Latin Translation

[geordiegirl1]

Having a weekend break in Eastwood Nottingham and while walking around we passed some cottages with a small memorial with a couple of poppy wreaths on the lawn with an inscription "Acta Clariora Dictis" could anyone give me a translation please?

[Jackdaw33]

Deeds are louder than words.

[geordiegirl1]

Many thanks Jackdaw33

[Jackdaw33]

Translators are not reliable. The longer the piece you wish to translate the more chance there is of it returning gibberish.

[elliemay1]

I agree, jackdaw.
I put the phrase in to a translator and got, 'After a clearer done' as the translation!

[dannyk13]

Just checked on a translator which gave 'done things clearer'

[Jackdaw33]

The literal translation is Acta (things done) [are] Clariora (clearer or louder) [than] Dictis (things said. The phrase is usually rendered in English as : Actions speak louder than words.

[Mamyalynne]

I rather think bilal is making us aware of something other than translators.

[jim360]

Also depends on the language -- automatic translation services are getting better, but still tend to need some/lots of guidance from a human to improve the clarity.

Google Translate's offering was stuck by Acta being a verb (from "Actus"), and gave "Done louder than words" (or "After a clearer done" if the words are capitalised...). Clearly, JD's translation is far superior to either of these!

[Jackdaw33]

Ago is one of two Latin verbs which mean to do. Acta is the past passive participle meaning things which have been done. Dico means to say. The past passive participle is dicta meaning things which have been said. It is in the form of dictis to convey the meaning of 'than'. Parts of the verb 'to be' are usually omitted in Latin when it can be clearly understood from the context.
That is your Latin lesson over for this week. Next week we shall tackle the Alblative Absolute.

[ladyalex]

And there was me hoping for the gerundive......

[Jackdaw33]

^^ Ablative.

[Jackdaw33]

That is next year LadyA

[ladyalex]

I'll try to be patient.

[davegosling]

"Deeds are louder than words."

That's a transliteration, not a translation. The English translation is "Actions speak louder than words", because that's how that concept is conveyed in English.

cf the French phrase: "Il est tombé dans les pommes". Literally, that means "he fell in(to) the apples", but that's not a translation. A translation would be "he passed out / fainted".

[THECORBYLOON]

Is transliteration not changing characters from one alphabet to another such as Greek characters to English?

[Jackdaw33]

Quite right Corby. What I offered was a literal translation followed by how it is usually rendered in English. Gosling's French offering bears no comparison as that is an idiomatic phrase where the literal translation in no way conveys the actual meaning.