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As a non-grammatical idiom, I suspect it is not easily auto-translated. Google Translate suggests "Lebetem pone", which sounds great in my head, but feels like it must be a literal translation into a gibberish sentence fragment, making little sense in Latin: Put the cauldron? Stuff the pot? Wood, Greg (17 March 2021). " 'Mad' mare Put The Kettle On proves a champion at Cheltenham Festival". The Guardian. The similar-appearing phrase "I'll boil the kettle" means "I will make some boiled water", with no implied promise to take that task any further.
Put The Kettle On began her next campaign in the Shloer Chase over two miles on soft ground at Cheltenham on 15 November in which she was ridden by Coleman and started the 7/4 second favourite behind the multiple Grade 1 winner Defi du Seuil in a four-runner field. She was in contention throughout the race, recovered a mistake at the third last, and overtook the front-running Duc Des Genievres in the closing stages to win by one and a quarter lengths. [16] After the race Coleman said "She has got a massive heart as she hated the ground. She was never happy the whole way. It was a testament to her ability and her attitude as it was a hard race for her. Since November last year, she has only run once, so she might be a touch rusty. When I got on top, I won well". [17] In the Grade 1 Paddy's Reward Club Chase at Leopardstown Racecourse on 27 December the mare was ridden by Sean Flanagan and finished third behind Chacun Pour Soi and Notebook, beaten more than eight lengths by the winner. The metal used for our signs is aluminium, to last and not to rust, so suitable for indoor, bathrooms, kitchens or outdoors. I’m not sure if it’s the repetition of this rhyme, or that it’s just plain fun to say, but both of my little girls squealed in delight when I told them that we were learning Polly Put the Kettle On this week! Translating "boil the kettle" might be easier, but it's another idiom (kettles don't boil, the water in them does), but it's the kind of synecdoche that could be near-universal. But I'm not sure Latin has a term specifically for boiling water, as opposed to cooking something. Again, Google translate for "boil water" suggests "Aquam coquite," but translates coquite to "cook". And "boil the kettle" to "coques lebetem"... cook the pot? Can that be right?
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My sister recently pondered what our family motto would be, if we had one. I suggested "I'll put the kettle on." (We know the Morgan family has several mottoes commonly ascribed to it, but I'm ignoring that for the sake of this question!) This is covered a little under How do I welcome someone in Latin? -- the answer by Joonas Ilmaverta is rather excellent, but "I'll put the kettle on" comes after that initial welcoming phrase, and fulfills the "making-at-home, settling-in" part of the conversation. Here, auto-translation won't help. This is something that I think only people steeped in Latin culture would know. Disclaimer: I know no Latin, and am asking from a position of ignorance; please feel free to correct any assumptions you spot!]
Nursery rhymes are so popular and well-loved across many settings, so using them as part of your learning makes perfect sense. They are a great support to literacy development and help children develop key sounds. Take a look at some of our other brilliant resources that can help to aid children. So, after greeting a welcome guest at the door, how would someone make them feel at home, in Latin? "Let's break bread together"? "Take a load off, make yourself at home?""Here, let me take your coat"? The missing part of the sentence is ambiguous. Put it on the stove? Put it "on the boil" (another idiom)? Turn the power on? Each of these, I imagine, would be translated differently, and I suspect the meaning has drifted through the three over time.Enjoy using this wonderful Polly Put The Kettle On nursery rhyme lyrics sheet with your class! These display posters feature a series of lovely hand drawn images to illustrate your teaching on this topic, bringing it to life for your children. It is great for enhancing your classroom, for display boards, or as discussion prompts when learning the rhyme. Family mottoes often use dog Latin, so I could easily just go with something like "Lebetem coques" (schoolboy smirk) or "Semper ferventi ab ollae" or "poppus kettleus onnus" and call it done. But now I've started digging, I can't help but wonder how the same greeting would have been given in Latin... or would be given today, in those communities which still use it.
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