Feb 1, 2016 14:40
8 yrs ago
Spanish term
Santón
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Short Story
...no contaron con con la clarividencia y terquedad de los **santones**
I´m translating a short story written in a fairly humorous vein from Spanish into English. In this case 'santón' refers to a holy person in a vaguely defined esoteric religion; I've been using 'holy man' but would be very grateful for synonyms to avoid repetition.
Many thanks in advance!
I´m translating a short story written in a fairly humorous vein from Spanish into English. In this case 'santón' refers to a holy person in a vaguely defined esoteric religion; I've been using 'holy man' but would be very grateful for synonyms to avoid repetition.
Many thanks in advance!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
4 mins
Lucy Williams
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Translator and native English copywriter
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
Guru, elder
Here's a link to some synonyms, but I suppose it depends a little on the type of religion he's part of.
Hope to have been some help.
Hope to have been some help.
Reference:
Note from asker:
| Thanks. Lucy! Link was useful too. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Robert Forstag
: Other possibilities would be "the Leader," "the Dear Leader," and "the Big Kahuna."
16 mins
|
| agree |
philgoddard
: These may well work, depending on the detailed context.
29 mins
|
| agree |
Phoenix III
: According to the context just posted...
3 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
15 mins
Holy Willie
I suppose it all depends on how irreverent we want to be.
Holy Willie (ˈwɪlɪ) n -> a person who is hypocritically pious
[C18: from Burns' Holy Willie's Prayer]
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Note added at 30 mins (2016-02-01 15:11:33 GMT)
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Although perhaps it fits better as a translation of "santurrón":
http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/santurrón
Holy Willie (ˈwɪlɪ) n -> a person who is hypocritically pious
[C18: from Burns' Holy Willie's Prayer]
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Note added at 30 mins (2016-02-01 15:11:33 GMT)
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Although perhaps it fits better as a translation of "santurrón":
http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/santurrón
Reference:
Note from asker:
| Just a tad too irreverent, but I must look up the poem... Thanks! |
47 mins
Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
I read the Alethiometer
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
227
shaman/soothsayer/clairvoyant/healer
Difficult without more context but these could be options. You could add the word "local" before to make them less deferential.
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much, C. It was difficult to make a choice... |
4 hrs
Paul García
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
calidad y rapidez / quality and speed
Native in: English , Spanish
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Holy man
a neutral term
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Paul |
+1
4 hrs
Ascetic
According to your recently posted context I would use this or keep Santon (it is listed as rare in the reference provided below but does exist as an English word) Often in non Christian religions (esp. Hindu and Buddhism) the holy man is an ascetic or a hermit and has various names according to the type of ascetism practised eg: sadhu, yogi etc. Ascetic keeps it general otherwise research into the religious aspect is needed and it may not be appropriate to use something this specific for the tone the story has.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2016-02-01 19:21:05 GMT)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu
St Paul the Egyptian was a desert ascetic
abstainer, recluse, hermit, solitary, anchorite, anchoress, desert saint, celibate, puritan, nun, monk;
Islam fakir, Sufi, dervish;
Hinduism yogi, rishi, sannyasi;
in India sadhu, muni;
in Japan hikikomori
rare gymnosophist, marabout, ///santon///, eremite, stylite, pillar saint, pillar hermit, pillarist, aerialist, cenobite
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/it/definizione/sinonimi-in...
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Note added at 4 hrs (2016-02-01 19:21:05 GMT)
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu
St Paul the Egyptian was a desert ascetic
abstainer, recluse, hermit, solitary, anchorite, anchoress, desert saint, celibate, puritan, nun, monk;
Islam fakir, Sufi, dervish;
Hinduism yogi, rishi, sannyasi;
in India sadhu, muni;
in Japan hikikomori
rare gymnosophist, marabout, ///santon///, eremite, stylite, pillar saint, pillar hermit, pillarist, aerialist, cenobite
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/it/definizione/sinonimi-in...
Note from asker:
| Thanks for all the alternatives. Part of the humour in the story is actually the variety of alternative terms used to refer to the same characters |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
neilmac
: Nice option. I always used to confuse it with "aesthete"...
1 day 14 hrs
|
|
Thanks Neil!
|
21 hrs
Phoenix III
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
True words...
Native in: English (Variant: US) , Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: Spanish to English, Spanish, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Wise (man/men)
In ancient times, people used to rely on what the elder(s) said. They were and to this day they remain, the governing body. It could work even from a linguistic point of view.
8 days
Stephanie Ament
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Authentic translations, detailed editing
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US, Canadian) 
Works in: Spanish to English
Sage
Another option, if you're still looking. Seems to have been used as a relatively general term in multiple cultural contexts including Judaism, ancient Greece, etc.
Reference:
Discussion
In the Spanish version, 'Santón' is not the only term used; it is one of several which could all be translated as 'holy man' (Santón is the most uncommon). What I was trying to avoid was the excessive use of 'holy man' in the translation, as I didn't have many alternatives.
Many thanks
@Phoenix III
There is quite a lot of sarcasm in the book on the whole, though this story comes over as the most naive. However, the priests could not really be considered 'self appointed'
Thank you all. I think I should provide a bit of the plot:
Though her family don’t know about it at first, a young immigrant girl in New York turns out to be the reincarnation of a goddess (Maya or Maia). This process takes place every 300 years. The holy men are the ones who search her out and talk her parents into allowing her to live in the temple. They are good, well-meaning people, as are their followers. This doesn’t sound like much , but it is actually a good story with the typical surprise ending. Sorry, I should have posted this earlier, but I just didn’t think of possible negative connotations to the term, and I’ve only just got back to my desk.
Incidentally and amusingly, French 'Santons' are a type of figurine from Provence OR an ancient Gallic tribe! I wonder if there's any connection