Request for Someone Who Can Write in Latin

[Green]

I was planning on writing a Harry Potter sneezefic, and I wanted to include a non-canon spell (basically a spell I've completely made up for my own devious purposes), but I don't know much about Latin.

In my anal retentiveness I really want the spell to be as authentic as possible -- and I don't want to look like a complete moron with any attempts at nonsensical Latin.

So, my question is: Does anyone have any prowess in Latin and can help me in constructing the name of my spell?

Thank you!

[Green]

I don't speak or write latin, but I've written many an HP fic and run into the very same problem. There are a number of english to latin online translators out there which is what I use. If you googe "english latin dictionary" or "english latin translator" a bunch of results should come up. Some of them are more useful than others. Unfortunately the one I used to use consistantly as it seemed to have the best results doesn't seem to exist anymore.

Thanks! I'll definitely check that out. I'm a bit worried, though, because I've used them for English-to-Spanish translations and sometimes they come out a bit wonky. (Too bad your favorite doesn't exist anymore.)

Eh, it's just a fanfic in the end, though, right?

Thank you again!

[Bongo]

I own an actual english-latin dictionary. So if you want to tell me the word, I can look it up.

[Green]

I own an actual english-latin dictionary. So if you want to tell me the word, I can look it up.

Well, I wanted to have the spell literally mean "dragon's breath," but I have no idea how to make a noun possessive in Latin. I know "dragon" is "draco," though (I believe that's Latin 101, hehe).

[Enkidom]

If you just wanted to use the latin name in an English sentence, then it'd be either anima draconis or spiritus draconis. If you wanted to insert it into a latin sentence, if you tell me what you want to say in English I can have a go at it because I will need to put the noun "anima" or "spiritus" into the correct case. Grammar is everything in Latin (that's why I love it and why everyone should learn it! )

[Green]

If you just wanted to use the latin name in an English sentence, then it'd be either anima draconis or spiritus draconis. If you wanted to insert it into a latin sentence, if you tell me what you want to say in English I can have a go at it because I will need to put the noun "anima" or "spiritus" into the correct case. Grammar is everything in Latin (that's why I love it and why everyone should learn it! )

Is it okay if I keysmash at you? Okay: fjbdrsighi!

If you don't mind my asking, what is the difference between anima and spiritus? I'm going to use the phrase in English sentences only, but I'm curious to know the difference so I use them in the proper context.

I've always wanted to learn, but I never really got the chance. Maybe I should seek it out; it certainly is interesting!

Thank you!

[Enkidom]

Is it okay if I keysmash at you? Okay: fjbdrsighi!

If you don't mind my asking, what is the difference between anima and spiritus? I'm going to use the phrase in English sentences only, but I'm curious to know the difference so I use them in the proper context.

I've always wanted to learn, but I never really got the chance. Maybe I should seek it out; it certainly is interesting!

Thank you!

I believe they are fairly interchangable. Interestingly enough both can also mean "life force", as the Romans believed that life, or the spirit, lay in the breath. I'd personally go with "anima draconis" as I think that is used literally as breath more often.

And absolutely latin is worth learning. It is the keystone of so many modern languages and is a brilliant way to actually learn about language because it is grammatically so logically structured.

[Green]

I believe they are fairly interchangable. Interestingly enough both can also mean "life force", as the Romans believed that life, or the spirit, lay in the breath. I'd personally go with "anima draconis" as I think that is used literally as breath more often.

And absolutely latin is worth learning. It is the keystone of so many modern languages and is a brilliant way to actually learn about language because it is grammatically so logically structured.

Oh, that is perfect. Thank you!

This will probably soil my reputation as a cool kid, but I love grammar. I'm certainly considering your suggestion and thinking about learning Latin.

Thank you, again!

[count tiszula]

If you just wanted to use the latin name in an English sentence, then it'd be either anima draconis or spiritus draconis. If you wanted to insert it into a latin sentence, if you tell me what you want to say in English I can have a go at it because I will need to put the noun "anima" or "spiritus" into the correct case. Grammar is everything in Latin (that's why I love it and why everyone should learn it! )

Hear, Hear! Or possibly Audi, Audi.

