Illegitimi non carborundum - wikipedia Illegitimi non carborundum A gravestone inscribed with the Latin phrase Illegitimi non carborundum is a mock - Latin aphorism meaning `` Do n't let the bastards grind you down ''. The real Latin language phrase with the meaning would be Noli pati a scelestis opprimi. Contents 1 Latin meaning 2 History 3 Variants 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Latin meaning The word illegitimi ( i.e., the plural of illegitimus, actually translates to `` unlawful '' or `` outlaw '' but resembles the English `` illegitimate '' ) is sometimes given in the plural dative case ( that is, illegitimīs ), a case that follows the Latin gerundive and denotes agency. Non negates activity. Carborundum is an industrial abrasive material also known as silicon carbide, but its name resembles a Latin gerundive, a grammatical construct that expresses desirability of whatever the verb denotes. So carborundum can be mock - translated to mean `` fit to be ground ''. Thus `` illegitimi ( s ) non carborundum '' would mean `` not fit to be ground by the illegitimate '', or `` Do n't let the bastards grind you down ''. History The phrase originated during World War II. Lexicographer Eric Partridge attributes it to British army intelligence very early in the war ( using the dative plural illegitimis ). If carborere had been an actual Latin word meaning `` to grind down '', that version of the phrase would actually be correct Latin for `` It must not be ground down by the bastards '' ( with carborundum as a gerundive ). The phrase was adopted by US Army General `` Vinegar '' Joe Stilwell as his motto during the war. It was later further popularized in the US by 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The phrase is also used as the first line of one of the extra cod Latin verses added in 1953 to an unofficial school song at Harvard University, `` Ten Thousand Men of Harvard ''. This most frequently played fight song of the Harvard University Band, is, to some extent, a parody of more solemn school songs like `` Fair Harvard thy Sons to your Jubilee Throng ''. 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 ! The phrase is also used as part of a student painted crest on the bottom floor of Hodge Hall at Princeton Theological Seminary. A wooden plaque bearing the phrase sat prominently on the desk of former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner. Variants There are many variants of the phrase, such as Illegitimis non carborundum, Noli illegitimi carborundum and Nil illegitimi carborundum. No version using carborundum as a verb is legitimate Latin, as carborundum is a noun and not a gerundive of any verb, although it does look like a gerundive. Also the word bastard in Latin is spurius or, much less commonly, nothus. The two most common variations translate as follows : illegitimi non carborundum = the unlawful are not silicon carbide, illegitimis non carborundum = the unlawful do n't have silicon carbide. Bastards is often used in English as a generic derogatory term, not necessarily relating to the marital status of one 's parents. See also Dog Latin List of Latin phrases References Jump up ^ Israel, Mark. `` ' Illegitimis non carborundum ' ''. alt-usage-english.org. Retrieved January 6, 2015. Jump up ^ Why Do We Say... ?, Nigel Rees, 1987, ISBN 0 - 7137 - 1944 - 3 Jump up ^ Illegitimi Non Carborundum page, at Santa Cruz Public Libraries ready reference, quoting William Safire, Safire 's New Political Dictionary Archived February 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Primus V ( 2012 ) Ipso facto !. Harvard Magazine, November - December ( Accessed April 2013 ) Jump up ^ nycsouthpaw. `` The 10 Most Interesting Things On John Boehner 's Desk ''. Buzzfeed.com. Retrieved 2014 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ JM Latin English Dictionary. `` spurius meaning ''. Latin Dictionary. Retrieved 2014 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ Chambers Murray Latin Dictionary, page 468 Jump up ^ See the discussion in Hugh Rawson, Wicked Words ( New York : Crown, 1989 ), pp. 36f External links Two alternative explanations Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Illegitimi_non_carborundum&oldid=841776318 '' Categories : Dog Latin words and phrases Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Talk Variants Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Edit links This page was last edited on 18 May 2018, at 00 : 11. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: latin for dont let the bastards wear you down
Answer: Illegitimi non carborundum