# He Restores Minds



## Lux1985

Ok, so here's a challenge for you guys:

FYI: I'm good with languages but fairly new to Latin, so forgive my lack of knowledge. I'm _so_ frustrated; any help would be so appriciated! 

I've been trying for _*months *_to figure out how to create a name out of the phrase "he restores minds", and because it's going to be a last-name, it's ok if it sound ridiculous -- so long as it's just one (compound) word! 

First, let me just say:
*I am NOT a student, and this is NOT my homework.* (For some reason, last time I tried to post, my thread was soon deleted -- I thought it was perhaps because I had mentioned that I've been trying to come up with a feasible last name for a character in my personal writting, but perhaps one of the moderators got the wrong idea.) 

That said, I realize that clearly the name will have to be 2 or more words, and that is perfectly fine as I plan to just combine them, essentially just putting them in the correct syntactical order and then removing the space between. All I really want is just for it to still "flow" well and pass for a believable (though long and archaic, I'm sure) last-name. ;o)

I was thinking *Recromens? Mensrecro*? (Recro + Mens) I don't know which is right. I thought Mens*reddiditt* or the reverse, but that's too long even for a last-name, and I'm not sure if it's even conjugated properly. I think it's in first person sing act ind...I have no idea if it's masculine or not..but it needs to be. 
*Reddomens *could be taken, I think, as "he translates mind" I think...where as *Recro* is usually "revive or restore", is that right? Reddo is kind of prettier though.

I'm not married to the word "recro" or "mens", if anyone can think of a better one, but it should stay somewhat synonomous as it is the essence of my character. 

*It would have to encompass the following:*

*The definition of "To restore; as in to restitute" (the most exact word for which I'm searching, and though I thought I remembered this word being very nearly Latin, coming from *Restituo* or something like that. But even so, I think something shorter would be better, given that *"mens"/ "mentis"* or the like will be tacked on and a name shouldn't be too long)

*The tense, etc, should allow the sentence to read like this (if it were explained in English): "He who has restored minds in the past, and currently restores them now", which is what I've been trying to conjugate...so far I've been convinced it's everything from present active indicative 3rd person masculine singular (which I almost hope it's not, since I think I found the conjugated verb to then be *"recrat"* for the verb "recro"...though I know that's not the infinitive, it's all those stupid translators and dictionaries will churn out...probably first person as it is...?

So far I have done just fine deriving my latin-names, without having to use those terrible translators, but this conjugation has just been such a headache, so I tried the online converters...as you can see they are unhelpful. Please forgive if all these words are totaly wrong or just weirdly conjugated, as I tried to include infinitives.

*Lastly, the direct object (mens) is plural, as in "he restores our minds", but I was hoping not to have to include personal pronouns while making such things easily understood if someone were to read the two words in context.

I know I'm writing you guys a novel--so sorry--and I also realize I've got a lot of particulars in mind which may not be possible; as such, I am of course willing to make changes to the translation I was originally hoping for. 

Any of your advice/opinions would be greatly appriciated! 

Thanks!
Lux


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## DieuEtMonDroit

First of all, it's _recreo_ and not _recro_.

_Recreare_ means restore as in _repairing_.

_Reddere_ means restore as in _giving back_.

If you wish to use recreare, which I think you do, the correct conjugation for he restores will be _recreat_.
If you would want to use reddere it will be _reddit_.
Let's say you want to use recreare, though.

The word _mens_, means _mind_. However it has to be declensed in the accusative case, in which case it would be _mentem_. Moreover you wanted it in plural, in which case it will be _mentes._

Ergo:
You will have to put together the words _recreat_ and _mentes._
_Mentesrecreat _or_ Recreatmentes._
That is not a very fair-sounding name though.


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## brian

I think it's going to be tough to find a short, one-word answer for this in Latin. Can you make it two names, like a middle and a last name? If so, I would suggest: _Mentium Recreator_ <-- "restorer of minds."


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## Lux1985

Thanks for the ideas! I'm still undecided about the name, but I'm working with the suggestions of both members who have replied to my thread...and I know I'll think of something. A middle and last name might be the best way to do this...or perhaps just to drop the "mind" part and go with Reddit, as in "gives back"...that would be nice too. Maybe I could make Reddere into a noun, like "the one who gives back"...in english that would be "giver-backer" I guess lol. 

thanks!
Lux


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## brian

Well, the noun from "reddo" would be "redditor," but I'm afraid that actually came to be the word for "payer, one who pays." So I would not use that.


