Mater certa, pater incerto

[J.M]

Greetings again to all Latin D members,

Today I would like to know the meaning of the phrase on the thread title and when it was used. I do not know for sure if the way I wrote it is grammatically correct, if not, be so kind as to let me know,

Thank you as always,
J.M

 

[Bitmap]

The phrase is actually

Mater certa, pater (semper) incertus (est): The mother is certain, the father is (always) uncertain.

It is an aphorism that refers to the fact that for, well, simple biological reasons you can always be sure about the mother of a child, but (at least in times that predated DNA tests) you can never known if she was actually faithful to the person whom she claims to be the father.

I suppose that's why people in Ancient Athens looked their wifes away in the first year after their marriage ... but you find some allusions that even such methods might not really have been 100% bulletproof

 

[J.M]

Thank you for your quick and great explanation of this matter,
J.M

 

[Issacus Divus]

Shouldn't this stuff be in Latin-To-English?

 

[Pacifica]

Shouldn't this stuff be in Latin-To-English?

I guess it should. I'll move it.

I suppose the incerto means it should go to the "incorrect" section...

 

[J.M]

Oh yes, you are right!
Excuse me for not having noticed,
J.M

 

[Matthaeus]

Bitmap
looked their wifes away?? Come on, dude, really?
Sorry for being a grammar Nazi, which I am, but didn't you mean "locked their wives away?"

 

[Issacus Divus]

Bitmap
looked their wifes away?? Come on, dude, really?
Sorry for being a grammar Nazi, which I am, but didn't you mean "locked their wives away?"

You're not being a grammar Nazi, though. Like, vocab Nazi or something.

 

[Bitmap]

I can't edit it no more.

 

[Issacus Divus]

You can't?

 

[Bitmap]

No, I ain't allowed no longer.

 

[Issacus Divus]

That's tough, 'man.