Expert: Maria - 4/23/2009

Question
Hi, i was wondering if you could help me translate the phrase "you never know when it could be an angel" and also the word "iris" as in the flower, into Latin, I would be extremely grateful.

Answer
Hello,

I’m sorry, but the phrase “You never know when it could be an angel” cannot be translated into Latin because you did not specify  the term to which “it” refers and then  it’s impossible in Latin to refer  this neuter pronoun”it”  to “ an angel”.

So, if you don’t clarify what you want to say, no correct translation is possible simply because Latin is a very precise inflected language with three declensions, six cases (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, vocative, ablative) and different endings of the words, according to their role in the context (subject, direct object, indirect object).

As for the English name  of the flower “iris”, please note that it is just “iris” in Latin.
English  has in fact borrowed this name just from Latin which in turn had borrowed the same name from Ancient Greek where “iris” meant” rainbow”.
Note that the flower name "iris" refers to the wide variety of flower colours found among the many species.

Bye,
Maria