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## Lux1985

oh my goodness! that would be the WRONG message to send to whatever *few* readers might be investigative/educated enough to actually know what my latin-names mean. ;o) 
I am so glad you told me! any further thoughts/suggestions? I have to come up with a definitive name soon, as the manuscript is almost finished...

...technically, it's not a manuscript since it's not "hand" written...ok...won't get into that.

perhaps are there any very short words that I could use in place of "mentes"?
doesn't "ara" mean soul?
I could use "Reddit" with "ara" (or a similar very-short word) and it wouldn't be quite so long. While "reddit" isn't as precise in meaning as "recreator", I think "recreator" looks too much like the English "to create again: re-creator" and might be too obvious (and the whole point of me giving names in Latin is to make a less-obvious statment about the charater) 
so "redditara" or the like may work because it's shorter. ::sigh:: I don't know...

nevermind. I looked it up. "ara" means refuge/altar.
Maybe I should just use different words...I'm not sure where to compromise on this one.


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## brian

What about _Mentium Restitutor_?


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## Lux1985

Humm...I definitly like that better than my other options so far. I'm going to go with that for now. The only issue I have with the name is how close it is to english words I'm using a lot in the text; ("restitution" is part of the subtitle) and that makes it a little less subtle. Maybe I should just go with different words entirely that still say something powerful about the character. I was thinking "he awoke us/frees us"
...maybe those words are easier to work with? If not, Ill just go with what you've suggested, it's certainly the best I've got thus far. thanks ;o)


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## brian

Unfortunately for you, because English took so much from French and Latin, it's going to be hard to choose words that don't already have English equivalents. So for example, "he frees us"/"free-er, he who frees" would be "liberat"/"liberator." Not very conspicuous.

Anyway, if you decide to go another route, make sure you open a new thread that deals with the new words in English. You can give a link to your explanation in this thread, of course.


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## Lux1985

Ok, thanks. But tell me, if you don't mind: what would you name a character if you were to base him/her on the idea of a great-mentor and overwhelming-influence in your life?--If it had to be one-name, one-word; short but striking and meaningful?
Using any words, what would you chose?


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## brian

I guess if you wanted to sacrifice being technically "correct" in Latin for the sake of having a real-sounding last name, you could go with something like _Reddementem_.

The problem is that it simply doesn't sound good to say _Redditmentem_ because it doesn't flow well as one word. _Reddementem_ flows better, but _Redde_ is actually the singular imperative, so it actually means "Give back/Restore the mind." I don't know if you want that though.

I'll have to think about it.


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## Lux1985

Yes you're exactly right, I like "redditmentem" but it's too many of those terminal-t sounds and such. But Reddementem is much better...if you think it would make some sort of sense to you--you, as a person who was theoretically reading it in a book and happened to understand latin--then i'll use that. As long as it isn't lending itself to some other translation that may be undesireable...other than just "to give back mind" which is fine...i mean, like, if you seperated the words wrong, it wouldn't read as like "dementem = demented" would it? lol, silly fears of mine.

you've been so very helpful, I can't thank you enough. ;o)


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## brian

Any person who can understand Latin will understand _Reddementem_ as "Give back the mind." I can't really remember not understanding Latin since I learned it when I was so young, but I can't throw out the possibility that some people might think something like _red + dementem = _"red & demented." I have no idea.

It's your call, but this about all I can come up with at the moment.


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## Lux1985

Right, I understand. Lastly, considering I'll have to sacrifice perfectly-conjugated latin if I want to use these words, which compromised form would be better, do you think:  Reddementem (where Redde isn't conjugated)  or  Redditmens (where mens isn't declensed properly) 
I'll go with which ever you think. Final decision. ;o)


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## brian

_Reddementem_ means "Give back the mind," where "give" is imperative, like "Give me the book."

_Redditmens_ is definitely not good because that means "The mind gives back," where _mens_ is the subject.


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## Lux1985

ahhhhh...good to know...see, these are the *little* details I thought wouldn't be such a big deal...but "the mind gives back" is a translation-error that is quite a big deal. Reddementem, it is then! thanks again, really--couldn't have done it without you!!

-Lux


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