su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje

English translation: his unfettered use of language / his uninhibited use of language

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje
English translation:his unfettered use of language / his uninhibited use of language
Entered by: Robert Forstag

14:06 Jun 30, 2017
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Journalism / Today\'s edition of *El País (Spain)
Spanish term or phrase: su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje
From an article about the philosopher Slavoj Žižek in today's edition of El País (Spain):

Es el pensador esloveno un filósofo controvertido y polémico, un agitador de conciencias afiliado a lo políticamente incorrecto. Su erudición, su solvencia teórica y su vasto abanico cultural le han convertido en una suerte de Sartre de este primer tramo de siglo, al menos, en su capacidad de penetración en la esfera pública, afirman sus defensores. Al tiempo, su capacidad de comunicación (apabullante), **su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje** (en las antípodas de la Academia), y su dominio de las referencias de la cultura pop le han ayudado a llevar su mensaje a veinteañeros y treintañeros descontentos con el estado actual de las cosas, disconformes con el orden que configura el paradigma neoliberal. Ha enganchado con ellos por lo que defiende, sí.

There is no entry for "despreujuiciado" in the RAE. I found the following definition in www.diccionariolibre.com:

Persona de mente abierta que no se deja llevar por ideas o juicios preconcebidos.

So then:

"unpretentious language" (in the sense of "short of impenetrable academic jargon) ??

Or perhaps simply:

"clear and direct" ??
Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 10:08
his unfettered use of language
Explanation:
This came to mind

PressReader - The Sunday Guardian: 2011-01-30 - Are journalists not ...
www.pressreader.com/india/the-sunday-guardian/20110130/2825...
Jan 30, 2011 - Their unfettered use of language sends readers voyeuristicly through their own journeys, conversations and experiences. Journalists find the ...
Pryor & PETA - Animal Liberation Front
animalliberationfront.com/Saints/ARHallOfFame/Pryor_PETA.htm
Richard Pryor was known for his biting humor that was both uproariously funny and poignantly insightful, for his unfettered use of language and for his ...
Universe Polymorphism and Typical Ambiguity | The n-Category Café
https://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2012/12/universe_polymo...
Dec 9, 2012 - Obviously, a completely unfettered use of language like this would allow us to reproduce the classical paradoxes. What we need to know is that ...

unfettered
adjective
not confined or restricted.
"his imagination is unfettered by the laws of logic"
synonyms: unrestrained, unrestricted, unconstrained, free, unbridled, untrammelled, unchecked, unconfined, unimpeded, unhampered, uncontrolled, unbound, untied, unchained, unshackled, loose
"the choice between a planned economy and an unfettered market"
Selected response from:

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 11:08
Grading comment
It seems to me that the key to understanding “su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje” here is the parenthesis that follows it (“a las antípodas de la Academia”). The reference here is clearly not to academics generally but to academic philosophers (and their often impenetrable jargon) in particular.

Once this opposition is understood, it is apparent that “unbiased” and “non-judgmental” do not reflect the original here (i.e., academic philosophers are not being implicitly criticized for their preconceived notions, and the intention is not to present Žižek as “devoid of prejudice”). “Frankness” doesn’t work here either (this would imply that Žižek’s academic counterparts are viewed by the author as being engaged in a deliberate evasion or obscuring of what they know to be true). “Unconventional” at first glance is plausible here, yet the contrast drawn by the author of this piece seems to have less to do with the “conventions” of academic philosophy per se than with its embrace of conventions that have created a hermetic discourse at a far remove from the lives most people live.

I think that what “desprejuiciado” means here is “unconstrained” – specifically, not bound by the jargon and narrow preoccupations of academic philosophy. Of the suggestions offered, “unfettered" seems to best capture this meaning.

Many thanks to all who responded to and commented on this query.

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4his unfettered use of language
patinba
4 +2unbiased/unprejudiced use of language
Simon Bruni
4 +2his unconventional use of language
Cecilia Gowar
4the frankness of his discourse
David Ronder
3his use of language utterly devoid of worship to the norm/his enfant terrible attitude with language
JohnMcDove


Discussion entries: 11





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
his unfettered use of language


Explanation:
This came to mind

PressReader - The Sunday Guardian: 2011-01-30 - Are journalists not ...
www.pressreader.com/india/the-sunday-guardian/20110130/2825...
Jan 30, 2011 - Their unfettered use of language sends readers voyeuristicly through their own journeys, conversations and experiences. Journalists find the ...
Pryor & PETA - Animal Liberation Front
animalliberationfront.com/Saints/ARHallOfFame/Pryor_PETA.htm
Richard Pryor was known for his biting humor that was both uproariously funny and poignantly insightful, for his unfettered use of language and for his ...
Universe Polymorphism and Typical Ambiguity | The n-Category Café
https://golem.ph.utexas.edu/category/2012/12/universe_polymo...
Dec 9, 2012 - Obviously, a completely unfettered use of language like this would allow us to reproduce the classical paradoxes. What we need to know is that ...

