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Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

Beata

English translation:

pious woman

Added to glossary by Tania Pires
Sep 23, 2016 08:54
7 yrs ago
Portuguese term

Beata

Portuguese to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
'(name) vai à igreja e é tratada com respeito por uma beata.'

I have seen many translations on Google, but what would be an official translation for 'beata'? It's not a nun...

Thanks is advance for your help!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 pious woman
5 A devout (noun)
5 Spinter
3 +1 zealot
3 lay sister

Discussion

Tania Pires (asker) Sep 23, 2016:
@ Nick I know that devout is acceptable. I was referring to the context, but even I don't have that much to go on, so I can't answer any of your questions. It's just that in Portugal devout seems to be less than a 'beata', but I know that it is used in church. I never questioned that. :) Maybe a devout attendant...
Nick Taylor Sep 23, 2016:
Although DEVOUT is more than perfectly acceptable one would need considerably more information regarding context to narrow down the field. E.g. original text. When it was written. Target audience etc. However, in these circumstances a possible solution may be simply to say .....BY A DEVOUT ATTENDANT....(male or female is neither here nor there)
Tania Pires (asker) Sep 23, 2016:
@Margarida It's the answer I'm using.
Margarida Martins Costelha Sep 23, 2016:
In that case Teresa's answer sounds like the best one to me
Bett Sep 23, 2016:
in that case zealot would not apply
Tania Pires (asker) Sep 23, 2016:
@ Bett No. It's just a religious woman from church.
Bett Sep 23, 2016:
If "beata" is being used as exageration... in PT/BR "carola" is used too, it could be zealot...
Tania Pires (asker) Sep 23, 2016:
@ Bett When I looked it up on Google, I only got hits about Jews. That's why I asked.
Bett Sep 23, 2016:
Zealot can be used to describe na overzealous follower.

Proposed translations

+6
17 mins
Selected

pious woman

Seria a minha sugestão...
Note from asker:
Obrigada Teresa!
Peer comment(s):
agree Margarida Martins Costelha
41 mins
Obrigada, Margarida!
agree Daniel Pimentel
46 mins
Obrigada, Daniel!
agree Paulinho Fonseca
2 hrs
Obrigada, Paulinho!
agree Gilmar Fernandes
3 hrs
Obrigada, Gilmar!
agree Ana Vozone
3 hrs
Obrigada, Ana!
agree Katarina Peters
4 hrs
Obrigada, Katarina!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
36 mins

lay sister

tal vez?
Note from asker:
Obrigada!
Something went wrong...
+1
24 mins

zealot

another suggestion for a more negative or sarcastic tone.

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Note added at 43 mins (2016-09-23 09:38:19 GMT)
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http://www.thefreedictionary.com/zealot

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2016-09-23 09:40:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ooops! I posted my answer in the discussion. You are right, this was used to describe Jewish resistant soldiers who fought against roman rule. Nowadays, however it can be used to describe any immoderate, fanatic, follower of a religion, or political view.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 46 mins (2016-09-23 09:41:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

resistance !
Note from asker:
Isn't a zealot Jew? This is a Christian woman.
Thanks for the explanation. I already replied in the discussion. I see your point, but it won't work in this context. But, thanks!
Peer comment(s):
agree María Leonor Acevedo-Miranda
9 mins
Thank you!
neutral Margarida Martins Costelha : Se 'é tratada com respeito', acho que não faz sentido usar um termo negativo/sarcático
16 mins
Obrigada. Mas eu estou entendendo que é tratada com respeito por uma Beata, a qual talvez se espere que a tratasse com desdém, pois se acha mais piedosa ou merecedora, por ser beata... o contexto dirá...
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

A devout (noun)

A devout (noun)
Note from asker:
Thanks Nick, but wouldn't a devout be just like a churchgoer? I think that a Beata is more connected to the church than that (I think...)
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

Spinter

The development of the word spinster is a good example of the way in which a word acquires strong connotations to the extent that it can no longer be used in a neutral sense. From the 17th century the word was appended to names as the official legal description of an unmarried woman: Elizabeth Harris of London, Spinster. This type of use survives today in some legal and religious contexts. In modern everyday English, however, spinster cannot be used to mean simply ‘unmarried woman’; it is now always a derogatory term, referring or alluding to a stereotype of an older woman who is unmarried, childless, prissy, and repressed.


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Note added at 12 hrs (2016-09-23 21:32:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry it is Spinster with S after n
Something went wrong...
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