what does ex terra lucem mean?

Question

as far as i know it's latin

im from st helens where its the motto .

Answer 1

Light from the earth or something like that.

Answer 2

There's something missing. Ex terra lux would be "out of the earth, light" but for light to be in the accusative form "lucem" there would have to be a verb following (to make it the object of the sentence).

Answer 3

David is correct. Grammatically it makes no sense, but Latin, especially in mottoes, often leaves out words that it's believed the reader will understand. (Yeah, right! Maybe 2,000 years ago.) I don't know why it's "lucem" and not "lux."

The motto is also used for a visit Liverpool (home of the Beatles) campaign.

http://www.liverpool.com/editor-s-pick/news:-artist-to-create-a-mersey-landmark.html

Answer 4

Many of these Latin mottos can be googled up on the internet if you have any doubts about their meanings. Of course, it's always best to try to translate them on your own first.

One source I checked gives a free translation "Out of the earth came forth light" which I think is what it's really suppose to mean:

http://www.expostfacto.co.uk/Saints.htm

Latin mottos are always very short, usually three or four words, maybe six at the most. The copula 'est' and personal pronouns like 'ego', 'tu', 'ille' are often left out e.g. Dura lex(est), sed lex (est) - The law is harsh, but it is the law; (Ego) veni, (Ego) vidi , (Ego) vici - I came, I saw, I conquered.

Latin had no definite or indefinite articles so a phrase like "To the stars" is just Ad astra ("To stars").

Answer 5

Out of the Earth Comes Light

It is the motto of the Merseyside town of St. Helens

The town was built both physically and metaphorically on coal: and this formed the original motto on the borough coat of arms.

Answer 6

Light of the Earth or From the Earth comes light.

Answer 7

ex = out
terra = earth / land
lucem = light