# Ego qualis sim scio



## Cha5e

Hey,
i got this phrase given to me by a friend. He asked if i could translate it so here i am. Has anybody knows what it means?

Thanks 

Ego qualis sim scio


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## Cagey

Hello, Cha5e.  

I would render this: _I know what sort of person I am. _


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## Cha5e

Cagey said:


> Hello, Cha5e.
> 
> I would render this: _I know what sort of person I am. _



Thank you. Thats close to what i thought it was, i mean i dont know any latin except a few phrases, but he did mention having something like that phrase but in english. 

In that case what would "I know what i am" translate to?


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## Cagey

You would have to tell us what you mean by "what".  Latin would say it differently depending on whether you meant "what" in the sense of category of being (=human) or what status you have in the world, or some other thing. If you mean "what" in the sense of what qualities you have, the sentence you gave us would be one way of saying it.


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## Cha5e

Cagey said:


> You would have to tell us what you mean by "what".  Latin would say it differently depending on whether you meant "what" in the sense of category of being (=human) or what status you have in the world, or some other thing. If you mean "what" in the sense of what qualities you have, the sentence you gave us would be one way of saying it.



OK, fair enough. Erm "what". For example. "I know im a man" or "I know im miserable" or "I know imma killer" or something like that. I think i mean "what" as in a quality.

Does that help at all?


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## Cagey

I would not use the same sentence to say "I know what I am [=a man]" and "I know what I am [= miserable]".  I might not even use the same sentence to say "I know what I am [= a man]" and "I know what I am [= a killer]", depending on the sense I gave "man".  

English allows the meaning be ambiguous. Latin requires more specificity, depending on the reference.


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## Cha5e

OK erm, how about this example.

Man 1 = "Your a nasty piece of work"
Man 2 = "I know what i am"

Im struggling because the phrase "I know what i am" a person being many things.


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## Cagey

In this case, I think the sentence you have says what you want it to.  It works whether Man 2 is thinking:Man 2 = "I know what I am." (_Yes, I'm_ _a nasty piece of work._)​ORMan 2 = "I know what I am." (_No, I'm an extraordinarily wonderful person._)​OR
Man 2 = "I know what I am." (_I'm just an average person, no better or worse than anyone else__._)​_Qualis_ allows for evaluative phrases.


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