Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Catalan term or phrase:
sorneguer(a)
English translation:
teasing, wry, sardonic, sarcastic, ironic, witty, sharp, crafty, cunning
Added to glossary by
Sheila Hardie
Jul 23, 2003 10:43
20 yrs ago
Catalan term
sorneguera
Catalan to English
Other
Encara recordo el día que el vaig conèixer. Va ser la primera reunió del grup de la XXX. Jo ja venia amb ganes de conèixer aquella persona de qui havia llegit articles que m’havien impactat especialment. Durant la reunió vaig tenir ocasió de percebre per primer cop la seva ***sorneguera i amable mirada de complicitat***.
This is the description of someone the author admires and he goes on to list his amazing professional and personal qualties...
I know 'sorneguer' can mean sarcastic, ironical, sly, crafty and cunning. But none of these seems to fit in this case - not along with 'amable' in my opinion. Maybe crafty or ironical? I just can't of anything that doesn't sound negative. But perhaps the author meant it to seem slightly negative? It would surprise me because the author then goes on to praise this person for two whole pages!
Help!
Many thanks in advance for any ideas
Sheila
This is the description of someone the author admires and he goes on to list his amazing professional and personal qualties...
I know 'sorneguer' can mean sarcastic, ironical, sly, crafty and cunning. But none of these seems to fit in this case - not along with 'amable' in my opinion. Maybe crafty or ironical? I just can't of anything that doesn't sound negative. But perhaps the author meant it to seem slightly negative? It would surprise me because the author then goes on to praise this person for two whole pages!
Help!
Many thanks in advance for any ideas
Sheila
Proposed translations
(English)
4 | teasing | Nikki Graham |
4 +3 | sharp or witty | mbc |
4 | sardonic | Heathcliff |
Proposed translations
3 hrs
Selected
teasing
Hi, according to my Catalan/Spanish dictionary, this can also mean "zumbón" (apart from suggestions already), which Oxford gives (among others) as teasing... that might fit, as it's not negative (is it?)!
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Note added at 3 hrs 59 mins (2003-07-23 14:43:20 GMT)
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joking may be another possibility, although I don\'t like it as much.
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Note added at 3 hrs 59 mins (2003-07-23 14:43:20 GMT)
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joking may be another possibility, although I don\'t like it as much.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you all for your help here. This was (and is) a difficult one. In the end, I asked my client to choose, because I really was not sure what they meant. They said 'teasing' and 'wry' would be their choices, so the points go to Nikki here. I wish I could share out the points because all the answers are correct. Moltes gràcies! Sheila
P.S. In fact it wasn't Quim Monzó, Berni, but that was a very good guess all the same:-))"
+3
30 mins
sharp or witty
I always thought this word meant sarcastic but sometimes when I hear it in conversation it is a positive, someone who is sharp more than cynical.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Berni Armstrong
: and I bet this is about Quim Monzo :-)
23 mins
|
thanks
|
|
agree |
Maria Rosich Andreu
1 hr
|
thanks
|
|
agree |
Sarah Ponting
2 hrs
|
thanks
|
2 hrs
sardonic
Just a thought, if it doesn't jar too strongly with "amable"...
HC
HC
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