Expert: Maria - 3/4/2006

Question
Thank you for providing this great assistance ... I took 1 year of Latin in the 9th grade, but can't recall how to say the following phrase in Latin - could you be of assistance?  (Thanks ~ Dennis)

The phrase that I am succintly trying to convert:
My word is my redemption; foremost above all else

Intent of the phrase could be summed as follows: My ability to faithfully honor my commitments is the primary virtue necessary to redeem my life; I will honor my commitments in spirit - faithfully, and without diminishment through rationalization or dishonest compromise.

Answer
Hello,

Your phrase, in the meaning you clarified, can be translated into Latin as follows:

“Fides redemptio est mea ac salus, supra alia omnia “.

Best regards,
Maria
________________________________________________
Note that:
-My word = FIDES ( in Latin the possessive ‘my' is superfluous, in this case)

-is = EST

-my = MEA

-redemption= REDEMPTIO AC SALUS (in this case Latin needs two words, i.e. a hendiadys, a figure of speech in which a single complex idea is expressed by two words(REDEMPTIO + SALUS)  connected by a conjunction(AC meaning ‘and').

-foremost above = SUPRA

-all =OMNIA

-else = ALIA