science

Motto

Motto is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Motto rather than just read about it. In short: A motto (derived from the Latin muttum, 'mutter', by way of Italian motto, 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organization. Mottos (or mottoes) are usually found predominantly in written form (unlike slogans, which may also be expressed orally), and may stem from long traditions of social foun…

Key takeaways

Motto belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Motto to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Motto from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A motto (derived from the Latin muttum, 'mutter', by way of Italian motto, 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organization. Mottos (or mottoes) are usually found predominantly in written form (unlike slogans, which may also be expressed orally), and may stem from long traditions of social foundations, or from significant events, such as a civil war or a revolution. One's motto may be in any language, but Latin has been widely used, especially in the Western world.

Language Latin has been very common for mottos in the Western World, but for nation states, their official national language is generally chosen. Examples of using other historical languages in motto language include:

County of Somerset in England: Sumorsǣte ealle (All the men of Somerset), Old English. South Cambridgeshire in the English Fens: Niet Zonder Arbyt (Nothing without work), Dutch, originally the motto of Dutchman Cornelius Vermuyden, who drained The Fens in the 17th century. South Africa: ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke (Unity in diversity), ǀXam. Shire of Shetland: Með lögum skal land byggja (By law shall the land be built up), Old Norse. A canting motto is one that contains word play. For example, the motto of the Earl of Onslow is Festina lente (literally 'make haste slowly'), punningly interpreting 'on slow'. Similarly, the motto of the Burgh of Tayport, Te oportet alte ferri (It is incumbent on you to carry yourself high), is a cant on 'Tayport at auld Tay Ferry', also alluding to the local lighthouse. The motto of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity, is a backronym of the letters F.B.I.

List of examples

United in diversity, the motto of the European Union (EU) In God We Trust, the motto of the United States (US) Je Maintiendrai Châlons (French for "I will maintain Châlons"), often abbreviated as Je maintiendrai (French for "I will maintain"), the motto of the Netherlands Dieu et mon droit (French for "God and my right"), is the motto of the monarch of the United Kingdom. It appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the version of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. Ελευθερία ή θάνατος (Eleftheria i thanatos), the national motto of Greece (Greek for "Freedom or Death") Plus ultra, official motto of Spain (Latin for "Further beyond") Post tenebras lux (Latin for "Light After Darkness"), motto of University of Geneva E Mare Libertas, official motto of the micronation of Sealand (Latin for "From the Sea, Freedom")

Mottos in heraldry

In heraldry, a motto is often found below the shield in a banderole in the compartment. This placement stems from the Middle Ages, in which the vast majority of nobles possessed a coat of arms complete with a motto. In the case of Scottish heraldry, it is mandated to appear above the crest and is called slogan (see: Slogan (heraldry)). The word 'slogan' is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm (sluagh "army, host" + gairm "cry"). There are several notable slogans which are thought to originate from a battle or war cries. In heraldic literature, the terms 'rallying cry' respectively 'battle banner' are also common. Spanish coats of arms may display a motto in the bordure of the shield. In English heraldry, mottos are not granted with armorial bearings, and may be adopted and changed at will. In Scottish heraldry, mottos can only be changed by re-matriculation, with the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Although unusual in England, and perhaps outside English heraldic practice, there are some examples, such as in Belgium, of the particular appearance of the motto scroll and letters thereon being blazoned; a prominent example is the obverse of the Great Seal of the United States (which is a coat of arms and follows heraldic conventions), the blazon for which specifies that the motto scroll is held in the beak of the bald eagle serving as the escutcheon's supporter.

Ships and submarines in the Royal Navy (RN) each have a badge and motto, as do units of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Mottos in literature In literature, a motto is a sentence, phrase, poem, or word; prefixed to an essay, chapter, novel, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter. It is a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle for the written material that follows. For example, Robert Louis Stevenson's Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes uses mottos at the start of each section.

Illustrations

Logo of the French Republic "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité", French for "liberty, equality, fraternity"

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Motto

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Motto claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Motto before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Motto ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Motto

In research: Motto appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Motto in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Motto is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Ethical principles, External devices in achievements, Intention, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Motto outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Motto in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Motto means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Motto out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Motto in simple terms?

Why does Motto matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Motto?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Motto.