# Quick translation to Latin: Free the imagination! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 19, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218 "2011-01-19T17:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/1 "2011-01-19T17:17:29Z")
My command of the Latin language was never the stuff of legend even in its prime, and is now rusty beyond utility. Nonetheless I have volunteered on the part of a friend to render a phrase into Latin, and would not wish to have him appear a complete _stultus_ when it is unveiled in a public forum. The phrase in question is “Free the imagination!” I would think that the simplest way to translate it would be “_imaginationem libera_.” I have no idea, however, whether this is idiomatically correct. Should the plural imperative be used instead? Or would it be best (gulp) to employ the hortatory subjunctive? Any recommendations would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/2 "2011-01-19T17:21:15Z")
Your translation is the one I would have used. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/3 "2011-01-19T17:31:52Z")
I just ran “Free the Imagination!” through google translate and this is what I got: imaginatio free! Ummmmm, I think I’d go with your translation instead. 🙂 J. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/4 "2011-01-19T18:03:16Z")
Seems like I usually see the imperative written first in a sentence where it appears, though obviously that’s not a requirement. Also, I’d be in a quandry as to whether to make this singular or plural. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/5 "2011-01-19T19:08:02Z")
I’m no Latin whiz either, but I’d be inclined to express this more idiomatically with a gerundive: _Imaginatio liberanda est!_ ---
**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:** [January 19, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/6 "2011-01-19T19:33:01Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I’m no Latin whiz either, but I’d be inclined to express this more idiomatically with a gerundive: > > _Imaginatio liberanda est!_ I think that a simple imperative is best (in the singular, especially if it’s written: you’re addressing each reader individually, sequentially). The gerundive is more about the imagination than the freeing: “Imagination: it must be set free!” as opposed to “[You there:] free the imagination.” In the Vulgate the imperative “libera” seems to preceed the object so I’d suggest: _Libera imaginationem!_ ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/7 "2011-01-19T20:01:24Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I think that a simple imperative is best (in the singular, especially if it’s written: you’re addressing each reader individually, sequentially). The gerundive is more about the imagination than the freeing: “Imagination: it must be set free!” as opposed to “[You there:] free the imagination.” In the Vulgate the imperative “libera” seems to preceed the object so I’d suggest: _Libera imaginationem!_ I think you’re right on the money, **Dr. Drake**. The message being conveyed is a clarion call to action – the gerundive, while more poetic, is also more ambiguous in the degree of necessity it expresses. As to the word order, I recall an article I had to read many and many a year ago that explained Latin word order as being a matter of emphasis (actually it used the phrase “communicative dynamism” but I’d managed to block that out until now). By placing the verb first, one lends it a bit more oomph than the more standard S-V structure. As using the singular rather than the plural imperative does not seem to strike anyone as an egregious error, I think that _Libera imaginationem_ is my answer. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/8 "2011-01-19T20:28:27Z")
Not sure I like _imaginationem_. Would the accusative of _animus_ be more suitable? ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/9 "2011-01-19T21:53:57Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Not sure I like _imaginationem_. Would the accusative of _animus_ be more suitable? While my dictionary agrees with you that _animus_ is a better fit as far as definition, I think it’s too easily confused with _anima_. The cognates need to be fairly recognizable to the non-Latin speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/10 "2011-01-19T22:43:21Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > I think you’re right on the money, **Dr. Drake**. The message being conveyed is a clarion call to action – the gerundive, while more poetic, is also more ambiguous in the degree of necessity it expresses. As to the word order, I recall an article I had to read many and many a year ago that explained Latin word order as being a matter of emphasis (actually it used the phrase “communicative dynamism” but I’d managed to block that out until now). By placing the verb first, one lends it a bit more oomph than the more standard S-V structure. > > As using the singular rather than the plural imperative does not seem to strike anyone as an egregious error, I think that _Libera imaginationem_ is my answer. What was the degree of necessity expressed in _Delenda est Carthago_? ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-translation-to-latin-free-the-imagination/568218/11 "2011-01-19T23:55:36Z")
The literal translation is “Carthage is going to be destroyed”, and implies necessity in the same sense as “Carthage has got to be destroyed”. That’s my take on it at least. – As to the OP’s questions, I would suggest the use of the hortatory subjunctive for this, but it depends quite a bit on the context. I really don’t know exactly how this command is being used, but it seems more along the lines of a general request to suggest a course of action than a direct demand for something to be done.