Sink or swim

nolamartin

New Member

I'd like to get a tattoo with the phrase sink or swim. I did a little research on the net but I'm not sure about the words (and also asked someone but wasn't sure about the correct words.) I know that Nato = swim but I'm not sure about the other words 'sink' and 'or'.
I hope someone can help me with this.
Thanks in advance!
 

Iohannes Aurum

Technicus Auxiliarius

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Location:
Torontum, Ontario, Canada
Submerge aut nata

Please wait for others to reply first
 

Akela

sum

  • Princeps Senatus

Location:
BC
Nolamartin, do you mean the phrase as an infinitive or an imperative?

If it is an imperative, do you address one or more people?
 
B

Bitmap

Guest

note that "submerge" means "to sink something/someone else", but not to sink yourself
 

Imber Ranae

Ranunculus Iracundus

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Location:
Grand Rapids, Michigan
A literal translation doesn't work very well, I feel. Maybe something more like: Nisi natābis, summergēre.
 

nolamartin

New Member

Akela dixit:
Nolamartin, do you mean the phrase as an infinitive or an imperative?

If it is an imperative, do you address one or more people?
First fo all, thanks for the answers!
Well the phrase in Spanish is 'O nadas o te hundes' and I translated it to English as Sink or Swim.
Akela, it is address to myself as a way to remember that I have to choose one of those actions in moments of despair.
I guess that it will sound better in the infinitive form.
A friend told me that it would be something like this: Demerge aut nato
 

Akela

sum

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Location:
BC
"Demerge aut nato" looks like result of automatic translator. It says "sink (something/someone) or I swim")

It should be:
Infinitive: demergi aut natare (to sink/drown or to swim)
Imperative: demergere aut nata (sink (yourself) or swim)

Wait for someone else to confirm/critique the above before using it :)
 
B

Bitmap

Guest

Akela dixit:
"Demerge aut nato" looks like result of automatic translator. It says "sink (something/someone) or I swim")

It should be:
Infinitive: demergi aut natare (to sink/drown or to swim)
Imperative: demergere aut natare (sink (yourself) or swim)

Wait for someone else to confirm/critique the above before using it :)
Hello,

the imperative of natare is nata, but look at Imber's suggestion
 

Akela

sum

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Location:
BC
Bitmap dixit:
the imperative of natare is nata, but look at Imber's suggestion
lol I was so busy making demergo into a passive imperative, that I did the same with nato. Thanks, Btimap. I fixed it now.

For some reason I missed Imber's "Nisi natabis, summergere." (if you will not swim, sink). It is good :)
 

hanoi

New Member

I bumped into this website and found it quiet interesting, I would like to know what is the final and correct translation for "sink or swim" in the infinitive form. I saw Imber's suggestion as well as Akel's and I am a little confused. Please confirm and I thank you in advance.
 

Ignis Umbra

Ignis Aeternus

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Location:
USA
The infinitive form, as Akela stated above, is: Demergi aut natare.
 

limetrees

Civis Illustris

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Location:
Hibernia
This might be a good text case.
Many of you are non-native English speakers; so may I ask you a favour?

1. how would you translate this (idiomatically) into your own language?
2. does this idiomatic translation have anything to do with sinking and swimming? - I ask for this information to be made explicit because I (and others) possibly won't be able to read many of the replies
3. If you translated this phrase into your language with the terms equivalent to "sink" and "swim", would it make any sense?

The exercise might give us a better picture of what what we are doing when we put things into Latin.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

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Location:
Belgium
1. how would you translate this (idiomatically) into your own language?
2. does this idiomatic translation have anything to do with sinking and swimming? - I ask for this information to be made explicit because I (and others) possibly won't be able to read many of the replies
If there is any fixed idiom/expression in French with the same meaning, I don't know it.
3. If you translated this phrase into your language with the terms equivalent to "sink" and "swim", would it make any sense?
"Coule ou nage" makes perfect sense... though it actually sounds better to me the other way around "nage ou coule". But the metaphor works perfectly.
 

truks

Member

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I think in French c'est marche ou crève comes close. But it has nothing to do with swimming or sinking.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

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Location:
Belgium
Thank you

In Spanish would be "nadas o te hundes" and it makes perfect sense
So it also feels better in this order in Spanish. As in French. :) But your Spanish version is literally neither "swim or sink" nor "to swim or to sink" but "you swim or you sink/drown", right?

Truks: Yes, "marche ou crève" is a little similar.
 

Abbatiſſæ Scriptor

Senex

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I suggested infinitive because the English expression is heard most often as an impersonal recognition of impending trial or crisis: 'Now it's sink or swim for us,' as if 'sink' and 'swim' were verbal nouns.
 
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