18 replies to this topic

[Arrant]

In TWINE, when Bond runs to try to prevent King from setting off the booby trapped money,there is an overhead shot of a crest embedded in the floor that reads Military Intelligence,Division 00,and bears a Latin enscription.It appears to read "Per Piu Sigureza" which I am unable to translate.
The nearest I can find,that sort of fits,would be something along the lines of "Per Pia Signum" which is "through,patriotism,proof " although thats not a literal translation.
Anyone know what the slogan actually reads and how it translates.

[MicroGlobe One]

Although I know what you're refering to, I've never thought to look at the emblem details! Does it say "Division 00"? Does anyone have a screen grab of this? I'd like to have a good look at it now.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Not really too sure why you posted this here, but according to my "QuickLatin" programme:

per = through

Piu = stern and ending

sigureza = stern and ending

So, maybe:

RESOLUTE TO THE END

[General Koskov]

In Italian, Piu (with an accent grave on the 'u') means much.

Of course, I'm not disagreeing with BC's answer! I too look at the 00 coat of arms (trying to pause as best I can with a vintage 1980 VCR!) and want to know who thought of it. ??? Any ideas?

[Arrant]

Thanks Blofelds Cat. I don

[MBmaster]

when I got myself a screen grab, see here, I figured out the latin text isn't 'Per Piu Sigareza' BUT 'Per Piu Sigarez a'. I am really not familiar in the Latin language so I don't know if that make any change in the translation! I thought to just mention this, maybe it helps!

MODERATOR'S NOTE: Link no longer works due to copyright legalities.

Edited by Blofeld's Cat, 09 April 2005 - 08:00 AM.

[Blofeld's Cat]

You are absolutely correct there, MB.

Had to use another translator to the one I used the first, so let's see.

With the best results I got...

per = by means of / on account of / in the presence of

piu (pius) = dutiful / godly / holy

sigurez = sign / seal / mark

a = (too many variables to chose from)

I just don't know.

[Blue Eyes]

Funnily enough, I know someone who speaks fluent Latin. I'll see if I can remember to ask them

[Wade]

I finally got an answer to this. I think.

An online translation service informed me that, as far as they can tell, the Latin motto of MI6 in "TWINE" is not really Latin at all. It's Italian. And the translation reads as follows: "For Greater Security."

Why Italian? Who knows? But the service did assure me that the motto is not in any form of Latin they've ever seen.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Just thought I'd bump this back up.

PER PIU SIGUREZ A

If that motto IS Italian (and not Latin ), both Google and Altavista tranlators couldn't convert the phrase from Italian into English.

[Skudor]

I'm not sure I've ever seen any latin using Z - so it sounds more likely that it's italian.

PS - G wasn't reall used in latin either I think. They used C instead.

Edited by Skudor, 09 April 2005 - 10:11 AM.

[stromberg]

"Per Piu Sigurez a" - this doesn't exists. That isn't Latin at all, and the correct Italian phrase would be "Per Piu Sicurezza", which indeed means "For more safety". But why should British MI6 use an Italian motto?

I was about to agreee that latin doesn't use the "G", good that I checked first. They had a "G" (e.g. in the name of emperor Augustus ). But they didn't have a "Z". They also didn't have a "U" originaly, they used the "V" instead. Hence, the English say "double-U" for "W" instead of "double V" (unlike the French). But the unlike most others, "U" is now commonly used in written Latin.

This is the Trajan column's alphabet with the original 19 Latin letters, everything else was added later:



I guess the motto is supposed to be Latin, but they didn't have a person who knew the exact phrase. Hack job by the design department, I'd say. Maybe copied from a scratched sign on a train or so. A shame. Even I could find out the correct phrase with two minutes of googling.

[Blofeld's Cat]

"Per Piu Sigurez a" - this doesn't exists. That isn't Latin at all, and the correct Italian phrase would be "Per Piu Sicurezza", which indeed means "For more safety". But why should British MI6 use an Italian motto?

 

Well, MI6 as a whole does have a Latin motto: "Semper Occultus" which meas "Always Secret," but "Per Piu Sizurez a" (as written on the floor emblem in TWINE) is the motto for "Division 00."

Why Italian, though, and bad Italian at that?

*shrugs shoulders*

Me no comprendo!

[CSIS_Agent]

i have the mi6 wallpaper if anyone wants it just email and i'll forward it. it looks the dogs ***

just remember to right click on your desktop to hide icons.

CSIS_Agent

[MkB]

Interesting topic! I had never noticed... By the way, it is definitely not latin, nd in italian it should be "per pi

[Blofeld's Cat]

Ah, an interesting old thread resurrected again.

I posted a frame from The World is not Enough showing the "Division 00" crest in these forums awhile back, but due to copyright infringement it (and every other such image) was taken down.

But if someone can post a link, just the link, to a similar image we can all see it and ponder the translation.

I'll see if I still have it on my hard drive.

[MkB]

I'd like to thank CSIS_Agent who kindly emailed me a picture of this strange crest!

Doesn't the phrase "DIVISION 00" sound strange too? The OOs are usually referred to as "the 00 section", but I can't remember a "division 00"?

The weird motto appears in capital letters (hence, maybe the missing accent on "pi

Edited by MkB, 07 October 2007 - 08:28 PM.

[Blofeld's Cat]

It must be just faux-latin drummed up by the art department because why would a British (any country other than Italy for that matter) use Italian (grammatically correct or otherwise ) in one of their organisation's crest/logo?

As for the "Division 00", it's just a bit of licence like using "MI6" instead of the more accurate "SIS".

[DaveBond21]

It must be just faux-latin drummed up by the art department because why would a British (any country other than Italy for that matter) use Italian (grammatically correct or otherwise ) in one of their organisation's crest/logo?

As for the "Division 00", it's just a bit of licence like using "MI6" instead of the more accurate "SIS".

Well this is the British government we're talking about. There would be some form of Italian somewhere. To not have any Italian on the premises would be disrespectful to any employees with an Italian background.