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intriga

English translation: novelty

19:09 Sep 11, 2018
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Spanish term or phrase: intriga
From a customer complaint in Spain about an e-cigarette product:

Lo sprimeros dias fueron bastante malos, no podía dormir normal, ansiedad, no sé si era por la intriga del aparato o porque me lo causaba el [brand redacted] en sí. No soy muy fumadora, me famaba unos 10 cigarros al día, pero al principio de usar [brand redacted] sí que es verdad que me dolía la cabeza, tenía la tensión baja de no encontrarme bien. Ahora ya mejor.

"Intrigue" literally doesn't seem to fit. Perhaps something more along the lines of making a change from conventional cigarettes and his body not yet having adapted to the change?
spanruss
United States
Local time: 05:37
English translation:novelty
Explanation:
Or "because I wasn't used to the device".
Selected response from:

philgoddard
United States
Grading comment
Thanks, Phil!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2novelty
philgoddard
4curiosity
JohnMcDove
4intrigue/mystique/allure
Marcelo González
3 +1strangeness
Andrea Shah
4gimmick
neilmac
3 -1"niggle"
Gustavo Vendrame


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
novelty


Explanation:
Or "because I wasn't used to the device".

philgoddard
United States
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 123
Grading comment
Thanks, Phil!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marie Wilson
36 mins
neutral  JohnMcDove: Yes, but "novelty" sounds too positive in the context. Maybe "unfamiliarity" or the "unease of unfamiliarity" could work.
4 hrs
  -> Novelty isn't necessarily positive, and I also suggested "because I wasn't used to it".
agree  Lucy Breen: I would say "because I wasn't used to"
19 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
"niggle"


Explanation:
Well, I am not native or fluent, but this word is very similar to the word we use in Portuguese. There's a chance I am wrong, but I think it is supported by the second meaning of the word "niggle" (verb) in the Longman DCE: to argue or make criticism about small details (I would go further and say that intriga includes to be annoyed or worried about small details).

Gustavo Vendrame
Brazil
Local time: 07:37
Native speaker of: Portuguese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Thomas Walker: Theoretically, this is a perfectly good word. Practically, it is seldom used today, because it sounds so similar to what has come to be known, in the U.S. at least, as the "N-word." Probably best avoided.
38 mins
neutral  philgoddard: I completely disagree with Tom - it's used all the time. But I don't think it's the right translation.
2 hrs
neutral  JohnMcDove: The "intrigue" (with quotation marks) could cause "slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety." But that does not include "argue or make criticism..." That is not the concept. The "worry" directly, could fit, if you want.
5 hrs
disagree  Lucy Breen: It's not the right translation. And I agree with Phil "niggle" is commonly used
19 hrs
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54 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
curiosity


Explanation:
In this context.

http://dle.rae.es/?id=Lzjbyen

Saludos cordiales.

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Note added at 55 mins (2018-09-11 20:05:11 GMT)
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"Curiosity" because the person is in "mystery" about the device.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2018-09-12 01:32:17 GMT)
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If you want, you can use "curiosity" with quotation marks, or use "the uneasiness of curiosity".

Probably adding the concept of "uneasiness", gives you the right idea.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2018-09-12 01:42:22 GMT)
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As I note in my comment to Phil,

The "unease of unfamiliarity" may do the trick.

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Note added at 6 hrs (2018-09-12 01:47:53 GMT)
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N.B.: "intrigue" in English has the right meaning. The problem is the collocation doesn't quite work.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/intrigue

2 A mysterious or fascinating quality.

Synonyms
interest, preoccupation, passion, obsession, compulsion.

The "preoccupation" or "obsession" about the new unfamiliar device is the idea the Spanish conveys.

JohnMcDove
United States
Local time: 03:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 21

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: I'm not sure curiosity would make you anxious.
37 mins
  -> That "curiosity" can make some one anxious, if one is "in mystery" about a device, seems obvious to me. All the more so, if "curiosity" even kill the cat!! ;-)
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
intrigue/mystique/allure


Explanation:
In addition to a literal translation (i.e., intrigue), options such as these could work as well. The key is the preposition, "behind" or "surrounding," which brings it all together.

mystique (n.)
a quality of mystery, glamour, or power associated with someone or something.
"the mystique surrounding the monarchy"
synonyms: charisma, glamour, romance, mystery, fascination, magic, spell, charm, appeal, **allure**, awe
"a certain mystique still surrounds the family"


...I don't know if it was the intrigue behind/mystique surrounding the device [read: that got me hooked on it], or because it was Brand X itself

intrigue/mystique behind/surrounding the device // allure of the device itself

Marcelo González
United States
Local time: 00:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 132
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19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
strangeness


Explanation:
Were this a positive development, I would suggest "novelty" as well, but the rest of the texts suggests discomfort. So either "strangeness" or perhaps "unfamiliarity" would be my pick.

Andrea Shah
United States
Local time: 06:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JohnMcDove: As I mentioned in my answer "unease of unfamiliarity" would render the concept.
16 mins
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
gimmick


Explanation:
"A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value....When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand out" from its competitors. "

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Note added at 12 hrs (2018-09-12 07:19:37 GMT)
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https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gimmick

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Note added at 12 hrs (2018-09-12 07:24:12 GMT)
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NB: Off topic, when starting to learn Spanish, I found the book "The Gimmick" very useful...

https://www.amazon.com/Spanish-32-Lessons-Gimmick-Adrienne/d...

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Note added at 19 hrs (2018-09-12 14:35:07 GMT)
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Or you could paraphrase it with something like"(my lack of familiarity with) the gimmick/doohickey/thingummyjig"...

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Note added at 1 day 14 hrs (2018-09-13 09:27:45 GMT)
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Or (pax Lucy): "because I wasn't used to the gimmick"....


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimmick
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 12:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 207

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  JohnMcDove: I would agree with "my lack of familiarity" (that makes me wonder) for "intriga", and "gimmick" is great, for the device, but the question is on "intriga"... isn't it?
7 hrs
  -> The "intriga" is the gimmick! The novelty/strangness/unfamiliarity is the gimmick, the hook.
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