Though I would have said that Spiritus is the more literal, despite Spiritus Sanctus, being nearer to the verb Spiro, as in respire etc., while anima is nearer to animus, meaning whatever it does.

By the by, Dr Rowling, though a Spanish/Portuguese speaker and graduate, perhaps deliberately uses the most appalling latinity. I mean "lumos", really!

[Enkidom]

Hear, Hear! Or possibly Audi, Audi.

Though I would have said that Spiritus is the more literal, despite Spiritus Sanctus, being nearer to the verb Spiro, as in respire etc., while anima is nearer to animus, meaning whatever it does.

By the by, Dr Rowling, though a Spanish/Portuguese speaker and graduate, perhaps deliberately uses the most appalling latinity. I mean "lumos", really!

You may be right count, I would imagine it depends what texts you read...Roman writers exploited linguistic ambiguities every bit as well as English ones do, some might say better because there was much less ambiguity to exploit! I know Ovid used anima more often that spiritus, as did "The Cambridge Latin Course", but that may be because they didn't introduce us to 4th declention nouns until later on.

[count tiszula]

I now discover that I am entirely wrong, twin, and you, consequently, right. I happened to have lunch with someone who possesses a Latin Lexicon [the subject of my latest obs, as it happened] and of course this matter was almost foremost on my mind. Super animam meam, I might almost say.

It seems that anima, related to anemone and anemometer, is the more literal word. I suppose I am misled by Magnificat anima mea dominum and other naughty church texts.

Not that I mean to imply that I don't possesss a Latin Lexicon, of course.

And what about the fifth declension, and rerum publicarum.

[gryffin]

Well... I'm afraid I think "anima" does NOT have a literal meaning as "breath": it means "spirit", "soul", "inner-force-that-keeps-you-alive".

Breath can be spiritus, or flatus, or halitus. So "flatus draconis" or "spiritus draconis" os "halitus draconis".

If you want you can use "spiritus/flatus/halitus draconicus" with the adjective ("dragonish") instead of the possessive of the noun "draco".

[count tiszula]

Gosh, this is getting quite exciting.

From Cassell's dictionary I note that Cicero uses both "animam ducere" and "spiritum ducere " to mean "draw breath" [and " animam continere" for " hold one's breath"]; I conclude that both must be considered of the very best latinity. I'm not inclined to the other sets of alternatives.

I shall consult Lewis and Short at the weekend.

[tma]

Is it okay if I keysmash at you? Okay: fjbdrsighi!

If you don't mind my asking, what is the difference between anima and spiritus? I'm going to use the phrase in English sentences only, but I'm curious to know the difference so I use them in the proper context.

I've always wanted to learn, but I never really got the chance. Maybe I should seek it out; it certainly is interesting!

Thank you!

I believe they are fairly interchangable. Interestingly enough both can also mean "life force", as the Romans believed that life, or the spirit, lay in the breath. I'd personally go with "anima draconis" as I think that is used literally as breath more often.

And absolutely latin is worth learning. It is the keystone of so many modern languages and is a brilliant way to actually learn about language because it is grammatically so logically structured.

Slightly OT: So "soul"/"spirit" and "breath" are the same in Latin, too?? That is cool. I know that they are the same in ancient Hebrew (nephish). I'm guessing that ancient Greek concept is similar as well.

It makes sense... although... I just thought of something. That would mean that the seat of the emotions was thought of as something separate from the soul (since bowels were supposed to be the centre of the emotions). So maybe there was a mind, soul, "gut" separation school of thought even in ancient times.

*ok... threadjack done* Oh... and Green- cannot wait to read your story.

[count tiszula]

At the risk of getting carried away, I wonder; whAT about the heart,; and the blood, which I thought was the principle of life in Judaism? All very fascinating.

[Green]

Oh... and Green- cannot wait to read your story.

Thank you! I fear whatever I may write will never be as intellectually stimulating as this thread, though. (Who am I kidding? Porn is porn is porn.)

However, I don't think I'll use "flatus draconis" when considering the modern English connotation it has. That, my friends, is an entirely different fetish.

(Everyone is being such a wonderful help with this. Thank you, all!)