despique criativo

English translation: verbal sparring (in verse)

14:30 May 1, 2007
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Folklore
Portuguese term or phrase: despique criativo
In a text about festivities on Madeira.

Um evento que atrai muitos residentes e turistas, devido à animação que se vive neste arraial caracterizado, especialmente, pelo “despique criativo”, de altares madeirenses, que envolve todos os comerciantes da zona.

In Aurélio I found three meanings for "despique" but it seems that none has anything to do with this context.

The meanings given by Aurélio are:

1. Ato de despicar-se (desagravar-se, desafrontar-se, vingar-se);
2. Desagravo de injúria;
3. Desforço, desforra, vingança.

If anybody could shed light on this, I would be very grateful. Perhaps it is some other meaning restricted to Portugal and hence not in Aurélio?
Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 05:55
English translation:verbal sparring (in verse)
Explanation:
I live in Santa Cruz, Madeira, which is particularly known among the island villages for this specific form of traditional entertainment. While "despique" may be a part of many of the local feast day celebrations, Santa Cruz holds an event specifically dedicated to this. Contestants "face off" to the tune of guitars, "braguinhas" (which Madeirans took with them to Hawaii and gave origin to the ukulele), accordions and percussion instruments. One contestant begins by improvising a rhyming verse...generally of four lines...the opponent must come back with his response in four lines of improvisation...and this can go on for a long time. Participants are judged by their ability to improvise, and of course, the sharper and more cutting a reply is, the better. The subject matter can become somewhat "picante".

I don't know of a standard translation for this. In the site from which the following passage is taken, I notice that the particular line referrring to the "despique" is omitted in the corresponding English page of the site. Note: There are also numerous errors in the English, including the misspelling of "braguinha"... for the record, although I have translated many hundreds of pages of tourist-related material for the Tourist Office and private clients, this site is not my work. :-)


Diga-se no entanto, que há uma tentativa para preservar e perpetuar certas características tradicionais, como por exemplo, o "bailinho" com o acompanhamento de vozes e música, e o conhecido "despique" (ou seja, quadras soltas improvisadas por dois cantores alternadamente), oferecidos pelos ditos grupos folclóricos aos turistas, são um autentico folclore insular.
http://www.tourmadeira.com/pt/pag_29.php

I would leave the original and give a brief explanation in parentheses: it's actually a form of verbal sparring and besides sexual innuendos, can include political and social satire.
Selected response from:

Edgar Potter
United States
Local time: 03:55
Grading comment
Thanks so much for your wonderful explanation of what sounds like a wonderful event to watch!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1verbal sparring (in verse)
Edgar Potter
4creative contest
cristina estanislau


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
creative contest


Explanation:
aqui é mais no sentido de disputa e / ou concurso

cristina estanislau
Local time: 08:55
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
verbal sparring (in verse)


Explanation:
I live in Santa Cruz, Madeira, which is particularly known among the island villages for this specific form of traditional entertainment. While "despique" may be a part of many of the local feast day celebrations, Santa Cruz holds an event specifically dedicated to this. Contestants "face off" to the tune of guitars, "braguinhas" (which Madeirans took with them to Hawaii and gave origin to the ukulele), accordions and percussion instruments. One contestant begins by improvising a rhyming verse...generally of four lines...the opponent must come back with his response in four lines of improvisation...and this can go on for a long time. Participants are judged by their ability to improvise, and of course, the sharper and more cutting a reply is, the better. The subject matter can become somewhat "picante".

I don't know of a standard translation for this. In the site from which the following passage is taken, I notice that the particular line referrring to the "despique" is omitted in the corresponding English page of the site. Note: There are also numerous errors in the English, including the misspelling of "braguinha"... for the record, although I have translated many hundreds of pages of tourist-related material for the Tourist Office and private clients, this site is not my work. :-)


Diga-se no entanto, que há uma tentativa para preservar e perpetuar certas características tradicionais, como por exemplo, o "bailinho" com o acompanhamento de vozes e música, e o conhecido "despique" (ou seja, quadras soltas improvisadas por dois cantores alternadamente), oferecidos pelos ditos grupos folclóricos aos turistas, são um autentico folclore insular.
http://www.tourmadeira.com/pt/pag_29.php

I would leave the original and give a brief explanation in parentheses: it's actually a form of verbal sparring and besides sexual innuendos, can include political and social satire.

Edgar Potter
United States
Local time: 03:55
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks so much for your wonderful explanation of what sounds like a wonderful event to watch!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lexical: An excellent explanation of a term that really has no equivalent in English. Absolutely spot on!
1 hr
  -> Thanks
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