# 'Quando omni flunkus, moritati' (latin translation help requested please) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720 "2018-12-06T23:28:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/41 "2018-12-10T11:51:53Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > So, is this the fair copy for our translation by committee? > … > > _Omnibus aliis defectis, mortuos simulate_ I think you can omit the _omnibus_. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/42 "2018-12-10T11:53:35Z")
> [@ALOHA\_HATER](#): > > And you definitely don’t want to use an ablative absolute here. I forgot to bite on this: why not? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/43 "2018-12-10T11:58:57Z")
cum omnia alia deficiunt, mortuos simulate (?) Is the present tense appropriate? Or the future tense? (deficient… simulatote) ---
**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:** [December 10, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/44 "2018-12-10T20:52:30Z")
Now write it a hundred times by morning, or I’ll cut your balls off. ---
**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:** [December 10, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/45 "2018-12-10T23:04:11Z")
If you’re going to lead off with a preposition, we may as well replace the word we started with, _quando_. It goes with the perfect tense: “_Quando defecerunt omnia alia, mortuos simulate_.” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/46 "2018-12-11T00:58:15Z")
I’m glad somebody posted the obvious Monty Python joke. I’ve been fighting the urge for two days. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/47 "2018-12-11T01:24:29Z")
I still feel like Brian, though… why the perfect tense? As opposed to future / future perfect / present indicative? ---
**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:** [December 11, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/48 "2018-12-11T02:07:01Z")
Never mind; :smack: I must have seen that someplace else and remembered wrong. So if you like present indicative better, try: _Quando omnia alia deficiunt_ ---
**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:** [December 11, 2018, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/49 "2018-12-11T03:11:33Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > I’m glad somebody posted the obvious Monty Python joke. I’ve been fighting the urge for two days. **Elendil’s Heir** : Yielding to the urge to post the obvious _Monty Python_ joke since 2004. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/50 "2018-12-11T14:22:47Z")
I wish to offer sincere gratitude to those who have contributed to my quest for a suitable translation. I want to express special thanks to **Johanna** and **DPRK** as well, you two have gone above and beyond in your efforts and I do appreciate it. In truth, I actually feel a little guilty over all the work you two have performed in this fairly meaningless question. Translating casual Latin seems to be much more of an art than science. With that being said, I do need a final answer. My model painter [(bluetablepainting.com/)](http://bluetablepainting.com/) is getting ready to work and I need a translation. How best would you translate “When all else fails, play dead” into a military company motto suitable for display on the company’s battle standard? Choose first person plural tense and any tone and specific phrasing you deem most appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/51 "2018-12-11T18:02:46Z")
In the first person I believe you need a hortatory subjunctive (simulemus); there is no imperative mood? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/52 "2018-12-11T20:34:19Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Translating casual Latin seems to be much more of an art than science. I think, as with any language, it is largely a matter of immersing yourself in the language until everything sinks into the language centres of your brain and the correct style comes effortlessly. I am still hoping a true hard-core classicist will post here and explain how a Plautine character would actually phrase things. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/53 "2018-12-11T20:59:04Z")
Case in point: what’s the difference between _quando omnia alia deficiunt, tum mortuos simulemus_ with _tum_, versus without _tum_ ? I’m thinking maybe we want a “tum” in there. ---
**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:** [December 13, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/54 "2018-12-13T17:00:53Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > In the first person I believe you need a hortatory subjunctive (simulemus); there is no imperative mood? [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/simulo#Inflection](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/simulo#Inflection) The OP wanted it in second person plural, not first; we’ve already gone over that. Or just sing: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0WQeng6qy0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0WQeng6qy0) ---
**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:** [December 15, 2018, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720/55 "2018-12-15T02:53:17Z")
Fair copy: _Quando omnia alia deficiunt, mortuos simulate_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quando-omni-flunkus-moritati-latin-translation-help-requested-please/825720.md?page=2)