There’s no “obviously” about it. You got “nemo nisi mors” without knowing what “nemo” means. You can’t have researched thoroughly, or even much at all. Yours is a perfect example of the problem with getting an inscription in a language you don’t understand. Just be thankful you didn’t get it tattooed on your forehead.There’s nothing wrong with getting a Latin inscription on your ring, period. Obviously couples are going to research it before doing it.
Honey, it’s time to drop the issue. Seriously.There’s no “obviously” about it. You got “nemo nisi mors” without knowing what “nemo” means. You can’t have researched thoroughly, or even much at all. Yours is a perfect example of the problem with getting an inscription in a language you don’t understand. Just be thankful you didn’t get it tattooed on your forehead.
I will let it go when you do or when you admit that “nemo” never means “nothing.” Take your pick. (You are not going to convince me you researched well because both my dictionaries and my Latin Professors have informed me that I am right. However you researched, you were misinformed. Not that you can’t defend your inscription, so long as you have a fondness for Death personified…)
I think anyone with a *fondness for Death personified *is in reasonable company.
I don’t care if people do. However, I don’t recall her expressing a fondness for Mr. Death.
Nah, I trust our friends.You can’t get much more correct than Virgil.Amor Vincit Omnia- Love Conquers All
My husband has this on his ring, and he loves it. He even got a tatoo on his ring finger, “AVO”, because when military is deployed overseas, they very often have to go for months without being able to wear a ring, and he wanted the ring with him always. Wow, how’s that run-on sentence for you?
Anyway, just another idea.
Good luck!
ps. I talked to a scholar frind of ours who knows Latin AND a couple of priests. All of them agreed on the Latin we used as being correct. And if it’s not, don’t let me know. I prefer ignorance.
I have no problem actually with the Noone but death translation. As you have pointed out ad nauseum (and which we already knewI don’t care if people do. However, I don’t recall her expressing a fondness for Mr. Death.
), that’s the word for word correct translation. But “Nothing but death…” is also a correct meaning. People have been using that phrase on their wedding bands for centuries now with the understanding that it means “Nothing but death will part us”. Do you assume that NONE OF THESE PEOPLE, throughout history, knew Latin and they’d be smacking their foreheads in embarassment now if they could read what GorgerCracker has to say on the subject?Dude, they used it to mean “no one but death” because they studied Latin, and they did know what it meant. People probably mistranslate it now because we modern people don’t like the concept of Death following us around, just waiting to cut us down when it’s least convenient.I have no problem actually with the Noone but death translation. As you have pointed out ad nauseum (and which we already knew
You seem to be arguing that there is only one correct usage definition for any individual word in any language, and one only one correct contextual usage for any one word that is possible in any given language? (included but not limited to popular/traditional sayings)?
“Probably”? excellent argument there. I’m telling you I have researched this thoroughly and the information is actually out there, although you’ve dismissed it because I presented it from a Google search.
…says you. For the *saying *“nemo nisis mors”, it is indeed a correct meaning. As is “Noone but death…” Again, you’re choosing to ignore everything I pointed out in my last post. And before you say “no, I’m not ignoring it, I just disagree”-- please show how the history of the very old adage “nemo nisi mors” *only *implies “no one but death”.
You’re such a polite, humble person to debate with, I must say, GC. Such graceful rhetoric.
“Probably”? excellent argument there. I’m telling you I have researched this thoroughly and the information is actually out there, although you’ve dismissed it because I presented it from a Google search.
I’ve also told you, repeatedly, that I have absolutely no problem with the personification of Death (as Advocatus Fidei and tee_eff_em explained it), not even in the phrase “nemo nisi mors”…I recognize the dual meaning of the adage. You’re only recognizing the one meaning for some reason. (Youth and stubborness, “probably”. 
)…says you. For the *saying *“nemo nisis mors”, it is indeed a correct meaning. As is “Noone but death…” Again, you’re choosing to ignore everything I pointed out in my last post. And before you say “no, I’m not ignoring it, I just disagree”-- please show how the history of the very old adage “nemo nisi mors” *only *implies “no one but death”.
You’re such a polite, humble person to debate with, I must say, GC. Such graceful rhetoric.
There are several meanings of nemo: no one, no man, nobody, and a nobody. I recognize the meanings that I find in Mr. Dictionary. Clearly not territory your “thorough research” strayed into.“Probably”? excellent argument there. I’m telling you I have researched this thoroughly and the information is actually out there, although you’ve dismissed it because I presented it from a Google search.
Says I and my Latin professor who has been reading Latin for about, oh, twenty years. But I’m sure you know much more than he does with your thorough Google searches and bad on-line sources.
You are very humble yourself. I’ve never met someone who knew so little Latin argue about a Latin phrase’s meaning so strenuously. It comes across as very bizarre since you obviously still hardly understand what you’re talking about.
So, when you said you’d stop posting, you lied. Got it.
Once again, GC. I KNOW what nemo means. Everyone on this thread does at this point. That’s not what we’re debating. We know what your dictionary says. The totality of the phrase “nemo nisi mors” can be translated as “no one/nobody but death” **or **“nothing but death” will part us. That’s all my point is.
Nope, haven’t said that “nemo” means “nothing” at all. Not once. You made that up, just like you’ve made up the accusation (for the fifth time now) that all my research comes from online searches. Both accusations are lies and I’ve refuted both several times now.
Ok cool, so you do (sorta) understand the point. But *nemo *isn’t one of those words, really? How do you figure that? Is there a list? If the context can alter the total meaning of a phrase, as you admit, then why do you say that “nemo nisi mors” doesn’t qualify? Especially when throughout history the phrase has been documented as being interpreted with both meanings?
It never means 'nothing by death" because “nemo” does not mean “nothing.” You can’t translate the whole phrase as “nothing but death” because the word “nothing”, and the idea of “nothing” are both absent. I’m sorry this is a hard concept for you to grasp. Your whole point is that you can translate is wrong because other people before you have done so. But you have no excuse to screw up the translation because you now know what all the words in the phrase mean.
You have only mentioned on-line sources, and I can’t read your mind. What was your other source? A cereal box? A cool tattoo you saw? A magazine ad? That seems to be about the quality of your information.
Dude, context can help you determine the meaning of the words. But context does not alter the meaning of the words. It certainly doesn’t make an alleged adage mean whatever ac claire wants it to mean because she already got her wedding ring engraved.
Dear Lord. I know it’s not one of those words because I looked it up in the dictionary and talked to my professor. I have also been reading Latin for years. Since context does not give words meanings they do not have, I know that context does not give “nemo” whatever meaning you want it to have.
You’ve had a lot of suggestions, five pages that I can see; but since you asked for “Other good phrases,” I’ll offer the following:
I think this is a good post. I personally don’t think the “personification” of death is tacky at all… The two meanings aren’t that different and they’re not opposites in any way. (Which is why I’ve never seen anyone make a big deal out of it before this thread maybe? lol) They’re complementary. Nothing or nobody except death will part us.
Funny you like his post when he agrees with me. “Nobody but death” and “nothing but death” express similar sentiments, but “nemo nisi mors” can only accurately be translated “nobody but death” because that is what it means and it only means that, no matter what sentiment it expresses.
