Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis (alternatively Ibis redibis nunquam in bello morieris) is a Latin phrase, often used to illustrate the meaning of syntactic ambiguity to students of either Latin or linguistics. Traditionally, it is attributed to the oracles of Dodona. The phrase is thought to have been uttered to a general consulting the oracle about his fate in an upcoming battle. The sentence is crafted in a way that, without punctuation, it can be interpreted in two significantly different ways.[1][2]
Meaning "you will go, you will return, never in war will you perish". The other possibility is the exact opposite in meaning:
Ibis, redibis nunquam, per bella peribis.
That is: "you will go, you will return never, in war you will perish".
Greek parallel
A Greek parallel expression with the same meaning is also current: ἤξεις ἀφήξεις, οὐ θνήξεις ἐν πολέμῳ. While Greek authorities have in the past assumed this was the original Dodona oracle (e.g. first edition of Babiniotis dictionary), no ancient instance of the expression is attested, and a future form corresponding to the rhyming θνήξεις (instead of the classical θανεῖ) is first attested from the reign of Nero (Greek Anthology 9.354). The Greek expression is therefore likeliest a modern back-translation from the Latin.[3]
Contemporary usage
To say that something is an ibis redibis, usually in the context of legal documents, is to say that its wording is (either deliberately or accidentally) confusing or ambiguous.
ibis, redibis, nunquam, bella, peribis, alternatively, ibis, redibis, nunquam, bello, morieris, latin, phrase, often, used, illustrate, meaning, syntactic, ambiguity, students, either, latin, linguistics, traditionally, attributed, oracles, dodona, phrase, tho. Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis alternatively Ibis redibis nunquam in bello morieris is a Latin phrase often used to illustrate the meaning of syntactic ambiguity to students of either Latin or linguistics Traditionally it is attributed to the oracles of Dodona The phrase is thought to have been uttered to a general consulting the oracle about his fate in an upcoming battle The sentence is crafted in a way that without punctuation it can be interpreted in two significantly different ways 1 2 Contents 1 Meanings and translation 1 1 Greek parallel 1 2 Contemporary usage 2 See also 3 ReferencesMeanings and translation EditIbis redibis nunquam per bella peribis Meaning you will go you will return never in war will you perish The other possibility is the exact opposite in meaning Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis That is you will go you will return never in war you will perish Greek parallel Edit A Greek parallel expression with the same meaning is also current ἤ3eis ἀfh3eis oὐ 8nh3eis ἐn polemῳ While Greek authorities have in the past assumed this was the original Dodona oracle e g first edition of Babiniotis dictionary no ancient instance of the expression is attested and a future form corresponding to the rhyming 8nh3eis instead of the classical 8aneῖ is first attested from the reign of Nero Greek Anthology 9 354 The Greek expression is therefore likeliest a modern back translation from the Latin 3 Contemporary usage Edit To say that something is an ibis redibis usually in the context of legal documents is to say that its wording is either deliberately or accidentally confusing or ambiguous See also EditEats Shoots amp LeavesReferences Edit Maldonado J L On Ambiguity Confusion and the Ego Ideal 1993 International Journal of Psycho Analysis vol 74 p 93 websters online dictionary org permanent dead link Nikos Sarantakos blog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis amp oldid 1062949356, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
