Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
viveza criolla
English translation:
native cunning
Mar 29, 2002 07:33
22 yrs ago
11 viewers *
Spanish term
Argentinian digital nomad in LatAm
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American) 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish
criollo viveza
Spanish to English
Other
cultural
... el tan mentado ingenio rioplatense y la viveza criollo que antano eran capaces de descubrir atajos secretos para evadir cualquier marco legal, son impotentes...
Any native Argentineans (or other Latin Americans) know the exact meaning for viveza in this particular context?
"craftiness" perhaps?
Any native Argentineans (or other Latin Americans) know the exact meaning for viveza in this particular context?
"craftiness" perhaps?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | native cunning |
A Hayes (X)
|
| 5 +4 | wittiness |
Graciela Carlyle
|
| 4 +2 | native smartness |
Robert INGLEDEW
|
| 5 +1 | Argentine quick-wittedness |
Monica Colangelo
|
| 5 | ACB |
Aurora Humarán (X)
|
| 5 -2 | "native shrewdness" |
Baruch Avidar
|
Proposed translations
+2
4 hrs
Selected
native cunning
or "native wit and cunning".
me gusta "cunning" por la connotación despectiva o peyorativa que puede tener, como la "viveza criolla".
me gusta "cunning" por la connotación despectiva o peyorativa que puede tener, como la "viveza criolla".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
: too! #:)
1 hr
|
|
gracias
|
|
| agree |
Baruch Avidar
: This one is OK as well
2 hrs
|
|
gracias
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Gracias a tod@s por sus explicaciones culturales tan informativas.
Parece que las chicas están de acuerdo entre ellas y me han dado una clara idea de lo que es la vivezA criollA.
(Oops! apologies to Mr. Ingledew and Mr. Avidar, your suggestions were also valid - and I don't fully agree with the girls that your suggestion, Baruch, was wrong at all as "shrewdness" does give a connotation of slyness or craftiness in certain circumstances).
However, I think that "cunning" gives the best overall idea and is the simplest for others to understand.
Btw, "viveza criollO" was what was written in the text I have.
Thanks again,
ACB :o)"
-2
22 mins
Baruch Avidar
Israel
Israel
Native in Spanish
&
English
Israel
B.Sc.(Mec.Eng.), MBA(Markting), Mil.(R)
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: English to Hebrew, Hebrew to English, English to Spanish, and 9 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
92
"native shrewdness"
Argentinian an Uruguayan sleng.
Actually the more common term is "viveza criolla" meaning the way uneducated natives of the cities and "gauchos" of the rural areas around the Rio de la Plata manage to find shortcuts and to round corners in daily life.
Buena suerte amigo!
Actually the more common term is "viveza criolla" meaning the way uneducated natives of the cities and "gauchos" of the rural areas around the Rio de la Plata manage to find shortcuts and to round corners in daily life.
Buena suerte amigo!
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
MJ Barber
: shrewdness is good, and doesn't have the connotations of slyness that craftiness would have.
1 hr
|
| disagree |
Aurora Humarán (X)
: uneducated natives and "gauchos"??? No. La viveza criolla se puede referir a cualquier argentino de cualquier NSE.
2 hrs
|
|
No seas puntillosa, perdon por la omision
|
|
| neutral |
A Hayes (X)
: no me parece que esté siendo puntillosa. Lo de la viveza criolla no tiene nada que ver con la educación o nivel social de la persona.
3 hrs
|
| disagree |
Monica Colangelo
: Chicas argentinas al ataque. Nadie que no haya nacido aquí podría explicarlo. No es slang y es común a todos los habitantes del Río de la Plata, lo cual incluye a argentinos y uruguayos.
4 hrs
|
| disagree |
Graciela Carlyle
: no solo no es exclusiva de las clases bajas o con falta de educación sino que actualmente donde MAS se encuentra es en las "altas" esferas del poder. La viveza criolla es atemporal y no-clasista.
4 hrs
|
| neutral |
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
: Sorry Baruch, but nothing to do with "gauchos" or uneducated people!. In fact, there are many gauchos that are very educated people AND very decent guys (and I do live in the country myself!).
