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Be honest / Let's be honest

Latin translation: Es apertus/Simus aperti

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Be honest / Let's be honest
Latin translation:Es apertus/Simus aperti
Entered by: Joseph Brazauskas

14:19 Feb 13, 2006
English to Latin translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy / Education/Schooling
English term or phrase: Be honest / Let's be honest
My colleague needs help with a motto for a school. "Be honest, challenge, have a sense of unity, awaken yourself!"

"Let¡¯s be honest, let¡¯s challenge, let¡¯s have a sense of unity, let¡¯s start!"
gioceo
United States
Local time: 22:58
Es apertus/Simus aperti
Explanation:
Alternative forms:

Es aperta (speaking to a woman)
Este aperti (speaking to two or more men)
Este apertae (speaking to two or more women)
Simus aperti (of two or more men)
Simus apertae (of two or more women)

These are simple predicate nominatives. 'Simus' is present subjunctive, a species of 'independent subjunctive' which is variously termed 'jussive', 'hortatory', or even sometimes, though improperly, 'imperative'.

"Let's be honest, let's challenge, lets have a sense of unity, lets start!" I would render thus:

"Simus aperti, provocemus, una sit sententia inter nos omnes, incipiamus!"

"Let's be honest [i.e., forthright, straightforward], let's challenge [excite, arouse], let there be (only) one sentiment [opinion, feeling, maxim] amongst us all, let's start!"

To have translated the English literally would have resulted in very poor Latin.
Selected response from:

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 22:58
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Joseph, for your help and the detailed explanation. I will gladly forward your answer to my colleague.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Es apertus/Simus aperti
Joseph Brazauskas


  

Answers


1 day 17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Es apertus/Simus aperti


Explanation:
Alternative forms:

Es aperta (speaking to a woman)
Este aperti (speaking to two or more men)
Este apertae (speaking to two or more women)
Simus aperti (of two or more men)
Simus apertae (of two or more women)

These are simple predicate nominatives. 'Simus' is present subjunctive, a species of 'independent subjunctive' which is variously termed 'jussive', 'hortatory', or even sometimes, though improperly, 'imperative'.

"Let's be honest, let's challenge, lets have a sense of unity, lets start!" I would render thus:

"Simus aperti, provocemus, una sit sententia inter nos omnes, incipiamus!"

"Let's be honest [i.e., forthright, straightforward], let's challenge [excite, arouse], let there be (only) one sentiment [opinion, feeling, maxim] amongst us all, let's start!"

To have translated the English literally would have resulted in very poor Latin.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 22:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Thank you so much, Joseph, for your help and the detailed explanation. I will gladly forward your answer to my colleague.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  María Roberto (X): Vale, Joseph! Why did you choose "apertus/a/um" ?
2 hrs
  -> Salve, Maria! I chose it because, while it literally means 'open', Cicero commonly uses it of speech and character in the sense of 'frank, straightforward'. I might have suggested 'simplex', which is found with the same sense, but it is less common.
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