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Translating a text about Moldavia from 1597

Latin Language Asked on August 25, 2021

Could someone translate this text from 1597?

I am not sure the text is correct, because of the automatic recognition and some manual fixes:

Moldavia autem à quibusdam major, Nigra, sive superior VValachia
dicitur. Nomen autem sortita dicitur à Romano quodam Legato, seu
Præfecto, Flacco nomine, à quo Flaccia dičta,unde postea exigua
mutatione VValaccianomen factu est.
Italica quoque lingua olim usi sunt, sed eamita corruperunt, ut natus
Italus VValachum vix intellecturus sit.
Fuit autem VValachia olim Ungaris tributaria, semper tamen suum
proprium principem, sive VVayvvodam habuit.

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The Google translation seem inexact to me

"Moldavia, however, of some to the greater, the black, whether it is above VValachia is said to be. A certain Roman, however, it has chosen is called of the name of the ambassador, or the prefect, the name of Flaccus, whom shall I be Flacco has been said, and that later on only a small change of the VValaccianomen managed.
The Italian language also have been used long ago, but eamita have destroyed it, so that it is born, an Italian VValachum scarcely have understood them.
There was, however, VValachia a tribute in the past they may be anointed, yet he is always the leader of his own, whether it be VVayvvodam for that year."

One Answer

First, a couple fixes to the transcription:

Moldavia autem à quibusdam major, Nigra, sive superior Walachia dicitur. Nomen autem sortita dicitur à Romano quodam Legato, seu Præfecto, Flacco nomine, à quo Flaccia dicta, unde postea exigua mutatione Walacciæ nomen factum est.

Italica quoque lingua olim usi sunt, sed eam ita corruperunt, ut natus Italus Walachum vix intellecturus sit. Fuit autem Walachia olim Ungaris tributaria, semper tamen suum proprium principem, sive Waywodam habuit.

My translation:

Some people call Moldavia "greater", "black", or "upper" Wallachia. This name is said to have come about because of a certain Roman Legate, or maybe Prefect, by the name of Flaccus; it was named "Flaccia" after him, and from that, after a slight change, the name "Walaccia" was created.

They also use the Italian (Latin?) language there, but they've mutilated it so badly that that a native Italian can scarcely understand a Wallachian. At one point, Wallachia was a vassal of Hungary, but it always had its own native ruler, or "Voivode".

Correct answer by Draconis on August 25, 2021

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