Santón

English translation: Guru, elder

14:40 Feb 1, 2016
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Short Story
Spanish term or phrase: Santón
...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!
Christine Walsh
Local time: 07:14
English translation:Guru, elder
Explanation:
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.
Selected response from:

Lucy Williams
Spain
Local time: 11:14
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3Guru, elder
Lucy Williams
4 +1Ascetic
Lisa Jane
4Holy Willie
neilmac
4Holy man
Paul García
3shaman/soothsayer/clairvoyant/healer
Cecilia Gowar
3Wise (man/men)
Phoenix III
3Sage
Stephanie Ament


Discussion entries: 16





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Guru, elder


Explanation:
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.


    https://www.powerthesaurus.org/holy_man
Lucy Williams
Spain
Local time: 11:14
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks. Lucy! Link was useful too.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
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
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Holy Willie


Explanation:
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


    Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Holy+Willie
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 155
Notes to answerer
Asker: Just a tad too irreverent, but I must look up the poem... Thanks!

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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
shaman/soothsayer/clairvoyant/healer


Explanation:
Difficult without more context but these could be options. You could add the word "local" before to make them less deferential.

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 219
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you so much, C. It was difficult to make a choice...

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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Holy man


Explanation:
a neutral term

Paul García
United States
Local time: 06:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Paul

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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Ascetic


Explanation:
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.

--------------------------------------------------
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...

Lisa Jane
Italy
Local time: 11:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
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 comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  neilmac: Nice option. I always used to confuse it with "aesthete"...
1 day 14 hrs
  -> Thanks Neil!
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21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Wise (man/men)


Explanation:
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.

Phoenix III
United States
Local time: 06:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
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8 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Sage


Explanation:
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: http://www.deepspirits.com/ancient-sages/
Stephanie Ament
United States
Local time: 05:14
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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