mitómanos

English translation: mi interpretación

15:10 Aug 8, 2006

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Spanish term or phrase: mitómanos

Casi todos somos bastante mitómanos y, aunque tenemos una memoria selectiva, aún recordamos los vídeos de aquella chica bajita, allá por 1983.
This is from an article about Madonna and people's opinions on her.

SarahClarkG KudoZ activity Questions: 148 (7 open) (1 without valid answers) (27 closed without grading) Answers: 0
Local time: 22:37

English translation:mi interpretación

Explanation:
Casi todos somos bastante mitómanos = Most of us are inclined to see artists as larger-than-life...

Me inclinaría por darle la vuelta así. Lo de "mythomaniacs" no me suena natural....

mitomanía.
(De mito1 y manía).
1. f. Tendencia morbosa a desfigurar, engrandeciéndola, la realidad de lo que se dice.
2. f. Tendencia a mitificar o a admirar exageradamente a personas o cosas.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

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Note added at 9 mins (2006-08-08 15:20:04 GMT)
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Hmmm... según la definición de "mythomania" (del Merriam-Webster's), en inglés no tiene el segundo significado que indica en DRAE ("hacer de alguien un mito"), sino sólo el primero (exagerar la realidad - mentir):

Main Entry: myth·o·ma·nia
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek mythos myth + New Latin -mania
: an abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating
- myth·o·ma·ni·ac

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Note added at 14 mins (2006-08-08 15:24:29 GMT)
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Main Entry: larger-than-life
Function: adjective
Date: 1950
: of the sort legends are made of <larger-than-life heroes>; broadly : EXTRAORDINARY

=============

See? It's a medical condition (being a pathological liar). Nothing to do with admiring someone to the point of making a myth out of him or her.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mythomania
myth·o·ma·ni·a Pronunciation (mth-mn-, -mny)
n.
A compulsion to embroider the truth, engage in exaggeration, or tell lies.
mytho·mani·ac (-k) n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythomania

Mythomania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

In psychology, mythomania (also known as mitomania, pseudologia phantastica, or pathological lying) is a condition involving compulsive lying by a person with no obvious source of motivation. The affected person might believe their lies to be truth, and may have to create elaborate myths to reconcile them with other facts.
[edit]

External link

* Online book about pathological lying

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Note added at 22 mins (2006-08-08 15:33:01 GMT)
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http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/larger than lif...
Idiom Definition
Meaning:

* If something is excessive or exaggerated, it is larger than life

http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/LARGERTHANLIFE

Adjective: larger-than-life

1. Very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)
- epic, heroic

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=71091

Larger than life... someone who creates a magnificent impression in one's mind, u could say that a pop star that you went to see in concert was 'almost larger than life' for example. Its an expression of great admiration. Hope that gives you an idea!

Madonna is larger than life in Italy! - Topic Powered by eve community
09 - Ray of Light, Madonna 500.000 10 - Spice World, Spice Girls 500.000 ... Quick Reply to: Madonna is larger than life in Italy! Guest Name ...
forums.hollywood.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/332100755/m/592100108 - 67k -

Madonna gets real: SouthFlorida.com
Madonna spent more than two decades cultivating a larger-than-life persona, ... In a photo spread in the June issue of W magazine, Madonna is symbolically ...
www.southflorida.com/music/sfl-shmadonnajul21,0,4169048.sto... - 28k - Cached - Similar pages

I'm Going to Tell You a Secret by Madonna : Asterisk Music Store
Summary: More Proof that Madonna is Larger than Life. Comment: This may not be Truth or Dare...but This is not the same Madonna. Through the years we have ...
www.7nights.com/asterisk/store-music/product/B000FA57RG/Im-... - 22k - 6 Aug 2006 - Cached - Similar pages

Amazon.com: Madonna: GHV2 (Greatest Hits Volume 2): Music
Now I know that Madonna is larger than life and that her music is really only a part of her persona. Many people have disapproved of some of her antics over ...
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005Q66T?v=glance - 75k - Cached - Similar pages

Selected response from:

María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Panama
Local time: 15:37

Grading comment

thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

mi interpretación

María Teresa Taylor Oliver

5 +2

mythomaniacs

Lindsey Crawford

4 +2

are inclined to fabulate/let our imaginations run away with us

CMJ_Trans (X)

4 +1

myth-makers

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)

Discussion entries: 7

Answers

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

mythomaniacs

Explanation:
per Oxfprd superlex

Lindsey Crawford
Local time: 16:37
Native speaker of:

Spanish

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

myth-makers

Explanation:
Suerte

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Local time: 22:37
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 33

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

mi interpretación

María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Panama
Local time: 15:37
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Grading comment

thanks!

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

agree

Henry Hinds: Buena solución.

4 mins

-> Muchas gracias, Henry :)

agree

Susana Mate

11 mins

-> Gracias, Susana :)

agree

Roxanna Delgado: Tienes toda la razón. En este contexto no se trata de la condición médica.

17 mins

-> Gracias, Roxana =) La verdad es que me suena raro "mitómanos" (en ambos idiomas). Me suena más natural decir que a alguien se le considera un mito, y ya.

agree

skport

25 mins

-> Thanks, Sarah!

neutral

CMJ_Trans (X): sorry but I don't see it as seeing the artists as larger than life but much more general. Along the lines of embroider, extrapolate, exaggerate, confuse truth with reality// context IS important but you can't just take the words and write your own story

45 mins

-> As Susana pointed out, the word mitómanos is used in Spain to refer to the way people idolize pop stars. The asker is from Spain, her text is about Madonna, I just put two and two together. I believe context rules...

agree

Anton Baer

1 hr

agree

Rosa Maria Duenas Rios (X)

3 hrs

agree

Michele Fauble

7 hrs

35 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

are inclined to fabulate/let our imaginations run away with us

Explanation:
the expression is also common in French. It refers to people who have trouble distinguishing truth from fiction.

the dictionary definition given int another answer is correct and the key

almost all of us have lively imaginations; we almost all tend to exaggerate/build things up in our minds... so selective memories notwithstanding....

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 22:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 13

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