Quid Me Anxius Sum?

Latin for “What Me Worry?” – the motto of Mad magazine’s impish mascot, Alfred E. Neuman. Translations can often be tricky. The Latin literally translates as “What am I worried?”  This illustrates the problem of translating idioms.


Each of our 50 states has a motto. Twenty of them are in Latin, twenty-four are English and the remaining six include: Chinook (Washington), Greek (California), Hawaiian (duh, Hawaii), French (Minnesota), Spanish (Montana) and Italian (Maryland). South Carolina and Kentucky have two. For the curious readers, both of South Carolina’s are Latin; Kentucky has one Latin and one English.

Maryland’s Italian motto is Fatti mashii, Parole femine. This archaic form of Italian comes from the Calvert family crest. While this idiom means “Strong deeds, Gentle words,” it literally translates as "Manly deeds, Womanly words." 

The state I grew up in, New Jersey, has the motto,  Liberty and Prosperity. Over the years, the Garden State has had several slogans. In 2005, the state wanted a new one. An ad agency was hired, but to no avail. They then looked to the citizens of NJ for ideas. The winner was a conglomerate of submitted ideas. “New Jersey, Come See For Yourself” An example of how lame marketing by committee can be. 

I submitted my own: “New Jersey, Here’s Your F@*#in’ Garden”. Graphically the spokesperson, traditionally the governor, would cup his/her genitalia as he/she intoned this "Jersey as you can get" slogan. 

I described an entire campaign -  a group of hikers in the Kittatinny Mountains, life guards on a beach, Revolutionary War reenactors on the battlefield in Monmouth, farmers in the blueberry patches in Hammonton, a group of Giants and Jets at the Meadowlands, Bruce and Little Steven on the stage at the Stone Pony - all grabbing their crotches yelling “New Jersey, Here’s Your F@$#in’ Garden.” 


The campaign would have generated international attention. The state would have achieved tons of free publicity - news articles, commentaries, editorials, late-night talk show fodder... but nooooo! Once again  I had cast intellectual pearls before cretinous swine. Or maybe they just thought this New Jersey idiom wouldn't translate well out of state? – as ever BB  

“Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities.” - Oscar Wilde