albus an ater sit

Latin

	A user suggests that this Latin entry be cleaned up, giving the reason: “The example don't have the lemma in it. Maybe WT:RFVN for the entry?”.
	Please see the discussion on Requests for cleanup⁽⁺⁾ for more information and remove this template after the problem has been dealt with.

From albus (“white”) + an (“whether”) + āter (“black”) + sit (“he may be”) the present subjunctive third person singular of sum (“I am”). Literally meaning "he may be white or black". Compare homō nūllīus colōris (“a man of no color”).

Originally from the longer:

Albus an ater sit, nescio.

I don't know whether he is white or black.

or

Albus an ater sit, non curo.

I care not whether he is white or black.

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈal.bus an ˈaː.ter sit/, [ˈäɫ̪bʊs̠ än ˈäːt̪ɛr s̠ɪt̪]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈal.bus an ˈa.ter sit/, [ˈälbus än ˈäːt̪er sit̪]

Vide, quam te amārit is, qui albus aterve fueris ignorans, fratris filium praeteriit.

See how much he loved you, who, not knowing whether you were black or white, passed over his brother's son.

Unde illa scivit, ater an albus nascerer.

How did she know whether I would be born black or white?