complexo de vira-lata

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Portuguese

FWOTD – 7 September 2024

Alternative forms

Etymology

Literally, “mongrel/street dog complex”, a reference to the mixing of ethnic groups in Brazil. Coined by Brazilian writer and playwright Nelson Rodrigues in the 1950s as complexo de vira-latas to describe the lack of self-confidence among Brazilian sportsmen competing internationally.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /kõˈplɛk.su d͡ʒi ˌvi.ɾɐˈla.tɐ/
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /kõˈplɛk.so de ˌvi.ɾaˈla.ta/
 

Noun

complexo de vira-lata m (uncountable)

  1. (Brazil) the national inferiority complex of Brazil; the conscious or subconscious belief among some Brazilians that the society, culture, people and government of Brazil are inherently inferior
    Synonym: vira-latismo
    • 2005 April, Milton Neves, “Rubinho e os vira-latas”, in Placar Magazine, number 1281, Editora Abril, page 26:
      Quando Nélson Rodrigues decretou que o Brasil não ganhava Copa do Mundo porque nossos jogadores tinham complexo de vira-lata, será que ele não estava definindo também futuros analistas de esporte a motor?
      When Nelson Rodrigues declared that Brazil wasn’t winning World Cups because our players had a mongrel complex, couldn’t he also have been describing future motor sport commentators?
    • 2024 August 31, Jeniffer Gularte, Mariana Muniz, quoting Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, “Lula: Musk tem de respeitar decisão do STF”, in Diário do Pará, page B1:
      Esse país não é um país que tem uma sociedade com complexo de vira-lata, que o cara gritou e a gente fica com medo. Esse cara tem que aceitar as regras desse país.
      This country is not a country that has a society with an inferiority complex, where some guy shouts and we get afraid. This guy needs to accept the rules of this country.

Further reading

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