The blogmeister of Hermeneutic of Continuity has provided what the old incarnaton of ICEL might have done with a Latin inscription in marble at the Lateran University (one of me alme matres) for the dedication of the new library. Too funny. I tip my biretta: o{]:¬)
The Latin original:
SEMPER MEMORIA SERVETUR
FAUSTI DIEI XII ANTE KAL NOVEMBRIS MMVI
QUO
BENEDICTUS XVI PONTIFEX MAXIMUS
DECESSORUM SUORUM VESTIGIA SECUTUS
ACADEMICA COMMUNITATE SUMMA LAETITIA RECEPTUS
PONTIFICIAM UNIVERSITATEM LATERANENSEM INVISIT
NOVAM BIBLIOTHECAM
UTI STUDIORUM ET INVESTIGATIONIS SEDEM
AD SACRAM TRADITIONEM ALENDAM BENEDIXIT
AULAM MAGNAM SIBI DICATAM INAUGURAVIT
COMITANTIBUS
CAMILLO S.R.E. CARDINALE RUINI MAGNO CANCELLARIO
ET RINO FISICHELLA
EPISCOPO TIT VICOHABENTINO MAGNIFICO RECTORE
QUI OPUS SUSCIPIENDUM AC PERFICIENDUM CURAVIT
The faux-ICEL version:
One day last year, the Pope came to our school. He made us all very happy when he said a prayer for the new bookcases and a big room with his name on it. Cardinal Ruini (who is very important) was there and so was Bishop Rino who got it all done.
Too funny. Thanks for the laugh and the reminder that we are not as stupid as they thought us to be.
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HAHA! Great one. It calls to mind the sentiments I felt at age 10; When having been instructed in the 1965 translation of the transitional Missal, I was reeducated as an altar boy in the NO. First I had nothing to do as the prayers at the foot of the altar were essentially eliminated. Secondly I was at age 10 struck by how awkward the translation was. “what I have failed to do”…
I eagerly await translations that will convey in an authentic fahion some of the Great Mystery of God. With regards to the Confiteor it may be moot point in that it is seldom said in my parish.
JPG
Too funny!
I wonder what an ICELite translation of the following text might read like, which conferred an Honorary Law degree on John Paul II, in 2003:
ROMANA STVDIORVM VNIVERSITAS ‘SAPIENTIA’
Nos Iosephus D’Ascenzo
Rector
Iuris Facultatem vivissimam instantiam
Necnon doctorum in utroque iure virorum
Publica vota perlibenter recolentes
cum
IOANNES PAVLVS II PONT. MAX.
Summi Pontificatus XXV annum esset adeptus
Deque eius supremo magisterio universaliter constaret
Adeo ut veluti pro aliquibus in serie Romanorum Pontificum
Titulo “Magnus” iure meritoque esset insignandus
Honoris causa laurea dignissimum Eum decorare exoptamus
Pro mentis et operis praestantissima contributione
In hominis iura adfirmanda sive qua personae spectantia
Sive qua gentibus inter se referentia
Doctrinam et acta impense progrediendo
Super dignitatis hominis fundamentum
Supraque iustitiae et pacis exigentias quapropter Ipsum
IOANNEM PAVLVM II
Iuris doctorem honoris causa
Declaramus et renuntiamus
Eique omnia huius gradus privilegia honores et iura
Conferimus
In cuius rei fidem has testimoniales litteras
Magno Universitatis sigillo praeditas et munitas
Ipsi laeto animo offerimus
Dat. Romae XVI Kal. Iun. A.D. MMIII
Universitatis rector: Giuseppe D’Ascenzo.
Let me try:
Based on a popular desire, as JPII completes his 25 years of ministry, being praised by all so much so that in the opinion of many he might even be called “wonderful”, we wish to bestow on him an honorary law degree for his contribution to affirm the beauty in each one of us in a multi-cultural setting, affirming our individual rights, and progress with dignity for all. I’m happy to put a stamp on this.
Except that even sounds too good, Andrew.
It would be something more like:
We’re happy to announce that the Pope has gotten his honorary certificate in law today from someplace far away. Handshake of peace all around. Yada yada, peace-love-diversity-ministry for all. Where’s the donuts?
“Litteras” means “donuts”? Who knew?
Excellent!
Every once in a while, I’ll be sitting at the organ console and have to grab the missallette to check, because I just can’t BELIEVE the celebrant read a collect correctly; surely, what I have just heard was so awkward, that it CAN’T be what’s actually written there for him to say!!@?#??!!!
But there it is in black and
white, the translation into Icel-ish. (Have you seen that, Canadian I think, internet piece about a related language — “Catholish?”)
Don’t know much latin, but I suspect VESTIGIAL should be VESTIGIA. Was this due to an overzelous English spellchecker?
Rob F: Thanks. I had also caught a MANGO instead of MAGNO. Changes the flavor of the Latin, to be sure, though it remains fruitful reading all the same.
Aktuilley, I thot the fo’ icel tranzlashun too bee to diffikelt two undirstend. U see, I is a Cathlik.
Jeff said, ““Litteras†means “donutsâ€Â? Who knew?”
Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. Don’t you realize how important it is to capture the spirit of the text, not just some slavish, word for word translation?
Of course, we know that “litteras” means “letters.” (Or we think it does; we’ve lost our dictionary.) But what, after all, does it mean?
If people wrote nice letters, and this is a University and all, and an honorary degree is what we’re talking about, then chances are that at some point we’re talking about donations.
Now, even ‘donations’ would be clunky, since it has three whole syllables. We could go with “dollars,” but that might be threatening to people of other monetary orientations (we must be welcoming, after all!) So, in prayerful reflection on the word ‘dollars’, the expression, ‘dollars to donuts’ comes to mind. (It was around 10 am, and we needed more coffee anyway).
So, we know we can use this friendly idiom; but again, we want to avoid offending anyone who prefers other coinage than ‘dollars,’ so we just drop that part and leave in ‘donuts.’
It’s spiritual. It’s friendly. It’s easily understood by those who will hear it and share it. It’s far less scholarly and complex than ‘litteras.’ We’ve done a good job here, and we certainly aren’t going to listen to complaints.
:)
Jeff,
If “Et cum spiritu tuo” can mean “and also with you,” then litteras can mean donuts.