23 September 2012

What's a motto with you?

First off, allow me to apologize profusely for not updating. Real life got in the way, and y'all know how that is. I'm back in business now, and hopefully won't go so long between updates again.

Do you know what America's motto is? 

If you said "E pluribus unum," you're wrong. It's actually "In God we trust." A motto is a single phrase that tells you what an organization is all about. Some of them are interesting.

For sanity's sake, all mottoes in a foreign language will be translated into English. Their original language is listed at the bottom.


  • Algeria. By the people and for the people.
  • American Samoa. Samoa, let God be first. 
  • Andorra. Strength, united is stronger.
  • Angola. Republic of Angola.
  • Anguilla. Strength and endurance.
  • Antigua & Barbuda. Each endeavoring, all achieving.
  • Argentina. In union and liberty.
    • Set during the 1813 War for Independence from Spain.
  • Armenia. One nation, one culture.
  • Aruba. Always progressing.
  • Australia. Advance Australia.
  • Austria. A.E.I.O.U.
    • This is open to interpretation. It was first used by Emperor Frederick III (1415-93). He didn't reveal its meaning until soon before his death. He said it stood for "Alles Erdreich ist Osterreich untertan." (All the world is subject to Austria.) However, others have proposed alternate meaning, which rose and fell in popularity as the political climate changed.
    • "Austria est imperio optime unita." (Austria is the best empire united.)
    • "Austria erit in orbe ultima." (Austria will be the last-surviving in the world.)
    • "Austriae est imperare orbi universo." (It is Austria's destiny to rule the world.) That works out so well for Austria, every time they try that.
    • "Austria Europae imago, onus, unio." (Austria is Europe's spitting image, burden, and unification.) Proposed in 1951.
  • Austria-Hungary. Indivisibly and inseparably.
  • Azores. Rather die as free men than be enslaved in peace.
  • Bahamas. Forward, upward, onward together.
  • Bangladesh. Nationalism, secularism, democracy, and socialism.
  • Barbados. Pride and industry.
  • Bavaria. In loyalty, steadfast.
  • Belgium. Unity makes strength.
    • Has been used since 1550. It is given in French, Dutch, and German.
  • Belize. Under the shade I flourish.
  • Benin. Fellowship, justice, labor. 
  • Bermuda. Whither the fates carry us.
  • Biafra. Peace, unity, freedom. (Seceded from Nigeria in 1967, reunited in 1970 after a bloody civil war.)
  • Bolivia. Unity is strength.
  • Botswana. Rain.
  • Brazil. Order and progress.
  • Empire of Brazil (1822-89). Independence or death!
  • British Antarctic Territory. Research and discovery.
  • British Indian Ocean Territory. Lemuria is in our charge.
    • Lemuria is a mythical lost continent in the Indian Ocean.
  • British Virgin Islands. Be watchful.
  • Brunei. Always in service with God's guidance.
  • Bulgaria. Union makes strength.
  • Burkina Faso. Unity, progress, justice.
  • Upper Volta. Unity, work, justice.
  • Burundi. Unity, work, progress.
  • Cambodia. Nation, religion, king.
  • Cameroon. Peace, work, fatherland.
  • Canada. From sea to sea.
  • Canary Islands. Ocean.
  • Cape Verde. Republic of Cape Verde.
  • Cayman Islands. He hath founded it upon the seas.
  • CAR. Unity, dignity, work.
  • Chad. Unity, work, progress.
  • Chile. Through reason or by force.
  • Chuvashia (part of Russia). Chuvash Republic.
  • Colombia. Freedom and order.
  • Comoros. Unity, justice, progress.
  • Confederate States. Under God, our vindicator.
  • DRC. Justice, peace, work.
  • Republic of the Congo. Unity, work, progress.
  • Costa Rica. Long live work and peace.
  • Cote d'Ivoire. Unity, discipline, labor.
  • Croatia. None official.
    • As long as there is heart, there is Croatia.
    • God and the Croats.
  • Cuba. Homeland or death.
  • Cyprus. I do not forget and I strive.
  • Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. 1983. (The year it was unofficially founded.)
  • Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia. Truth prevails!
  • Countries with no official motto: Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, China, Cook Islands.

  • Arabic: Algeria, Brunei.
  • Samoan: American Samoa.
  • Latin: Aruba, Andorra, Austria, Austria-Hungary, Belize, Bermuda,  BIOT, BVI, Canada, CSA, Czechoslovakia.
  • Portuguese: Angola, Azores, Brazil, Empire of Brazil, Cape Verde.
  • Spanish: Argentina, Bolivia, Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba.
  • Armenian: Armenia.
  • German: Bavaria, Belgium.
  • Dutch: Belgium.
  • French: Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Upper Volta, Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Comoros, DRC, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire.
  • Tswana: Botswana.
  • Bulgarian: Bulgaria.
  • English: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Biafra, BAT, Cayman Islands.
  • Khmer: Cambodia.
  • Chuvash: Chuvashia.
  • Croatian: Croatia.
  • Greek: Cyprus.
  • Czech: Czech Republic, Czechoslovakia.
  • Slovak: Czechoslovakia.

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