# Quo modo



## iGustavo

Hi!
I saw this sentence "quo modo" in a song of an american band, this american band is called The Offspring, the song is "Trust In You", I don't know what "Quo modo" means, I think it's latin, but I thought it may be some kind of expressions in some english speakers countries.
Is it english? Is it used as expression? If so, what does it mean?

Lyrics for the song you can check out at the official website of the band, try looking for it in google. I can't post links here yet.

Thanks in advance.

PS: I am really sorry if this thread is in the wrong section, it's my first post here.


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## cuchuflete

Welcome to the forums, iGustavo.  I'll move your query to the appropriate forum.
The expression is not English.


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## iGustavo

cuchuflete said:


> Welcome to the forums, iGustavo.  I'll move your query to the appropriate forum.
> The expression is not English.



Ok, thanks. I'm sorry, I thought it may be English.


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## Cagey

iGustavo said:


> Hi!
> I saw this sentence "quo modo" in a song of an American band, this American band is called The Offspring, the song is "Trust In You", I don't know what "Quo modo" means, I think it's Latin, but I thought it may be some kind of expressions in some English speakers countries.
> Is it English? Is it used as expression? If so, what does it mean?



It is Latin and it means "In what manner?" "How?' as a question, or "the way in which" as the beginning of a relative clause.  This second meaning seems relevant to the lyrics, which are linked here.  

Speaking approximately, a comparison is being made between the way he asks God to pull him up and _the way in which_ (quo modo) someone might be drawn from shadow to light.  (Someone else may be able to provide more information about the religious resonance of the phrase.) 

_Quo modo_ is not, to my knowledge, ordinarily used by English speakers.


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## rainbowizard

*quomódo *written as a whole word is the expression used by Holy Mary when visited by Gabriel Archangel (Lc. 1,34)
The meaning in English is "How (can that be possible)"


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## vERAcIs SvMvs

Quómodo, would be correct - quo with long o, modo with short os. This is the source for Italian come and Portuguese como, same meaning. Romans used spaces between in inscriptions only, this became in a single word: from very early in the Roman empire, such forms were in use by uneducated Roman citizens: qomo, comodo, quomo, como. The last one was used in Pompei already in the 1st century AD. Simply pronounce it with a heavy stress on quo and you sound like an ancient Roman, just ad a toga and tunica! Simlar strange use occurred by educated people to, especially: QVOTIDIE, QVOTTIDIE, COTTIDIE, COTIDIE. I think I'm very good ad classical Latin pronunciation for one who has learnt only for one year, but that is irrelevant boasting. I wich I ad a microphone, otherwise, listen to this, not me, an Italian who has taken the time to learn classical Latin, DILIGENTISSIME, pronounced [di:lighen'tiss(u/i)me]:   search, from Google,:   "cena trimalchionis mox ventura", sine parentheses!


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## wonderment

Cagey said:


> It is Latin and it means "In what manner?" "How?' as a question, or "the way in which" as the beginning of a relative clause.  This second meaning seems relevant to the lyrics, which are linked here.
> 
> Speaking approximately, a comparison is being made between the way he asks God to pull him up and _the way in which_ (quo modo) someone might be drawn from shadow to light.  (Someone else may be able to provide more information about the religious resonance of the phrase.)



Hi there : I agree with the translation but not sure that _quomodo_ has to have a religious nuance. The lyrics sound to me like the lament of a bitter soul trying to mend a broken relationship; he’s talking to the person involved and wondering how to trust again, how to move from shadow to light, how to let that someone “pull him up”...

(quomodo? un tiramisu che mi tira su )


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## SpcT

I agree with 'wonderment' as far as the meaning and usage.  The Offspring have been one of my favorite bands for quite sometime. (though I stopped buying their albums after 'Ixnay on the Hombre' as the music took a step for the worse) I would assume my fascination stems from their ability to address real problems from a personal to a global level.  I guess that's what you get when the lyricist for a band is both intelligent and educated.


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