Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

the absurd for the sake of absurdity

Latin translation:

absurdum absurditatis gratia

Added to glossary by Joseph Brazauskas
Feb 29, 2008 13:17
16 yrs ago
English term

the absurd for the sake of absurdity

Non-PRO English to Latin Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
As in "ars gratia artis" but replacing "art" with "absurdity". I know that absurd comes from a latin root so this expression should be possible without too much barbarbism, however I cannot remember / figure out which declinaison to use. An approximation will be acceptable.

"absurda gratia absurdis" comes to mind (it rolls off the tongue nicely) but I have no idea whether it is even close to grammatically correct...

/! I would greatly appreciate an explanation of the answer as well (as in, "absurda (or whatever) is the substantive form of XXX root...")
Proposed translations (Latin)
5 absurdum absurditatis gratia
Change log

Mar 5, 2008 10:45: Joseph Brazauskas Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

31 mins
Selected

absurdum absurditatis gratia

The ablatives 'gratia' and 'causa', which are ablatives of specification, almost universally precede the genitives in this sort of phrase. One possible rendering is that which I have indicated above. However, 'absurditas' is post-classical and I should prefer to suggest 'ineptum ineptiae gratia' or 'ineptum ineptiae causa' in its stead, as being better Latin--'foolishness for the sake of foolishness'.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks for the detailed answer, and the different variants."
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