Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
cultismo
English translation:
(pagan) classicism
Added to glossary by
Evan Tomlinson
Oct 21, 2015 21:35
8 yrs ago
5 viewers *
Spanish term
cultismo
Spanish to English
Other
History
Context #1: "Tanto en la arquitectura de las grandes iglesias y conventos de la época, como en la pintura de santos en lienzos con claroscuros o en las metáforas y los *cultismos* de la poesía, el contrapunto fue el recurso estético que permitió florecer al barroco."
#2: "Resulta del poema y de la argumentación sobre la libertad de Molina, que no hay actos culposos en una razón que ha consentido durante el sueño algo malo: pensar en las cosas profanas, dedicar la mente a divagar sobre mitos, *cultismos* y conceptos filosóficos, jugar con la astrología judiciaria"
#3: "Es así, que gracias al sueño, sor Juana encuentra la manera de introducirse sin causa ni culpa en el *cultismo*, las metáforas poéticas, la filosofía y las cuestiones de astrología que trataban sus contemporáneos"
The dictionary has "cultismo" as meaning the use of sophisticated terms with roots in Greek and Latin, which does not seem to fit here. There is also "cultism/culturanism" which was a literary movement originating with Góngora. Again, this meaning does not seem to fit well with the three context sentences I've provided above.
#2: "Resulta del poema y de la argumentación sobre la libertad de Molina, que no hay actos culposos en una razón que ha consentido durante el sueño algo malo: pensar en las cosas profanas, dedicar la mente a divagar sobre mitos, *cultismos* y conceptos filosóficos, jugar con la astrología judiciaria"
#3: "Es así, que gracias al sueño, sor Juana encuentra la manera de introducirse sin causa ni culpa en el *cultismo*, las metáforas poéticas, la filosofía y las cuestiones de astrología que trataban sus contemporáneos"
The dictionary has "cultismo" as meaning the use of sophisticated terms with roots in Greek and Latin, which does not seem to fit here. There is also "cultism/culturanism" which was a literary movement originating with Góngora. Again, this meaning does not seem to fit well with the three context sentences I've provided above.
Proposed translations
(English)
4 +5 | (pagan) classicism |
Charles Davis
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3 +2 | cultism |
liz askew
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3 | cultural twists/variances |
David Hollywood
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References
Cultismo explained |
Lisa Jane
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Proposed translations
+5
2 hrs
Selected
(pagan) classicism
The essential idea of cultismo is classicism, in the sense of words and expressions, and by extension modes of thought, derived from Greek and Latin antiquity. It has positive connotations of the learned and erudite, and potential negative connotations of the affected, the pretentious, the pedantic.
In your first context, I think it has this basic meaning of learned classical words and expressions: Latinisms or Hellenisms. Los cultismos de la poesía refers to this type of language used in poetry.
This type of word or expression can be called a classicism, one of whose definitions is:
- "A Greek or Latin expression or idiom" (American Heritage)
- "a. a Greek or Latin form or expression
b. an expression in a modern language, such as English, that is modelled on a Greek or Latin form" (Collins)
- "a Greek or Latin idiom or form, esp. one used in some other language" (Random House)
- "a classical idiom or expression" (Merriam-Webster)
etc.
However, in the second and third passages "cultismo(s)" is clearly being used in a pejorative sense. That sense is not affectedness or pedantry, however. "Cultismo" here clearly denotes something morally suspect, potentially blameworthy. To understand this requires some cultural background. The extreme idealisation and emulation of the classical (Greco-Latin) world that characterised the European Renaissance aroused a certain measure of suspicion and condemnation in the Catholic Church, or at least certain sections of it, because it implied devotion to a non-Christian culture, ultimately a pagan culture. Thus there was a curious mixture of veneration for classical literature and suspicion, in some quarters, that this veneration could become idolatrous.
That is the sense in which "cultismo" is being used in passages 2 and 3. I don't think that it is purely a matter of language in these contexts; it refers more broadly to classical culture, classicism. But since the connotations of classicism in English are almost entirely positive, I think it would be helpful to make the point I've been outlining explicit by saying "pagan classicism" in these cases.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2015-10-22 02:18:16 GMT)
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To the more narrow-minded kind of theologian poetic metaphors are seductive distractions and classical myths are the doings of false gods.
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Note added at 8 hrs (2015-10-22 06:14:15 GMT)
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I agree with you that "cultismo" is unlikely to refer to what is properly and normally called "culteranismo" these days (that is, the specific poetic style of Góngora and his followers, anticipated by Luis Carrillo y Sotomayor). It is true that Sor Juana's poetry displays features of that style, but I don't think it's what passage 3 is referring to.
