My mermaids only speak dead languages

August 20, 2007 11:46 AM

Latin Scholars: How would you translate "Let the mermaids flirt with me"?

The best we've got so far is "Sino lymphae me subblandire." Is that conjugated properly, and are there any better words we could be using?

Thanks.

posted by boots to writing & language (4 comments total)

Subblandire would be the third person singular passive imperative, and you need the third person plural. Sino's unnecessary using this form of the verb. My own rough guess would be:

lymphae me subblandiuntor

You could also substitute nereides for lymphae - but it depends which obscure branch of water nymphs you want to pick to signify mermaids...
posted by greycap at 1:26 PM on August 20, 2007

The verb subblandior 'flirt' takes a dative object, so in greycap's translation you should replace me with mihi.
posted by nomis at 4:40 PM on August 20, 2007

Thanks for that - my dictionary only grudgingly admitted the existence of the word ("v., perhaps subblandiri"), much less told me what it took...
posted by greycap at 11:13 PM on August 20, 2007

boots - I look forward to hearing your Latin blues album.
posted by lukemeister at 7:17 AM on August 21, 2007