Glossary entry

Italian term or phrase:

i ricchi e i riccastri

English translation:

the rich and the richer/the rich and the über-rich

Added to glossary by Umberto Cassano
Aug 21, 2007 13:38
16 yrs ago
Italian term

i ricchi e i riccastri

Italian to English Art/Literary Journalism
"gli ulivi secolari che ***i ricchi e i riccastri*** si fanno portare nei giardini delle loro ville "

Poetastro is "a bad poet". As a suffix "-astro" means contempt on the part of the critic.

With adjectives like "ricco" I still think there's a hint of dislike, especially in this context.

Any ideas ?
Change log

Aug 25, 2007 20:55: Umberto Cassano Created KOG entry

Aug 25, 2007 20:56: Umberto Cassano changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/128582">Umberto Cassano's</a> old entry - "i ricchi e i riccastri"" to ""the rich and the richer/the rich and the uber rich""

Discussion

Silvia Casale Aug 21, 2007:
Ciao! Posso dirti che ho sentito molto "parvenu" per definire i "nuovi ricchi" a meno che tu voglia sottolineare, come dicevi, il significato spregiativo.. Poi, se vuoi, il protagonista di un film per bambini esageratamente ricco si chiamava Richie Richer
potra Aug 21, 2007:
Allora io opterei per 'stinking rich' di Ivana
Umberto Cassano (asker) Aug 21, 2007:
Che cosa ne pensate di "vulgarly rich" o "ruthlessly rich" per "riccastri" ? Mi allontano dal significato ? Il fenomeno dell'espianto degli ulivi che prendono poi la via del Nord Italia è anche sinonimo di avidità senza scrupoli e secondo me anche "cattivo gusto".
Umberto Cassano (asker) Aug 21, 2007:
Allora, che aspetti ? Offri pure il tuo contributo!
Irena Pizzi Aug 21, 2007:
C'è la giusta dose di disprezzo, ed è comunamente utilizzato in inglese
Irena Pizzi Aug 21, 2007:
L'idea c'è, in francese pero :-) nouveaux riches, può servire?

Proposed translations

11 mins
Selected

the rich and the richer

Hi Umberto,

The first thing I thought of was "the rich and the richer" then
I came across a fairly obscure website whixch translates riccastro as stinking rich (which I'm sure is too colloquial by far):

The suffixes -astro/a and -accio/a give the a pejorative connotation:
ricco - rich, riccastro - stinking rich

drawn from Harrap's Italian Grammer

http://tangsweb.o-f.com/languages/italian/grammar.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2007-08-21 13:52:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another option but again probably too colloquial:

the filthy rich (current UK usage)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 mins (2007-08-21 13:58:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The Rich Vs. The Filthy Rich

interesting CBS news story

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/opinion/meyer/main...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-08-21 14:52:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

// the rich and the unscrupulous might be another option (the unscrupulous also being rich due to the very trait of being unscrupulous) - but this would only fit if the pejorative connotations of "riccastri" do indeed derive from the method by which they attained their riches in the first place!! And now we're getting way too deep!!!!!!!!
Note from asker:
"stinking rich" was one of my options but I agree is far too colloquial...I think here riccastro is slightly more contemptuous than "richer"
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Grazie Ivana per aver fornito molte soluzioni ed averle anticipate prima di tutti ! Anche la proposta di Claire è estremamente interessante ma non posso dividere i punti KudoZ ! Mi dispiace."
+1
13 mins

the rich and nuveaux riches

è solo un'idea...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2007-08-21 14:01:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Nouveau riche
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For bands under the name "Nouveau Riche", see Nouveau Riche (band).

Nouveau riche (French for "new rich"), or new money refers to persons who acquire wealth within their generation. It is generally used to emphasize that the persons were previously part of a lower economic or social class, and that the acquisition of wealth has provided the ability to do or to have things that were previously out of their reach.

The term can also be used in a derogatory fashion, for the purposes of social class distinction, to describe persons with newfound wealth and who are viewed as lacking the experience, finesse, or taste to use wealth in the same manner as old money - persons from families who have been wealthy for multiple generations. The implication is that, despite their wealth, they are still of lower- or middle-class origin, and therefore culturally inferior. A stereotypical example would be persons with new wealth who spend money conspicuously, or who show preferences for things normally associated with people from lower economic classes.
Peer comment(s):

agree Juliet Halewood (X) : I like this one too!
15 hrs
Thank you, Jules!
Something went wrong...
27 mins

the old and the new money

maybe
Something went wrong...
32 mins

the rich and the super rich

If the suffix 'astro' refers to extreme wealth (namely to stinking rich as Ivana points out) then this is my take. If it refers to newly enriched individuals then 'nouveau rich' would be of preference.
Something went wrong...
+3
1 hr

the rich and the parvenu

Un'alternativa
Peer comment(s):

agree Maurizio Valente
5 hrs
grazie
agree Graziano Scaldaferri (X)
17 hrs
grazie
agree halifax
18 hrs
grazie
Something went wrong...
1 hr

the rich and the über-rich

über is commonly used nowadays and I think it has the slightly derogatory connation you are looking for.

the rich, and the flash, is another possibility.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-08-21 15:06:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or

the haves and the have-mores.
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

the wealthy and the rich

Hi Umberto
I wouldn't stray too far from the ST - I think "the rich" has the negative overtones you need

I found this rather amusing:
http://www.jpmartin.com/investment/being-rich-vs-being-wealt...
Something went wrong...
+6
2 hrs

rich and filthy rich

From:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/filthy-rich.html
Meaning

Very rich, possibly having become so by unfair means.

Origin

This little phrase can't be explained without looking at the word lucre. From the 14th century lucre has meant money and is referred to as such by no less writers than Chaucer and John Wyclif. These references generally included a negative connotation and gave rise to the terms "foul lucre" and "filthy lucre", which have been in use since the 16th century. "Filthy lucre" appears first in print in 1526 in the works of William Tindale:

"Teachinge thinges which they ought not, because of filthy lucre."

Tindale was here using the term to mean dishonourable gain.

Peer comment(s):

agree simona dachille : BBC NEWS | Business | Filthy rich and femaleWhat is the secret of the UK's growing army of millionaire women?
15 mins
Thanks Simona!
agree potra : Good alternative
3 hrs
Hello and thanks Potra
agree Claire Restivo : This does it for me.
4 hrs
Thank you Claire!
agree Juliet Halewood (X) : yes, or even stinking rich
13 hrs
Hi and thank you Jules!
neutral Linda 969 : Hi - Just wanted to point out that Ivana had already suggested this when you posted it
21 hrs
Hi Linda. I did not see that when I answered and apologize if anybody's feelings were hurt
agree Peter Cox
1 day 12 hrs
Thanks Peter!
agree Pnina
2 days 1 hr
Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search