In your first context, I think it has this basic meaning of learned classical words and expressions: Latinisms or Hellenisms. Los cultismos de la poesía refers to this type of language used in poetry.
This type of word or expression can be called a classicism, one of whose definitions is:
- "A Greek or Latin expression or idiom" (American Heritage)
- "a. a Greek or Latin form or expression
b. an expression in a modern language, such as English, that is modelled on a Greek or Latin form" (Collins)
- "a Greek or Latin idiom or form, esp. one used in some other language" (Random House)
- "a classical idiom or expression" (Merriam-Webster)
etc.
However, in the second and third passages "cultismo(s)" is clearly being used in a pejorative sense. That sense is not affectedness or pedantry, however. "Cultismo" here clearly denotes something morally suspect, potentially blameworthy. To understand this requires some cultural background. The extreme idealisation and emulation of the classical (Greco-Latin) world that characterised the European Renaissance aroused a certain measure of suspicion and condemnation in the Catholic Church, or at least certain sections of it, because it implied devotion to a non-Christian culture, ultimately a pagan culture. Thus there was a curious mixture of veneration for classical literature and suspicion, in some quarters, that this veneration could become idolatrous.
That is the sense in which "cultismo" is being used in passages 2 and 3. I don't think that it is purely a matter of language in these contexts; it refers more broadly to classical culture, classicism. But since the connotations of classicism in English are almost entirely positive, I think it would be helpful to make the point I've been outlining explicit by saying "pagan classicism" in these cases.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2015-10-22 02:18:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
To the more narrow-minded kind of theologian poetic metaphors are seductive distractions and classical myths are the doings of false gods.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2015-10-22 06:14:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I agree with you that "cultismo" is unlikely to refer to what is properly and normally called "culteranismo" these days (that is, the specific poetic style of Góngora and his followers, anticipated by Luis Carrillo y Sotomayor). It is true that Sor Juana's poetry displays features of that style, but I don't think it's what passage 3 is referring to.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Nearly a doctoral thesis you've written! Many thanks for the detailed answer."
+2
4 mins
cultism
Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1400872936
Alex Preminger, Frank J. Warnke, O. B. Hardison Jr. - 2015 - Literary Criticism
A school in Rus, poetry, which originated on the eve of World War I. The first c-f. ... Traditionally, in Sp. literary history, cultism describes a poetic style in which ..
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Note added at 6 mins (2015-10-21 21:41:33 GMT)
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or even
culteranism
Góngora y el Culteranismo - El Rincón del Vago
html.rincondelvago.com/gongora-y-el-culteranismo.ht...
Translate this page
El culteranismo, es una tendencia literaria del siglo XVII denominada también cultismo, que consiste en no expresar con naturalidad y sencillez los conceptos,
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=1400872936
Alex Preminger, Frank J. Warnke, O. B. Hardison Jr. - 2015 - Literary Criticism
A school in Rus, poetry, which originated on the eve of World War I. The first c-f. ... Traditionally, in Sp. literary history, cultism describes a poetic style in which ..
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2015-10-21 21:41:33 GMT)
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or even
culteranism
Góngora y el Culteranismo - El Rincón del Vago
html.rincondelvago.com/gongora-y-el-culteranismo.ht...
Translate this page
El culteranismo, es una tendencia literaria del siglo XVII denominada también cultismo, que consiste en no expresar con naturalidad y sencillez los conceptos,
6 mins
cultural twists/variances
couple of ideas
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Note added at 8 mins (2015-10-21 21:44:10 GMT)
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or: cult thinking
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Note added at 9 mins (2015-10-21 21:44:58 GMT)
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hard to get somrthing to match all your contexts
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Note added at 8 mins (2015-10-21 21:44:10 GMT)
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or: cult thinking
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Note added at 9 mins (2015-10-21 21:44:58 GMT)
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hard to get somrthing to match all your contexts
Reference comments
8 hrs
Reference:
Cultismo explained
but don't think I would use it for all 3 contexts
Reference:
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree |
Charles Davis
: True, historically, but "cultismo" rarely used now for "culteranismo" and "cultism" not widely used for this in English // I think "culpa" must mean cultismo here is moral/theological not merely linguistic/stylistic fault (esp. clear in passage 2)
16 mins
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Yes-I didn't suggest using 'cultism' in the English in fact. I was going to agree with you but not sure that pagan classicism really is what the negative connotation means and can't come up with any one word alternatives !
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