Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
un regio retrasado mental
English translation:
a regal / royal dolt
Added to glossary by
David Ronder
May 21, 2010 11:04
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Spain
Analytical and creative (DipTrans, MA)
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Galician to English, English
un regio retrasado mental
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Francisco de Goya
Y con ello la inteligencia progresista, que Goya y otros muchos representaban, pasó a ser traición afrancesada; al tiempo que la herrumbre medieval de una nobleza y una iglesia decadentes y tiránicas pasaban a ser “patria” bajo la gloriosa figura de un regio retrasado mental… Goya fue testigo lúcido y atormentado de uno de los peores momentos de nuestra historia, con aquella Guerra de la Independencia que, siendo expresión de nobles sentimientos de dignidad colectiva, sustanció nuestro orgullo y nuestra soberanía nacional en lo más oscuro de un medievo en decadencia.
My query is about how I should word this in order not to sound un-PC or offend anyone. Since there is a slightly bitter or sarcastic tone to the merits of this king, I want to pick something which balances the sentence, which doesn't sound too harsh in English. I don't think that "mentally handicapped" fits the tone or the historical classifications of mental illness, and I think "deficient" is not acceptable. I would really appreciate your input.
Thanks in advance. UK Eng preferred. Thanks.
My query is about how I should word this in order not to sound un-PC or offend anyone. Since there is a slightly bitter or sarcastic tone to the merits of this king, I want to pick something which balances the sentence, which doesn't sound too harsh in English. I don't think that "mentally handicapped" fits the tone or the historical classifications of mental illness, and I think "deficient" is not acceptable. I would really appreciate your input.
Thanks in advance. UK Eng preferred. Thanks.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +4 | a regal / royal dolt |
David Ronder
|
| 3 +2 | feeble-minded or weak-minded king |
Evans (X)
|
| 4 | an inept monarch / monarchy |
Jenni Lukac (X)
|
| 3 | a monarch afflicted with slow wits |
Bubo Coroman (X)
|
| 3 | mentally retarded royal |
Elena Rodríguez
|
Change log
Jun 5, 2010 19:46: David Ronder Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
12 mins
David Ronder
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Linguistic flair and an eye for detail
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
a regal / royal dolt
An established phrase in historical discourse (not to be confused with Royal Doulton!):
TELEVISION / RADIO - TELEVISION / RADIO - Producer, Host, Prince ...In truth, Edward does seem to spend a depressingly large percentage of his time trying to prove that he is not a chinless royal dolt playing at having a job ...
www.nytimes.com/.../television-radio-producer-host-prince-a...
FinermanWorks » Blog Archive » December 7th: Valet Forge ...7 Dec 2008 ... Generals usually invested years of fawning sycophancy over some royal dolt or his favorite mistress. But America was a land of opportunities ...
finermanworks.com/your_rda_of.../december-7th-valet-forge/ - Cached
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2010-05-21 11:18:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here's that second link:
http://finermanworks.com/your_rda_of_irony/2008/12/07/decemb...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2010-05-21 11:20:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
By the way, historians often take a robustly un-PC approach in describing the deficiencies of historical personages - the Hapsburgs as "slack-jawed dumplings" for instance (Andrew Marr).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2010-05-21 11:22:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Habsburg, of course: I always get that one wrong.
TELEVISION / RADIO - TELEVISION / RADIO - Producer, Host, Prince ...In truth, Edward does seem to spend a depressingly large percentage of his time trying to prove that he is not a chinless royal dolt playing at having a job ...
www.nytimes.com/.../television-radio-producer-host-prince-a...
FinermanWorks » Blog Archive » December 7th: Valet Forge ...7 Dec 2008 ... Generals usually invested years of fawning sycophancy over some royal dolt or his favorite mistress. But America was a land of opportunities ...
finermanworks.com/your_rda_of.../december-7th-valet-forge/ - Cached
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2010-05-21 11:18:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here's that second link:
http://finermanworks.com/your_rda_of_irony/2008/12/07/decemb...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2010-05-21 11:20:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
By the way, historians often take a robustly un-PC approach in describing the deficiencies of historical personages - the Hapsburgs as "slack-jawed dumplings" for instance (Andrew Marr).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2010-05-21 11:22:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Habsburg, of course: I always get that one wrong.
Note from asker:
| Yep! Andrew Marr is a great case in point! Almost seems more acceptable to use something old-fashioned, which is really why I asked. It would not be OK to rubbish a modern monarch for mental deficiencies. I mean, I despise them all, but it's more of a general hatred ;D ;D |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
14 mins
feeble-minded or weak-minded king
In your historical context, this might work.
Note from asker:
| Fab, Gilla. Thanks. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
amendozachisum
: agree
1 hr
|
|
thanks, amendozachisum
|
|
| agree |
neilmac
: Classic
4 hrs
|
|
thanks, neilmac
|
1 hr
a monarch afflicted with slow wits
I added "afflicted" because it includes an element of compassion for the King's mental condition, given that it was surely not his fault
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
David Ronder
: I blame the parents // Sorry, Deborah, I was being flippant and didn't mean to hurt or offend - "I blame the parents" is just a silly thing people say and I was mocking that if anything.// And think of poor George III's attempted "cures"!
28 mins
|
|
then I have to blame myself for my son's schizophrenia, dyslexia and stammer, unfortunately // thanks David! - it must have been terrible for mentally "different" people in those days when there were no Police to shield them from rotten eggs and worse.
|
4 hrs
an inept monarch / monarchy
Another option. If you want to keep the "retrasado" tone, you could say "backward and inept monarch / monarchy".
6 hrs
Elena Rodríguez
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Spain
+24 años traduciendo inglés- español
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish
mentally retarded royal
just a guess..
Something went wrong...