Expert: Maria - 1/27/2008

Question
Please convert the following quote into Latin "Like Fine Wine, Our Friendship Gets Better With Age"

Thanks!!

Answer
Hello,

here’s the translation you asked me:

“Ut merum, melior  procedente aetate nostra  fit amicitia”.

See below for  grammatical analysis.

Best regards,
Maria
_______________________________________________
-Like = UT

-Fine Wine = MERUM (nominative neuter, 2nd.declension). Note that MERUM or VINUM MERUM corresponds exactly to ‘fine wine’

-Our = NOSTRA (nominative feminine of NOSTER,agreed with AMICITIA)

-Friendship = AMICITIA (nominative feminine,1st.declension)

-Gets = FIT (from FIO)

-Better = MELIOR (comparative of BONUS, good)

-With Age = PROCEDENTE AETATE (ablative absolute; literally, ‘as we get old’)

As you can see, Latin word order can be different from English.