5 hrs
|
+4
2 hrs
Graciela Carlyle
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Spanish
United Kingdom
www.gctranslations.co.uk
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
84
wittiness
...in a way...
I am argentinian. It is la "viveza criolla" (not criollo) as "viveza" is a femenine abstract noun.
"viveza" refers to the wittiness of the "criollo" (or native of the area). He always finds shortcuts to do things with the minimum effort and ways to avoid the law/rules.
I don't think the expression has an exact translation, I'd leave it like that and add an explanation to play safe and make sure that it is understood.
SUERTE!!!!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-03-29 09:55:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Note that the connotation is not quite good. It\'s nothing to be proud off as a person that acts with \"viveza criolla\" takes shortcuts and doens\'t care much about others.
case eg. informing the tax man that your income was $100 instead of $1000 to pay less tax. Get it?
I am argentinian. It is la "viveza criolla" (not criollo) as "viveza" is a femenine abstract noun.
"viveza" refers to the wittiness of the "criollo" (or native of the area). He always finds shortcuts to do things with the minimum effort and ways to avoid the law/rules.
I don't think the expression has an exact translation, I'd leave it like that and add an explanation to play safe and make sure that it is understood.
SUERTE!!!!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-03-29 09:55:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Note that the connotation is not quite good. It\'s nothing to be proud off as a person that acts with \"viveza criolla\" takes shortcuts and doens\'t care much about others.
case eg. informing the tax man that your income was $100 instead of $1000 to pay less tax. Get it?
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Aurora Humarán (X)
1 hr
|
| agree |
A Hayes (X)
1 hr
|
| agree |
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
: exactly
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Baruch Avidar
: Much better than my own.
3 hrs
|
+2
4 hrs
Robert INGLEDEW
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
&
English
Argentina
OIL, GAS, ENERGY, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT...
Native in: English , Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
1940
native smartness
just to put it in simpler English
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
: #:)
1 hr
|
| agree |
Baruch Avidar
: Another good one
1 hr
|
+1
4 hrs
Monica Colangelo
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
Argentina
45 yrs' experience in most every field
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Standard-Spain, Uruguayan, Bolivian, Argentine, US, Rioplatense, Latin American, Puerto Rican, Dominican)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, Spanish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
1042
Argentine quick-wittedness
There is no exact term to define "criolla" and in this particular case, where the Argentine economy is the subject matter, I think it is no mistake to just use Argentine. As to quick-wittedness I guess it's a perfect expression, since not only does it imply quickness in thinking but it also suggests promptness in action
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
: Así nos va! #:)
56 mins
|
|
Gracias, Gaby. Somos hijos de la viveza criolla, nuestra economía es fruto de la viveza criolla, nuestros gobernantes producto de la viveza criolla.....
|
8 hrs
ACB
ACB:
We were not focusing on the word shrewdness but on the fact that Baruch was saying that gauchos and people with low levels of education were the ones who seemed to be "viveza criolla" experts.
By the way... although it is more than true that the viveza criolla most of the times aims to "burlarse de la ley" it is fair to say that has a second meaning. We people from Rio de la Plata are said to have this "Mc.Gyver skill" that allows us to handle difficult and unexpected situations.
And, as Clemente would say (uno de nuestros personajes preferidos junto con Mafalda) this is just "un cacho de cultura"....just for your info.
Regards from rainy Buenos Aires....
We were not focusing on the word shrewdness but on the fact that Baruch was saying that gauchos and people with low levels of education were the ones who seemed to be "viveza criolla" experts.
By the way... although it is more than true that the viveza criolla most of the times aims to "burlarse de la ley" it is fair to say that has a second meaning. We people from Rio de la Plata are said to have this "Mc.Gyver skill" that allows us to handle difficult and unexpected situations.
And, as Clemente would say (uno de nuestros personajes preferidos junto con Mafalda) this is just "un cacho de cultura"....just for your info.
Regards from rainy Buenos Aires....
Discussion