noli illegitimi carborundum
English
Alternative forms
- illegitimis non carborundum
- nil illegitimi carborundum
- non illegitimi carborundum
- nil carborundum illegitimi
- nil sine illegitimi carborundum
- nolite te bastardes carborundum
Etymology
Humorous pseudo-Latinism, from noli (“do not permit”) [singular] and illegitimi (“bastards”) [in the wrong grammatical case] and from the Latinate brand name Carborundum for a silicon carbide abrasive.
This form of the saying was popularized in English by the US general "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell during World War II, reputed to have been taught it by British army intelligence. It later became the motto for the 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, who displayed it as a sign in his senatorial office. The plural form nolite te bastardes carborundum was popularized by Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale and its subsequent TV adaptation.
References
- Bradley, Laura, "Handmaid's Tale: The Strange History of 'Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum'", Vanity Fair, 3 May 2017.
- Safire, William, Safire's New Political Dictionary: The Definitive Guide to the New Language of Politics, Random House, New York, 1993. (R 320.03 Sa1)
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