[ANSTHRLD] Latin Translation

[Jay Rudin]

Paedric asked:


> Could someone please help me translate the folowing phrase:
>
> "In shadow or light, honor"
>
> The best guess I've got so far is
>
> "In Umbra vel Lux lucis , Veneratio"
>
> but it is described by the author as "Latin(ish)" which doesn't inspire 
> confidence.

First, put it in English.  Too much of the sentence is elided, and that 
doesn't woir as well in Latin.

"In shadow or light, there is honor"?

"In shadow or light, there must be honor"?

"In shadow or light, there should be honor"?

"In shadow or light, I will be honorable"?

In English, it might mean any or all of these, and it's possible that the 
English speaker is not distinguishing between them.  Assuming that there is 
no intended sentence, but merely a noun phrase "honor", modifed by "in 
shadow or light", then the noun is nominative, and the objects of the 
preosition are ablative.  I think that's

"In umbra aut luce, veneratio."

Until we know the exact meaning of the Rnglish sentence, I can't phrase it 
in Latin.

And even then, the problem is that the word "honor" changed meaning in the 
16th century, and no Latin words carries the meaning you want.  "Veneratio" 
doesn't mean an internal quality, but the fact that people honor you.  Your 
"honor" (veneratio) is the poems people write about you, statues they build 
of you, and good feelings other people have about you, not the quality 
inside that inspires it.  The closest to what you want is

"In umbra aut luce, virtus" or "In umbra aut luce, probitas."

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin