Narrowing down Latin phrases?

Question

Hi :) Recently I asked a question about possible translations for a tattoo in latin I was considering.

In English, the tattoo would read: "For wherever I may travel, my heart will be the path."

Several of you (dollhaus, moonlight roma, and martox45) were kind enough to provide me with some translations -thank you. However, the translations vary somewhat from each other, and I was wondering what the difference was. Are some translations in different styles of latin, or different dialects, or what?

The translations I got were:
"QUAMVIS UBICUMQUE PEREGRINARI POSSIM
COR MEUM LIMES ERIT
or also
QUAMVIS UBICUMQUE PEREGRINABOR
COR MEUM LIMES ERIT"

"fari quacumque ab at ambulo apud adytum arbitratus abeo abdera deerro."

"Cor meum via erit quocumque faciam iter."

Which of these translations is 'more accurate' so to speak, and what is the difference between them all?

Answer 1

The different ways to translate a sentence into another language (included Latin and English) are merely optional, provided grammatical rules and constructions are respected. I've answered yr previous question here above reminded and I've offered my suggestion that I think was nice (and hopefully correct). Also Dollhaus did that and voters have chosen her version. I feel both answers were accurate while all the others (given also in Spanish....) weren't !!
I still think my version was more translating the meaning but I know Dollhaus is well grasped (and fresher of studies than me) in Latin and I guess you could go with her phrasing (also because it's a shorter writing than mines):

"COR MEUM VIA ERIT QUOCUMQUE FACIAM ITER"

This translates " My heart will be the path wherever I'll travel".

In any case, whichever you'll choose at the end, don't forget that Latin writing had only capitals and that in particular the letter "U" was not existing in classic Latin (Romans were using the letter "V" instead).
Therefore sentences should be modified (if you want they are real Latin) into
COR MEVM VIA ERIT QVOCVMQVE FACIAM ITER
or
QVAMVIS VBICVMQVE PEREGRINABOR COR MEVM LIMES ERIT

good luck

Answer 2

I provided one of the answers. Part of the differences come from the simple fact that direct word-to-word translations are not that easy. Take a look at one of the words as an example. Martox used 'limes' for path, I used 'via'. There is no specific Latin word directly equal to 'path', so you have to use a word a Roman would have used - and those were two of his choices. 'Semita' and 'trames' would be other choices, but no one used them. You could do the same in your quote: '...my heart will be the path/way/pathway/trail/road/course/route' - and more.

Both translations are accurate. Martox likes his: I like mine. He says to-MAH-to; I say to-MAY-to.

Do pay heed to Martox's note about the alphabet the Romans used. If you really want it in classic Latin, all caps and no 'U' (they also used 'I' in some places where we use 'J', but that doesn't show up in any version).

Answer 3

I fully agree with martox45 - he limited it down to two versions which are perfectly correct, which one to use is up to you.
THe "fari quacumque ab at ambulo...." is not correct.