luvvie

English translation: Explained below

01:36 Feb 15, 2007

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

English term or phrase: luvvie

Hi,

Another one from the same book. Now my problem is the word "luvvie" in the following context:

Jane Grigson was married to Geoffrey Grigson, who for decades was the most caustic and dismissive literary critic in the country, so they represented a Jack and mrs Sprat of temperaments. Not that Jane Grigson was a food **luvvie**: her views were always clear, never soggy.

Thanks for any tips!
Maria

Maria Rosich Andreu KudoZ activity Questions: 555 (1 open) (5 closed without grading) Answers: 1783 Spain
Local time: 23:15

Selected answer:Explained below

Explanation:
Luvvie was coined from the habit of actors etc calling people love, lovie or darling because they couldn't remember their names or wished to seem to be close friends or associates of more famous people. Hence, a luvvie is now anyone who moves in the circles of the famous - especially if they're flamboyantly affectionate.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2007-02-15 08:09:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

By saying that Sophie isn't a luvvie, the author gives her a bit more kudos. Basically, she's honest, down-to-earth and non-pretentious. She says what she means rather than currying favour.

Another thing about the luvvie set is that part of it stems from the fact that if you offend any of the really big stars, you're unlikely to ever work again, so everyone tries to be "nice" to everyone higher up the slippery pole of fame in the hopes that they'll be able to continue working and climb higher and therefore to be in a position where people are being sycophantic to them.

Selected response from:

kmtext
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:15

Grading comment

Thank you for the explanation.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +12

Explained below

kmtext

fanatic

Jacqueline McClure-Zerbe (X)

1 +1

Background

Andy Watkinson

4 -2

wishy washy

Shera Lyn Parpia

3 -4

insecure, confused, etc...

Alexander Demyanov

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): -4

insecure, confused, etc...

Explanation:
http://www.freesearch.co.uk/dictionary/luvvie

In your case, probably about food.

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Note added at 27 mins (2007-02-15 02:04:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Just looked at your previous questions.
It may actually fall nicely into the word definition. Something like
Not that J.G. was someone not really secure/skilled/knowledgeable/etc. about food/food preparation/etc.

Alexander Demyanov
Local time: 17:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 38

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Andy Watkinson: The author is using an old English reference to describe their relationship

14 mins

-> Ok, the author is using. I don't think it contradicts my reding.

disagree

Veronica Coquard: I have never heard of "luvvie" meaning insecure, and your link doesn't enlighten me.

6 hrs

-> Thanks, I'll know better now.

disagree

TonyTK: Sorry, nothing to do with "insecure".

6 hrs

-> Thanks, I'll know better now.

disagree

Tony M: No, it's a very specific British idiom, nothing to do with "insecure" at all.

6 hrs

-> Thanks, I'll know better now.

disagree

Will Matter: Bot tam. Izvinite. The Brits are right, 100%, in this case.

15 hrs

-> Dear willmatter. What is this "being kind" business? If you don't agree w/my suggestion, grade "disagree". "Neutral" should mean "a possible but not the best interpretation". "Kind" "neutrals" may mislead an asker.//Much better. Thanks, Will.

34 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Background

Explanation:
Hola María,

Simplemente para ponerte "en atecedentes".

El autor utiliza una referencia a una vieja rima inglesa, acerca de Jack Sprat y su mujer (una pareja de gustos totalmente opuestos), cuya relación compara con la de los Grigson.

Pero hace una salvedad, los Grigson no son tan contrarios en su forma de ser como los Sprat, porque Jane expresa sus opiniones con la misma claridad que su marido, el crítico.

Andy

Jack Sprat rhyme aka Jack Spratt

Jack Sprat could eat no fat
His wife could eat no lean
And so betwixt the two of them
They licked the platter clean

Jack ate all the lean,
Joan ate all the fat.
The bone they picked it clean,
Then gave it to the cat

Jack Sprat was wheeling,
His wife by the ditch.
The barrow turned over,
And in she did pitch.

