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Seljak

English translation: peasant

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Serbo-Croat term or phrase:Seljak
English translation:peasant

21:19 Jan 25, 2004
Serbo-Croat to English translations [Non-PRO]
Serbo-Croat term or phrase: Seljak
Can you please define what "seljak" is? I've already asked my Serbian friends and they said that it is too hard to explain :(

Hvala
RafaLee
Australia
Local time: 09:27
peasant
Explanation:
There are already 4 answers and I don't mean to turn this into a dissertation on "seljak" but I can't go along with the translation (or qualification) "unintelligent" (or its synonyms); it is rather somebody with low manners and/or speaking a non-standard dialect and/or considered to have no taste (eg in music or clothes).
And, of course, it also means "farmer", but that's probably not what you meant. If you want just one word for both meanings, perhaps "peasant" could serve the purpose, although I recognize it's less abusive than "seljak" can be.
Selected response from:

Branka Arrivé
Local time: 01:27
Grading comment
Thanx guys
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5Depends on the context...
Davorka Grgic
5 +4peasant
Branka Arrivé
5 +2blockhead, simpleton, dork , clod
Pavle Perencevic
5 +1some options
Aida.
5Dumb, old fashioned, non-educated...
Andjelo Miklic
5hillbilly
Nermina (X)


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Depends on the context...


Explanation:
...(lit)farmer, villager, countryman,(pej) peasant, rustic, red neck....

Davorka Grgic
Local time: 01:27
Native speaker of: Native in CroatianCroatian, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 44

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Anita Milos
24 mins
agree  IZIDA: Short and to the point
6 hrs
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X): could be also "hillbilly" in US English
10 hrs
agree  mita
10 hrs
agree  Gordana Podvezanec
1 day 16 hrs
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
blockhead, simpleton, dork , clod


Explanation:
unless it's used in its basic meaning of "farmer"

Pavle Perencevic
Canada
Local time: 16:27
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian
PRO pts in pair: 95

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X): yes, depending on the context.
10 hrs
agree  mita
10 hrs
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
some options


Explanation:
seljak is used for "farmer" if you are refering to a person working on a farm or somehow associated with that field of work.
Otherwise is can be used as in insult such as:
hilly billy/dork
someone who is not necessarily a farmer or lives on a farm but behaves or speaks unintelligently/low class, etc.

hope it helps

Aida.
Local time: 19:27
Native speaker of: Native in BosnianBosnian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BOBI BLAZESKI
2 days 9 hrs
  -> hvala
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Dumb, old fashioned, non-educated...


Explanation:
When someone says to you that you're "seljak", it can be two things:

- One is that you are a villager, a paesant, and that one is positive.

- The other is that he means that you are some kind of dumb, old fashioned, non-educated,foolish person, and that one is negative.

It's often said in negative context in dialogs, while in writing, books, publications.. it is positive..
I've tried to explain, I hope you'll understand.

Andjelo Miklic
Local time: 01:27
Native speaker of: Native in CroatianCroatian
PRO pts in pair: 26
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
peasant


Explanation:
There are already 4 answers and I don't mean to turn this into a dissertation on "seljak" but I can't go along with the translation (or qualification) "unintelligent" (or its synonyms); it is rather somebody with low manners and/or speaking a non-standard dialect and/or considered to have no taste (eg in music or clothes).
And, of course, it also means "farmer", but that's probably not what you meant. If you want just one word for both meanings, perhaps "peasant" could serve the purpose, although I recognize it's less abusive than "seljak" can be.

Branka Arrivé
Local time: 01:27
Grading comment
Thanx guys

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tanja Abramovic (X)
8 hrs
  -> hvala Tanja!
agree  Anita Milos
18 hrs
  -> hvala Anita!
agree  Nerman Jakubovic
10 days
agree  Pavle Perencevic: Right on!
10 days
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
hillbilly


Explanation:
someone who is ignorant of metropolitan "codes" of behavior; it can be anything from wearing kmart clothes to snorting and spitting. nice friends, btw. they're joshing with you.

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Note added at 5 days (2004-01-31 07:34:53 GMT)
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also \"redneck\"


Nermina (X)
Native speaker of: Native in BosnianBosnian
PRO pts in pair: 32
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