we are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars..

19:25 Jan 23, 2008
English to Latin translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
English term or phrase: we are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars..
for tattoo
mara


Summary of answers provided
4 +1omnes in cloaca, sed alii ad astra aspicimus
Nicholas Ferreira
4 +1omnes in cloaca sumus, sed partim e nobis astra aspiciunt
Ivo Volt
4Omnes in cloaca versamus, at pars ad astra spectamus
Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
omnes in cloaca, sed alii ad astra aspicimus


Explanation:
"Cloaca" means gutter, drain.

"Astra" is a more poetic word for star.

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-01-23 20:50:07 GMT)
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You could say "omnes in cloaca sumus" (where sumus means "we are"), but you can also leave it out as it is understood and makes it shorter (less painful :)

Nicholas Ferreira
Canada
Local time: 21:01
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
3 hrs
  -> I agree, this is much shorter and easier to use on a tattoo, plus it sounds nice.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
omnes in cloaca sumus, sed partim e nobis astra aspiciunt


Explanation:
This version would use a Ciceronian phrase (Phil. 8.32: partim e nobis). In addition, aspicere is used with 'ad' mostly in pre-classical period, while the traditional use is with accusative. That said, I also like the version suggested by the previous translator.


Ivo Volt
Estonia
Local time: 03:01
Native speaker of: Native in EstonianEstonian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
2 hrs
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21 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Omnes in cloaca versamus, at pars ad astra spectamus


Explanation:
Since you need it for a tatoo, I suggest a rhyming rendering.
"Versare" means both "to be, to find oneself" and "to wallow in, to roll oneself in", which I think it's quite the case for a "gutter"! :-)
"Spectare ad (acc.)" means both "to look at" and "to admire, to long for" and "to ponder". Being a frequentative of "specio" ("to see"), it also conveys the idea of repetitiousness and urgency.
"At" is used to bring in the sentence a new and different idea from a previous one, yet without wholly negating it: all of us are still in a gutter, alas! :-)

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Note added at 21 days (2008-02-13 19:59:58 GMT)
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To make it a bit more classical and poetical: "Omnes in cloaca stantes, pars ad astra spectantes".

Leonardo Marcello Pignataro (X)
Local time: 02:01
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4
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