runa27 (runa27) wrote in linguaphiles,
runa27
runa27
linguaphiles

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Is this Latin translation accurate?

I saw this in somebody's signature line on a forum, and was intrigued, particularly since as my boyfriend points out, "that's the kind of thing that could easily get misquoted or misunderstood". Which, well, is pretty much true of Latin phrases in general it would seem. But at any rate, the quote is this:

COGITO ERGO VICCO

It's ostensibly translated as:

"I know I Believe in Nothing, but it is My Nothing"


The bf took Latin, but that was years ago, and he couldn't confirm that it necessarily equates to that - he's not even sure what "VICCO" means.

So, if anyone could clarify - i.e. give a literal translation as well as the probable nuances of the non-literal translation - I would greatly appreciate it. :)

ETA: I think our mystery is solved. The second phrase was probably meant as a complementary phrase and not a translation, and the actual Latin is probably an incorrect attempt at saying COGITO ERGO VINCO, or "I think, Therefore I Win".

I think we can assume then that as it stands, the actual best translation of the verbatim phrase is:

"I THINK (that I know Latin) THEREFORE I MISSPELL".

A new tag to this entry has been added accordingly.

Kudos for all of your knowledge and hard work in solving this mystery! :D
Tags: latin, lulz, translation
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  • 49 comments

  • Interpretation of the Legend

    (inscriptions on the Kushan Kingdom coins / надписи на монетах Кушанского царства)

  • Spanish query

    I would be most grateful if anyone could help me out with a Spanish idiom, an expression appearing in a discussion of torture from the late 18th…

  • A very strange Etruscan inscription

    Chiusi is a small town in Italy (province of Siena, Tuscany). And once it was one of the most powerful centers of the Etruscan League of 12 cities.…