Says Jack, "She'll be drowned!"
But Joan did reply,
"I don't think I shall,
For the ditch is quite dry.".

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Note added at 44 mins (2007-02-15 02:21:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Si lo has de traducir, imposible reproducir para el pub. obj. la misma referencia.

Tendría que ser algo -"Jane Grigson was married to Geoffrey Grigson, who for decades was the most caustic and dismissive literary critic in the country, de modo que eran polos aparte en cuanto a temperamento. Lo cual no quiere decir que Jane Grigson fuera sosa ...(la palabra "sosa" encajaría bien con lo "cáustico" del marido, quizá ........

Andy

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Note added at 45 mins (2007-02-15 02:22:30 GMT)
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en lo que a temperamento se refiere...

Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 23:15
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: thank you for your explanation. I have the Spanish version of the book as well (I am translating into Catalan), where this was translated as "remilgada". But I think now it means exactly the opposite: she doesn't just praise anything, but gives clear opinions, right?

Asker: Thank you for the extra explanation. Just FYI, I have the Spanish verion as well (I am translating into Catalan this time), and there it is translated as "remilgada". However I think it means exactly the opposite...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Refugio: She was no Mrs. Spratt.

27 mins

-> Indeed. Thanks Ruth,

agree

KathyT: Agree, but this was English monolingual :-)

1 hr

neutral

TonyTK: It's all Greek to me. Could we have that in English?

6 hrs

disagree

Tony M: No, I'm afraid you've missed the whole point of this very specific British idiom / Perhaps you'd care to explain your point in EN then?

6 hrs

-> Quite the contrary, I've known this "specific British idiom" for nigh on 50 years (the Liverpool version, admittedly:-). A different matter is whether you fully understand the explanation which, I confess, I should have written in English.

neutral

Veronica Prpic Uhing: Ne razumijem sto ste rekli!

6 hrs

neutral

Paula Vaz-Carreiro: This is the English monolingual forum - explanations should be in English

8 hrs

neutral

Will Matter: Ingles, por favor, amigo.

15 hrs

2 hrs confidence:

fanatic

Explanation:
The definition for luvvie relates to lover, but also to dramatic displays by theatrical types, aimed at pleasing the audience. I thought that the word fanatic might be used to capture such behaviour in the context of food.

Reference: http://www.allwords.com/word-luvvie.html

Jacqueline McClure-Zerbe (X)
Canada
Local time: 17:15
Native speaker of: English

6 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +12

Explained below

kmtext
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:15
Native speaker of:

English,

Gaelic
PRO pts in category: 56

Grading comment

Thank you for the explanation.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Veronica Coquard: Sounds good to me, and the Spanish explanation is lost on me. A link that backs up this statement: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=luvvie

20 mins

-> Mòran taing

agree

TonyTK: "Pretentious" being the key word, I'd think. (Tom Hanks from Private Eye's regular "Luvvies" section: "(I view [the Da Vinci Code] as a great opportunity to discuss and clarify one's own place in the universe and cosmos."

27 mins

-> Mòran taing

agree

Tony M: Yes, I remember first hearing it in connection with Dickie Attenborough

44 mins

-> Mòran taing

agree

cmwilliams (X)

1 hr

-> Mòran taing

agree

Hakki Ucar

1 hr

-> Mòran taing

agree

Veronica Prpic Uhing

1 hr

-> Mòran taing

agree

Rachel Fell

2 hrs

agree

Paula Vaz-Carreiro

2 hrs

agree

juvera

3 hrs

agree

Vicky Papaprodromou

4 hrs

agree

Alfa Trans (X)

7 hrs

agree

Will Matter: Right. Absolutely right.

9 hrs

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

wishy washy

Explanation:
Jane Grigson was the well known author of several highly respected cookbooks. Her views on food were always clear and well presented. She had clear, definite ideas.
What I think this means is that she was never "wishy washy", or maybe if you prefer some less jargony you might say "undecided" or "unclear"

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 23:15
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 23

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