and/or interjecting in GQ. Apologies rendered in advance if such need be.) ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/7 "2003-01-14T11:02:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*A more literal option might be _Hoc laborem prosternet_. > (This beats down work) > > Another suggestion: _Es melior quam labore_, or “It’s better than work.” \*\* I think maybe that should be _Est melior quam labore_. As it stands, it means “you’re better than work”. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/8 "2003-01-15T00:29:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _UDS_ > I think maybe that should be Est melior quam labore. As it stands, it means “you’re better than work”. You’re correct, of course. It was just a typo, but a stupid typo. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![zia\_nova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bc79bd/32.png) [@zia\_nova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zia_nova)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/9 "2003-01-15T00:38:35Z")
[www.quicklatin.com](http://www.quicklatin.com) You can dowload a little prog that will translate Latin to English (alas, it doesn’t yet translate English to Latin) It’s fun to play with anyway. ---
**Author:** ![punkkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/10 "2003-01-15T02:30:27Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by UDS \* > \*\*I_Est melior quam labore\*\*\* Is the “quam” needed? Doesn’t “melior” carry a comparitive connotation within itself? ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/11 "2003-01-15T02:46:23Z")
Or you could try your family motto in Pig Latin. Try this site: [http://www.snowcrest.net/donnelly/piglatin.html](http://www.snowcrest.net/donnelly/piglatin.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/12 "2003-01-15T04:38:35Z")
Hic laborem superat. This overpowers (beats) the work. I use supero, are, avi, atus to mean “beat down” when I translate stuff like that into Latin. \While playing Cranium, my team got a Humdinger and it was my turn to guess, and the song was “We Will Rock You” by Queen. The other team protested that it was too easy, and I had to say it in Latin. So I came up with: “te superbamus” a Regina. \ ---
**Author:** ![Trafalgar\_Laura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trafalgar_laura/32/2907_2.png) [@Trafalgar\_Laura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trafalgar_Laura)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/13 "2003-01-15T07:22:22Z")
Wow, you guys rock! I really appreciate all the input. I might just do several of these for hubby dearest and let him choose the one he likes the best - Probably not the pig latin phrase though. It sounds vaguely threatening to ebay: “Itway eatsbay orkingway” Who knew latin was such fun. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/14 "2003-01-16T05:33:48Z")
I realize it may be a little late to respond to this thread, but I felt compelled to point this out. Is anyone aware of the fact that [Intertran](http://www.tranexp.com:2000/) seems to translate Latin? And no, I’m not talking about _Latin American_–Latin is the last one on the list. [Intertran](http://www.tranexp.com:2000/) has a reputation for being pretty shoddy, of course. For example **Love Conquers All** is translated as… > [@](#): > > Diligo victum totus. The actual translation is **Omnia Vincit Amore** –a quote from Virgil, I believe. Just giving my belated help 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/latin-translation/148419/15 "2003-01-16T05:38:59Z")
Sorry! My finger must’ve slipped. That should be: > [@](#): > > Omnia Vincit Amor 🙂