“Nos Secundus Coniecto Omnia,” the Latin motto engraved on the medallion on the wall of the new Moorestown Library, is supposed to mean “We confirm all things twice” — except it might not…exactly.
Questions about the phrase originally arose from a resident translating the motto with Google translate and getting the phrase “we second guess all,” and then bringing the issue to the attention of township officials.
However, there is disagreement of just how unclear or inaccurate the phrase engraved on the library’s wall truly is.
Mayor Christopher Chiacchio said he doesn’t believe what is written on the wall is inaccurate, just slightly unclear.
While Google does translate the phrase as meaning “we second guess all,” Chiacchio said it’s been brought to his attention that Google is not considered an authority on translations.
He said many colleges wouldn’t allow their students to use Google for translations, especially in the case of a language such as Latin that doesn’t translate directly into English.
“The individuals that criticized it using Google weren’t the most creative in how they went about criticizing the phrase,” Chiacchio said. “That being said, we probably could have stated it a little more accurately.”
However, Chiacchio said due to the possible ambiguity surrounding the phrase, it will still be changed.
“That’s why we’re changing it,” Chiacchio said. “We didn’t want there to be any doubts.”
According to Chiacchio, a new phrase hasn’t been decided on yet, although “We Encourage All” has been banded about as a possibility, and the issue will be discussed further with township council and the township architect.
Chiacchio said the new phrase will also be checked with actual human beings so it won’t be lost in translation.
“Whatever phrase we agree on, we’re going to run it past somebody in our schools or perhaps a Latin professor,” Chiacchio said. “I know I’ve heard from a couple — just to make sure we’re dealing with a phrase that can’t be interpreted differently using Google.”
Township architect Richard Ragan echoed Chiacchio’s sentiments.
“We are discussing options with Latin experts, however the experts and Google translate must agree for the digitally inclined,” Ragan said.
According to Ragan, the ambiguity of the motto originated from someone on his staff using a Latin dictionary to directly translate “We confirm all things twice,” without knowing the exact conjugation, gender agreement and other linguistic necessities.
Ragan also said that when the phrase is changed, other modifications will also be made to two other wall medallions on the library that are incorrectly missing two Roman numeral “C’s” in a date meant to honor the Friends of the Moorestown Library.
Ragan said the changes could take place anywhere from two weeks to two months from now, depending on when a new motto is decided upon and if a stonecutter can make slight adjustments or if full replacement is necessary.
He said he will be paying for the fixes at no cost to the township.
“If the letters cannot be seamlessly redone, then the entire medallion would need to be replaced,” Ragan said. “Full replacement would take longer.”
The sardonic nature of the situation, a library translating a phrase to Latin proclaiming it “confirms all things twice,” and then having possible ambiguity in said phrase, has lead to stories appearing on various national news websites and social media platforms.
Self-proclaimed amateur and professional Latin experts have since been debating as to the most literal interpretation of the phrase, although there does not seem to be a clear consensus as to what the phrase definitively means.
Translations have ranged from the Google translation of “we second guess all,” to other interpretations of “I connect all things following us,” or “I follow everything else in making a guess,” or “I favorably infer that we are all things.”
Regardless of what those in towns in different states are saying, Chiacchio said he often goes to the library to read with his children, and no actual Moorestown residents have ever complained to him about the motto.
“I’ve never heard one person complain about the medallions,” Chiacchio said. “People are very positive. They all talk about how much they love the library. One woman actually said if anyone has a problem they can go and look at the old library next-door, because that’s where we’ve come from.”
