Most of the 50 states in the US have a motto that is in either English or Latin. However, a few do not. Which ones do not, and what is the motto of each?
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12-11-04, 03:32 PM
mozart56
1-California "Eureka" => Greek
2-Hawaii "UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO" =>Hawaiien
3-Maryland "Paroles feminine" => French
4-Minnesota "L'étoile du Nord" => French
5-Montana "Oro y plata" => Spanish
6-Washington "AL KI" => Indian.(N.American Indian), I would guess Navajo.

12-11-04, 04:12 PM
Kelleygirl
Been watching "Jeopardy", DG? Big Grin
Think Ken Jennings would have aced this one?

12-11-04, 05:01 PM
DorianGreyed
Maryland's motto is Latin, although it may be very similar to the same sentiment in Italian. I think it is derived from the motto of Lord Calvert's coat of arms, which implies Latin rather than Italian.

Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words)

As I recall, Jeopardy did not include Maryland in its list of acceptable answers, and, while not perfect, Jeopardy does better than any book I have read and any Trivia web site (save one ) I have seen.

The problem with Latin/Italian is that some Italian is exactly like its Latin forebearer, and what we call Italian is merely one of many dialects that evolved from Latin in Italy. Actually, one can call modern Italian "Modern Latin" and not really be wrong. Today's Italian is much much closer to Latin that Modern English is to Old English. If JuanRuiz sees this post, he can certainly clarify and explain better than I can.

All the mottoes that I found that were neither Latin nor English are:

California - Eureka (I have found it) Greek

Hawaii - Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) Hawaiian

Minnesota - L'Étoile du Nord (The North Star) French

Montana - Oro y plata (Gold and silver)

Washington - Al-Ki (Indian word meaning “by and by”)

12-11-04, 05:09 PM
DorianGreyed
I sit corrected. I will also e-mail Jeopardy...gleefully.

The motto in Italian on a ribbon at the feet of the plowman and fisherman is the motto of the Calvert family "Fatti maschii parole femine" loosely translated as "Manly deeds, womanly words". - state.md.us/statutes.

(And, apparently, it was the first Lord Baltimore, son of Leonard Calvert.)

By the way, Mozart got the states right. Nice job !

On Jeopardy, all that was required was to give 2 of the states. Hawaii was a gimme, and I think he would have known both Washington and Montana. Had he not, I think he would have said Louisiana.

12-11-04, 06:26 PM
mozart56
I,apparently misread Maryland's motto which seemed to be half Italian and half French.But it was all Italian, which explains why I spelled it differently from Italian=> "parole femine" "parole feminine". Roll Eyes

12-12-04, 09:44 AM
juanruiz
All the Romance Languages are derived from Vulgar Latin, the lingua franca of the Roman Empire. Not the complicated and stylized language of the Senate and literature, but that of the soldiers, merchants, slaves. After the fall of the Empire, the evolution of the language went its own way in each community, until you had actually different languages. French moved furthest away from it's original, Italian, as might me expected, remained closest, as regards change. Actually, what we call Standard Italian is really a form of the Florentine dialect, decided upon after Italy unified in the 1860s. There still exists a number of other dialects throughout the country which are mutually incomprehensible. For example, the phrase "I don't know where your father went" in Standard Italian is:

Non so dov'è andato tuo padre.

But in Calabrian dialect it's:

On sacciu duva iju patrata.

Some examples of differeces between Romance Languages today:

Latin: credere, cavallus, bucca
Italian: credere, cavallo, bocca
Spanish: creer, caballo, boca
French: croire, chéval, bouche
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The bottom line on this one is that the following states have mottoes that are not in either English or Latin.

1. California - Eureka (I have found it) Greek

2. Hawaii - Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness) Hawaiian

3. Maryland - Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly Deeds, Womanly Words) Italian

4. Minnesota - L'Étoile du Nord (The North Star) French

5. Montana - Oro y plata (Gold and silver) Spanish

6. Washington - Al-Ki (Indian word meaning “by and by”)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,

I sit corrected. I will also e-mail Jeopardy...gleefully.

The motto in Italian on a ribbon at the feet of the plowman and fisherman is the motto of the Calvert family "Fatti maschii parole femine" loosely translated as "Manly deeds, womanly words". - state.md.us/statutes.

(And, apparently, it was the first Lord Baltimore, son of Leonard Calvert.)

By the way, Mozartgot the states right. Nice job !

On Jeopardy, all that was required was to give 2 of the states. Hawaii was a gimme, and I think he would have known both Washington and Montana. Had he not, I think he would have said Louisiana.