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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: A quizzing dilemma
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Sipech
Shipmate
# 16870
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Posted
In last night's pub quiz, we faced a problem. We were a few points off the lead going into the final round, which was a wipeout round. That is, if you get one question wrong, you get zero for the whole round irrespective of how many correct answers you have. You can choose to not answer, and that doesn't count as being incorrect. The following question came up:
What one word completes this saying: "Fortune favours the..."?
One of my team was adamant that the answer was brave. Another team member said that the answer was bold. We agreed that the two were equivalent, but which is the quintessential phrasing of the sentiment? Because we didn't want to get it wrong and wipe out, we opted not to answer it. If pushed, which would you have gone for?
Poll information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 62 user(s) have voted.
You can't view the results of this poll without voting.
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
It's a very tricky one. I answered you on Twitter the same as here, but realised that the alternative is also as valid in general speech.
So I think it must count as a poor question, because in most cases, either should be acceptable.
Wikipedia has both versions, reflecting that this is a translation from a range of sources. There is probably one definitive original, but that is lost to us. Any form of Bold, Brave, Strong would be a valid use of the phrase.
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
The prepared mind.
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bib
Shipmate
# 13074
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Posted
I have never heard the 'bold' option before, but feel that the usual response is 'brave'
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Gill H
Shipmate
# 68
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Posted
I would have said 'brave' was the more common current version. I know both and think both should have been acceptable.
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Goldfish Stew
Shipmate
# 5512
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Posted
Hmmm. I'd have gone bold - brave feels to me like a newer variation on the theme. But purely conjecture.
And I'd have insisted we put an answer if in your position in spite of the risk as we'd need as many points as possible to win, and they do say that fortune favours those with sufficient kahunas
Our team motto in similar situations is "victory or death" ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Posts: 2405 | From: Aotearoa/New Zealand | Registered: Feb 2004
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L'organist
Shipmate
# 17338
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Posted
It may be that those who have studied latin have gone for bold, where those who haven't will have gone with the catch-all of brave?
I'd have gone for Fortune favours the valiant, had it been available.
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Humble Servant
Shipmate
# 18391
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Posted
Surely having "favours" and "brave" in the same sentence gives you too many 'a's and 'v's together. "Bold" has a much more woody sound to it. Seems I am in a minority.
Posts: 241 | Registered: Apr 2015
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Sipech
Shipmate
# 16870
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
It may be that those who have studied latin have gone for bold, where those who haven't will have gone with the catch-all of brave?
We were all fairly well educated (2 had studied Latin), though even that didn't prevent some rather dumb answers (before corrections via the collective wisdom). e.g.
Q: What is the Roman numeral for the number 50?
A: Trust, me I had a classical education. It's D. ![[Disappointed]](graemlins/disappointed.gif)
Q: 2 Shakespeare plays were set in Verona; The 2 Gentlemen of Verona was one, which was the other?
A: The Merchant of Venice ![[brick wall]](graemlins/brick_wall.gif)
quote:
Originally posted by Goldfish Stew:
Our team motto in similar situations is "victory or death"
Ours is normally similar, but we were actually in with a shout of winning this week, so we were somewhat more circumspect.
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churchgeek
Have candles, will pray
# 5557
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Posted
I didn't realize I'd heard this expression before, but my gut instinct is that it's concluded "...the strong." So I'm glad Schroedinger's Cat mentions it. That must be how I've heard it.
But ultimately, Zappa's answer rings true.
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The Rogue
Shipmate
# 2275
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Posted
The obvious thing to me is to see what Google (UK version) says. As I typed I got to "fortune favo" and autocomplete came up with "fortune favors the bold". When I continued by typing the "u" autocomplete changed its mind to "fortune favours the brave".
So it's a pond thing.
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simontoad
Ship's Amphibian
# 18096
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Posted
are you sure its not the bald?
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Posts: 1571 | From: Romsey, Vic, AU | Registered: May 2014
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Goldfish Stew:
(...) and they do say that fortune favours those with sufficient kahunas.
Yes, I imagine that traditional Hawai'ian priests would be helpful.
![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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Lyda*Rose
Ship's broken porthole
# 4544
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Posted
When I googled it with "Fortune Favors the", after seeing images of fortune cookies and wedding favors, the next reference was "Fortune favors the bold" on Wikipedia. Both versions, brave and bold, seem to be translations of Virgil. quote:
Audentis Fortuna iuvat (translated by both eprevodilac.com and lexilogos.com as "Fortune favors the bold."
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Pangolin Guerre
Shipmate
# 18686
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Posted
As Cole Porter wrote, "I say cojones, you say kahunas... Let's call the whole thing off."
I voted "bold", but I'm not certain that that's because I studied Latin. I do recognise it from Virgil, so perhaps it's something (my academic gown?) from years ago hanging in a dusty closet at the back of my that made me go "bold".
[ 25. July 2017, 12:20: Message edited by: Pangolin Guerre ]
Posts: 758 | From: 30 arpents de neige | Registered: Nov 2016
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
As the motto of the Yorkshire Regiment, the word used is "brave", and I think "brave" is the most popular.
Like others, I agree that "bold" is a better translation of the latin audens.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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basso
Ship’s Crypt Keeper
# 4228
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Posted
I answered 'bold' because that's what auto-complete in my mind filled in.
No idea where it came from, but it seemed a clear choice to me.
b. (American with no Latin, FWIW.)
Posts: 4358 | From: Bay Area, Calif | Registered: Mar 2003
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
"Bold" is the one I've usually heard.
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
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