Expert: Maria - 2/7/2011

Question
Hi I my father was in the military and is now a fireman and I want to make him a poster that he will really appreciate and I want it to be meaningful also. I want to put the phrase "Remember The Fallen" in Latin across the top of it, so I was hoping you would translate that phrase for me. I'd would really appreciate it and I know he would love it.

Answer
Hello,

Here’s the Latin translation of "Remember The Fallen":

-“ Memento eorum qui vitam profuderunt”
(literally, “Remember those who sacrificed their life “)

Please note that “the fallen”, just related to those who sacrificed their life for their country or in the cause of justice, must be translated as “qui vitam profuderunt”(who sacrificed their life).

See below for grammatical analysis.

Hope your father appreciates your poster.

Best regards,
Maria
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Note that:

-Remember = MEMENTO (2nd.person singular, imperative of MEMINI, I remember. This verb requires the genitive plural EORUM)

-the fallen = EORUM (genitive of IS = those) QUI  (relative pronoun= who) VITAM (direct object in the accusative of VITA = their life) PROFUDERUNT (past tense of PROFUNDO = sacrificed)

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