Translation

[jhtc]

what is "nil statis nisi optimum"

[Quizmonster]

'Nothing satisfies but the best', 'Never less than the best'...or words to that effect. (It should be 'satis' rather than 'statis'.)

[Peter Pedant]

yeah it is nil satis nisi optimum,

It is on the end of a few van of electricians in manchester along with sed aegre modo

which I thought "but in 'the most economical way'"

but unfortunately aegre means ill

so....I asked the man in the van....and he gave me the correct translation, even tho' he was shaven and covered in celtic art tattoos. His boss had it put on and none of the workers knew why.....ho hum.

I think tattoo said - by the least way....

[instrumental ablative]

[MargeB]

try googling it (seriously) lol.

[Penistone]

I too have seen this phrase on a van. I did try googling it, and found that "aegre" means "with difficulty" or "hardly", and "modo" means "just now". I suspect the boss was trying to say "Nothing satisfies but the best, but not just now" - only his Latin was worse than mine!

[badvok]

"Nil Satis Nisi Optimum" is the official motto of Everton Football Club and does mean "nothing but the best is good enough", or words to that effect