Expert: Maria - 5/13/2006

Question
Could you please translate, "never let the bastards get you down". thank you in advance.
C

Answer
Hello,

In classical Latin this phrase can be translated as follows:

“Noli sinere te ab improbis  opprimi “.

There is however a well-known dog Latin phrase(i.e. not true Latin) which reads:

“Illegitimis non carborundum”.

This phrase, absolutely wrong in Latin,  seems to have originated with British army intelligence early in World War II.  It was popularized when U.S. general Joseph W. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (1883-1946) adopted it as his motto.  

Best,
Maria
____________________________________
NOTA BENE
never = NOLI
let= SINERE
the bastards = AB IMPROBIS
get you down = TE OPPRIMI

As for DOG LATIN, it  refers to “the creation of a phrase or jargon in imitation of Latin, often by directly translating English words (or those of other European languages) into Latin without conjugation or declension.”