Re: Translation: QED (was Re: Are conlangs fictional?)

En réponse à Christopher B Wright <faceloran@...>:

> Jan nsakwish
> >Q.E.D.
>
> Wow! Another person who actually uses this! I wonder how many people
> use
> the abbreviation without knowing what it stands for or means, only how
> to
> use it. "Quid erat demonstrandum": what was to be shown?
*Quod* erat demonstrandum! "Quid" means "who" :)) . In French, we actually
normally use its direct translation: C.Q.F.D.: Ce Qu'il Fallait Démontrer. And
yes, we do use it, though it's considered bad style to overuse it (and
extremely pompous to use its Latin counterpart :)) ).

As for the meaning, I think in this case the translation "What had to be
demonstrated" is nearer to the original intent. It's typically the formula used
to end the demonstration of a mathematical theorem after all :)) .

 Sounds about
> right, but it also sounds like the speaker had a sketchy Latin grammar
> and a dictionary to make it. Perhaps not. I don't know Latin; I just
> have
> good reference materials.
>
Well, yours was the first one I thought of too, and I consider that I do know
enough Latin to translate those things by head :)) .

> In Hansu, that works out to "Ras lo ndalkik" (with a vocalic n), or
> "Thus
> I have shown [it]".
>
Nice expression! Not a direct translation, and still exactly meaning what is
intended.

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

Take your life as a movie: do not let anybody else play the leading role.

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