Illegitimi non carborundum
Encyclopedia
Illegitimi non carborundum is a mock-Latin
aphorism
meaning "Don't let the bastards grind you down". (Carborundum is an industrial abrasive material.)
. Lexicographer Eric Partridge
attributes it to British army intelligence very early in the war (using the plural dative/ablative illegitimis). The phrase was adopted by US Army general "Vinegar" Joe Stillwell
as his motto during the war. It was later further popularized in the US by 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
.
Generations of Harvard students have taken the phrase into the world, as it is the first line of an unofficial school song Ten Thousand Men of Harvard
, the most frequently played Fight song
of the Harvard Marching Band. This is, to some extent, a parody of more solemn school songs like "Fair Harvard thy sons to your Jubilee throng" etc. The first verse goes:
Only one of these is a possible Latin phrase, Illegitimis non carborundum [est]. But it is possible only under peculiar assumptions, such as that the verb carborundum is a Latin gerundive carrying the connotation "should" or "ought".
Illegitimi suggests illegitimate to the English speaker, but it is certainly not the usual Latin word for "bastard", nor does it carry the same negative connotation as in English: it was never used as a general insult as the English term "bastard" still is.
It also should be kept in mind that "bastards" is often used in English as a generic derogatory term, not necessarily relating to the marital status of one's parents.
Henry Beard
in his 1991 book Latin for Even More Occasions offered some tongue-in-cheek Latin for the sentiment, in a section called "Dopey Exhortations Are More Forceful in Latin":
Politics
Sports
Dog Latin
Dog Latin, Cod Latin, macaronic Latin, or mock Latin refers to the creation of a phrase or jargon in imitation of Latin, often by directly translating English words into Latin without conjugation or declension...
aphorism
Aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
meaning "Don't let the bastards grind you down". (Carborundum is an industrial abrasive material.)
History
The phrase originated during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Lexicographer Eric Partridge
Eric Partridge
Eric Honeywood Partridge was a New Zealand/British lexicographer of the English language, particularly of its slang. His writing career was interrupted only by his service in the Army Education Corps and the RAF correspondence department during World War II...
attributes it to British army intelligence very early in the war (using the plural dative/ablative illegitimis). The phrase was adopted by US Army general "Vinegar" Joe Stillwell
Joseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
as his motto during the war. It was later further popularized in the US by 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
.
Generations of Harvard students have taken the phrase into the world, as it is the first line of an unofficial school song Ten Thousand Men of Harvard
Ten Thousand Men of Harvard
"Ten Thousand Men of Harvard" is the most-frequently performed of Harvard University's numerous fight songs. It was written by A. Putnam, class of 1918. Harvard College freshmen become acquainted with this song early in their college careers, as the Harvard marching band traditionally marches...
, the most frequently played Fight song
Fight song
A fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...
of the Harvard Marching Band. This is, to some extent, a parody of more solemn school songs like "Fair Harvard thy sons to your Jubilee throng" etc. The first verse goes:
- Illegitimum non carborundum;
- Domine salvum fac.
- Illegitimum non Carborundum;
- Domine salvum fac.
- Gaudeamus igitur!
- Veritas non sequitur?
- Illegitimum non carborundum—ipso facto!
Variants
There are many variants of the phrase, such as- Nil illegitimi carborundum.
- Non illegitimis carborundum.
- Illegitimi nil carborundum.
- Non illegitimi carborundum.
- Nil bastardo carborundum.
- Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
- Illegitimis non carborundum.
- Illegitimus non carborundum est.
- Nil illegitimo in desperandum carborundum
- Nil carborundum illegitamae
- Noli ilegitimus carborundum
- Nolite Illegitimos Conterere Vos
Only one of these is a possible Latin phrase, Illegitimis non carborundum [est]. But it is possible only under peculiar assumptions, such as that the verb carborundum is a Latin gerundive carrying the connotation "should" or "ought".
Illegitimi suggests illegitimate to the English speaker, but it is certainly not the usual Latin word for "bastard", nor does it carry the same negative connotation as in English: it was never used as a general insult as the English term "bastard" still is.
It also should be kept in mind that "bastards" is often used in English as a generic derogatory term, not necessarily relating to the marital status of one's parents.
Henry Beard
Henry Beard
Henry N. Beard is an American humorist, one of the founders of the magazine National Lampoon and the author of several best-selling books.-Biography:...
in his 1991 book Latin for Even More Occasions offered some tongue-in-cheek Latin for the sentiment, in a section called "Dopey Exhortations Are More Forceful in Latin":
Use as a motto
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- The weekly AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
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- University of IdahoUniversity of IdahoThe University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
Navy ROTC Drill Team - The comic strip Odd Bodkins
- Toronto FCToronto FCToronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
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- 75 Mile Bastards Chapter - Informal motto for the seminarians at Nashotah House Theological Seminary: Nolite Illegitimos Conterere Vos.
- Virginia Tech Corps of CadetsVirginia Tech Corps of CadetsThe Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets is the military component of the student body at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Cadets live together in dormitories, march to meals in formation, wear a distinctive uniform on campus, and receive an intensive military and leadership...
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- U.S. Navy squadron VFC111 "Sundowners" at NAS Key West, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. - US Army Special ForcesSpecial forcesSpecial forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington - Eta Beta Tau fraternity, Mansfield UniversityMansfield University of PennsylvaniaMansfield University of Pennsylvania is one of the fourteen state universities that are part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher...
, Mansfield, Pennsylvania. - Skyler Bell
In popular culture
The arts- Nil Carborundum, title of a 1962 play and TV comedy by Henry LivingsHenry LivingsHenry Livings was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television and theatre from the 1960s to the 1990s.-Early life and career:...
. - Nil Carborundum Illegitimo, in Principia DiscordiaPrincipia DiscordiaPrincipia Discordia is a Discordian religious text written by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley . It was originally published under the title "Principia Discordia or How The West Was Lost" in a limited edition of 5 copies in 1965...
from 1965. - Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, in The Handmaid's TaleThe Handmaid's TaleThe Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel, a work of science fiction or speculative fiction, written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and first published by McClelland and Stewart in 1985...
(1985) by Margaret AtwoodMargaret AtwoodMargaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
. - Illegitimi non carborundum, in Lucifer's HammerLucifer's HammerLucifer's Hammer is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, first published in 1977. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1978. A comic book adaptation was published by Innovation Comics in 1993....
(1977) by Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
and Jerry PournelleJerry PournelleJerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
, page 29. - Nil illegitimo carborundum is a maxim credited to the fictional philosopher Didactylos in Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's Small Gods. - Non Illegitimus Carborundum is the school motto of the fictional girl's school St. Trinian'sSt Trinian's SchoolSt Trinian's is a fictional girls' boarding school, the creation of English cartoonist Ronald Searle, that later became the subject of a popular series of comedy films....
, appearing on the school's coat of arms. - Illegitimis non Carborundum is printed on a banner in the artwork for The ToastersThe ToastersThe Toasters was one of the first American bands in the third wave of ska, and is one of the longest active third wave ska bands.They have released nine studio albums, most of them on Moon Ska Records. The Toasters experienced a small degree of commercial success in the late 1990s due to the...
' 7th studio album Don't Let the Bastards Grind You DownDon't Let the Bastards Grind You Down- Personnel :*Dave Barry – keyboards*George Evageliou – engineer*Rick Faulkner – trombone*Rob "Bucket" Hingley – guitar, vocals*Jafo – design, illustrations*Joe Johnson – assistant engineer*Matt Malles – bass*MC Schneeberger – producer, mixing...
. - Illegitimus Non Carborundum Est is also printed on a banner in the artwork for Dee SniderDee SniderDaniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
's solo album Never Let the Bastards Wear You DownNever Let the Bastards Wear You DownNever Let the Bastards Wear You Down is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Dee Snider released on March 1st, 2000. The songs were composed in the 1980's.-Track listing:#Hard Core#Call My Name#Our Voice Will Be Heard#Isn't It Time...
. - Nil carborundum illegitimis is said by Landon Kettlewell in Cory DoctorowCory DoctorowCory Efram Doctorow is a Canadian-British blogger, journalist, and science fiction author who serves as co-editor of the blog Boing Boing. He is an activist in favour of liberalising copyright laws and a proponent of the Creative Commons organization, using some of their licences for his books...
's Makers - Illegitimi non carborundum in "Fight Song" by The Republic TigersThe Republic TigersThe Republic Tigers is an American rock band formed in Kansas City, Missouri by Kenn Jankowski and Adam McGill...
- Don't let the bastards grind you down! memorably quoted by Albert Finney in the 1960 film Saturday Night and Sunday MorningSaturday Night and Sunday MorningSaturday Night and Sunday Morning is the first novel by British author Alan Sillitoe and won the Author's Club First Novel Award.It was adapted by Sillitoe into a 1960 film starring Albert Finney, directed by Karel Reisz, and in 1964 was adapted by David Brett as a play for the Nottingham...
- "Don't let the bastards grind you down" last phrase of Motorhead "(Don't Let 'Em) Grind Ya Down" song from Iron Fist album.
- "So don't let the bastards grind you down" is the chorus of the song AcrobatAcrobat (song)"Acrobat" is a song by rock band U2. It is the eleventh track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The critical failure of Rattle and Hum led the band to seek a harder sound in their music. The song developed from a riff created by guitarist The Edge, and is played in a time signature. Thematically...
, by U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. - "Don't let the bastards get you down" appears in the chorus of RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's 2011 single "Cheers (Drink to That)Cheers (Drink to That)"Cheers " is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her fifth studio album Loud . The song impacted US mainstream and rhythmic radio on August 2, 2011, as the seventh and final single released from Loud...
" from her album LoudLoud (Rihanna album)Loud is the fifth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released on November 12, 2010 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was recorded between February and August 2010, predominantly during Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and filming for her first feature film Battleship...
. - "Don't let the bastards grind you down" is frequently spoken by Norman Stanley Fletcher in the BBC series Porridge, usually for the purpose of irritating Prison Officer Mackay but also as part of a lesson to the younger inmates on how to cope with being inside.
Politics
- Mentioned with translation by the Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for TwickenhamTwickenhamTwickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
Toby JesselToby JesselToby Henry Francis Jessel is a British Conservative Party politician.-Early life:Jessel was educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and Balliol College, Oxford and was an exporter...
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom on June 7, 1993. - Mentioned by Premier of NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
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in reference to a power deal with Nalcor Energy on February 20, 2009.
Sports
- Illegitimum non carborundum in Ten Thousand Men of HarvardTen Thousand Men of Harvard"Ten Thousand Men of Harvard" is the most-frequently performed of Harvard University's numerous fight songs. It was written by A. Putnam, class of 1918. Harvard College freshmen become acquainted with this song early in their college careers, as the Harvard marching band traditionally marches...
, Harvard's most-frequently played fight song. - Inscribed on the Tripod Hockey trophy for the Tuck School of BusinessTuck School of BusinessThe Amos Tuck School of Business Administration is the graduate business school of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, in the United States...