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  3. Government / Politics

rústicos mercachifles

English translation: callow pedlars?

19:55 Oct 17, 2007
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics
Spanish term or phrase: rústicos mercachifles
"Ahí está el viejo y poderoso Estado, esa gloriosa cumbre de la razón humana, la máxima realización de la Idea en palabras de Hegel, ninguneado (de acuerdo con el afilado vocablo acuñado por la poetisa chilena Gabriela Mistral) sin piedad por la pandilla de _rústicos mercachifles_ que ha dominado el mundo, y ahora degradado a la condición servil de un poder cautivo."

The best I've been able to do is:

"There we have the venerable and powerful State -- that glorious summit of human reason, in Hegel’s words the ultimate realization of Idea -- mercilessly nobodied by a pack of _boorish, moneygrubbing smalltime shopkeepers_ who have come to dominate the world; degraded to the status of a servile cog for the economic power, in turn held captive."

And I would not want to insult small business owners! But the author clarifies that this is what it means. Can anyone suggest something shorter?
Elizabeth Medina
Local time: 06:27
English translation:callow pedlars?
Explanation:
Or peddlers, if for the UK.
Selected response from:

Refugio
Local time: 03:27
Grading comment
1 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1callow pedlars?
Refugio
4uncouth market traders
John Rawlins


  

Answers


20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
callow pedlars?


Explanation:
Or peddlers, if for the UK.

Refugio
Local time: 03:27
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 29
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you Ruth, it´s an excellent suggestion. "Callow" in the sense of inexperienced I would not use, as "rústico" has another nuance (more like "coarse"). "Pedlars/peddlers" is a candidate, yes.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henry Hinds: "Coarse peddlers" and for the USA.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Henry. In school I learned "pedlar", but I haven't seen that spelling for quite a while.
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
uncouth market traders


Explanation:
This seems near the mark.

John Rawlins
Spain
Local time: 12:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 47
Notes to answerer
Asker: It is, particularly "uncouth," am not so sure "market traders" communicates the pettiness and stinginess...

Asker: John I wanted to award a point but I seem unable to!

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