unfettered
adjective
not confined or restricted.
"his imagination is unfettered by the laws of logic"
synonyms: unrestrained, unrestricted, unconstrained, free, unbridled, untrammelled, unchecked, unconfined, unimpeded, unhampered, uncontrolled, unbound, untied, unchained, unshackled, loose
"the choice between a planned economy and an unfettered market"

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 11:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40
Grading comment
It seems to me that the key to understanding “su desprejuiciado uso del lenguaje” here is the parenthesis that follows it (“a las antípodas de la Academia”). The reference here is clearly not to <i>academics</> generally but to <i>academic philosophers</i> (and their often impenetrable jargon) in particular.

Once this opposition is understood, it is apparent that “unbiased” and “non-judgmental” do not reflect the original here (i.e., academic philosophers are not being implicitly criticized for their preconceived notions, and the intention is not to present Žižek as “devoid of prejudice”). “Frankness” doesn’t work here either (this would imply that Žižek’s academic counterparts are viewed by the author as being engaged in a deliberate evasion or obscuring of what they know to be true). “Unconventional” at first glance is plausible here, yet the contrast drawn by the author of this piece seems to have less to do with the “conventions” of academic philosophy <i>per se</i> than with its embrace of conventions that have created a hermetic discourse at a far remove from the lives most people live.

I think that what “desprejuiciado” means here is “unconstrained” – specifically, not bound by the jargon and narrow preoccupations of academic philosophy. Of the suggestions offered, “unfettered" seems to best capture this meaning.

Many thanks to all who responded to and commented on this query.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cecilia Gowar: This is a good option too.
1 hr
  -> Thank you!

agree  neilmac: Unfettered... nice ;)
17 hrs
  -> Thanks Neil. Don't get a chance to use that word much.

agree  David Ronder
21 hrs
  -> Thank you!

agree  Charles Davis: Or even uninhibited, perhaps
1 day 16 mins
  -> Yes. Thanks, Charles!
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
unbiased/unprejudiced use of language


Explanation:
I feel this refers to his questioning of all political stances. From his Wikipedia entry:

"A critic of capitalism, neoliberalism and political correctness, Žižek identifies as a political radical, and his work has been characterized as challenging orthodoxies of both the political right and the left-liberal academy."



Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 60

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jude dabo: ok
40 mins

agree  franglish: or impartial
1 hr
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
his unconventional use of language


Explanation:
Although not in the RAE, "desprejuiciado/a" is very much used in Spanish, meaning not tied down by norms, iconoclastic. It does say in your paragrah that the author's writing is "at odds with the academy".

Here is a description of the concept: http://www.cecies.org/articulo.asp?id=358

"el desprejuicio requiere la destrucción de un aparato de opiniones preconstruídas, ..."

And one of several examples of the use:
https://goo.gl/EVwtV4
Rachel era hermosa, inteligente, una joven desprejuiciada, capaz de absorber cuanto veía a su alrededor.

Here's an example of the use in English:

"The Wake, which deterred publishers with its unconventional use of language, was the first crowdfunded novel to make it to the Man Booker long list. "
https://www.britannica.com/art/literature-Year-In-Review-201...

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 68

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JohnMcDove: I think this answer gets the concept with its nuances. :-)
8 hrs
  -> Many thanks John!

agree  David Ronder: Yes, you make the case well and it fits with what I've read of him - e.g. calling Trump 'scum' in an otherwise learned discourse.
20 hrs
  -> Thanks David!
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
his use of language utterly devoid of worship to the norm/his enfant terrible attitude with language


Explanation:
Another option to the very good ones already given.

Not sure how would you say this in proper "Henglish", but using "enfant terrible", could convey the idea of being unorthodox, unconventional

his "enfant terrible" usage of language...

or

his "enfant terrible" attitude in the use of language.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/enfant_terrible

http://dle.rae.es/?id=U0Kbri5

At any rate, some ideas, for whatever they may inspire you. Or rather inspire U.

JohnMcDove
United States
Local time: 07:08
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the frankness of his discourse


Explanation:
I thought I'd throw in a freer translation of the term. Whatever its etymology, I am sure that in this context it is not to do with him being impartial or unbiased (in fact I doubt he would aspire to be either). It is about his habitual scorning of the norms of academic discourse and throwing in demotic or even slang terminology as the occasion arises.

David Ronder
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:08
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28
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