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primito

English translation: leader/chief

02:50 Mar 2, 2017
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: primito
"You cannot imagine what I have seen – caliphs and mjeeds, rakahs, rajas and bashars, kings and emperors, PRIMITOs and presidents – I've seen them all."
--quoted from God Emperor Of Dune (https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=llx7Syf_0rsC&pg=PT26&dq...

I searched online, and found that Primito in Spanish means "little cousin", which I think is not related with the sentence. Is there any chance that it means "premier" or something?

Thanks!
updownK
China
Local time: 12:39
Selected answer:leader/chief
Explanation:
I think that the context is essential here. This is a novel, not an academic history and this is part of a list of rulers that is meant to illustrate the point being made by the character in that novel. So, the research called for here, to find out whether there is an accurate translation, is relative. So, if the term seems to be either extremely obscure or invented, it seems to me to be perfectly acceptable to substitute something else that fits with the rest of the list.
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 06:39
Grading comment
Thanks! Your susgestion is well worth considering!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +1leader/chief
B D Finch
2primate
magdadh
3 -2Primitives
Saner Yuzsuren


  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -2
Primitives


Explanation:
In my opinion here the writer classifies the people from highest (caliphs, rajas etc ) to the lowest and creates his own slang for the sake of the novel and instead of saying primitives ( human society at a very early stage of development, with people living in a simple way without machines or a writing system) he uses the word primito.

Saner Yuzsuren
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:39
Native speaker of: Native in TurkishTurkish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks! But I tend to agree with the two disagreers.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Mair A-W (PhD): seems unlikely as *all* the others are rulers
29 mins
  -> Why? Is there a rule that primitives can not be rulers as well? Didn't you watch 'Planet of the Apes? :-)
disagree  magdadh: as Mair said --- I suspect it's an in-world term OR a typo of primate as per my answer
2 hrs
  -> Ok but what is yoursuggestion than?
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
leader/chief


Explanation:
I think that the context is essential here. This is a novel, not an academic history and this is part of a list of rulers that is meant to illustrate the point being made by the character in that novel. So, the research called for here, to find out whether there is an accurate translation, is relative. So, if the term seems to be either extremely obscure or invented, it seems to me to be perfectly acceptable to substitute something else that fits with the rest of the list.

B D Finch
France
Local time: 06:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 84
Grading comment
Thanks! Your susgestion is well worth considering!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  magdadh: I'd actually go with that, and thus the suggestion of the asker of using 'premier' (same alliterative effect, same more modern political context) seems sensible
17 mins
  -> Thanks. Yes, that's another possible solution.
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
primate


Explanation:
I suspect this is either a term that is specific to Dune world, or a typo of ''primate'' - a bishop, but used to refer to high church officials/hierarchy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_(bishop)



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Note added at 8 hrs (2017-03-02 11:28:02 GMT)
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I did a search and now I am thinking that it must be an in-world term as neither 'primates' nor 'premiers' get a quote, but primitos does. So probably not a typo after all...

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=llx7Syf_0rsC&pg=PT26&lpg...–+caliphs+and+mjeeds,+rakahs,+rajas+and+bashars,+kings+and+emperors,+PRIMITOs+and+presidents+–+I%27ve+seen+them+all&source=bl&ots=yt5ICGtuFP&sig=I1hlJ8Dz1WaOvoHqYc0RuVfnV4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRg7Cp2bfSAhUsIMAKHdY1DWsQ6AEIITAB#v=onepage&q=You%20cannot%20imagine%20what%20I%20have%20seen%20%E2%80%93%20caliphs%20and%20mjeeds%2C%20rakahs%2C%20rajas%20and%20bashars%2C%20kings%20and%20emperors%2C%20PRIMITOs%20and%20presidents%20%E2%80%93%20I've%20seen%20them%20all&f=false



magdadh
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks! I think your answer is inspiring.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: None of the other terms in the list (except perhaps "caliph" or making a stretch to the divine right of kings), seems to be primarily religious in function. "Primates" are superior to "prelates", but the word is unfortunately also used zoologically.
21 mins
  -> that's true, but ''primate'' or ''prelate'' is very often used to emphasise the ''princes of the church'' aspect of earthly rather than religious powers. It's just a stretchy guess anyway... I'm tempted to seek another edition...
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