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  3. Government / Politics

no sapatinho

English translation: tiptoeing

21:57 Apr 11, 2019
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / Milicianos
Portuguese term or phrase: no sapatinho
"O termo – no sapatinho – é justamente a expressão que os moradores usavam para descrever a atuação dos milicianos. O comportamento discreto era uma tentativa de passar despercebido ao poder público.
Por muito tempo a estratégia deu certo e a milícia ampliou seus negócios à capital fluminense, dominando territórios principalmente na zona oeste da cidade, região que hoje sofre com as disputas entre os paramilitares."

TIA
Tobias
T o b i a s
English translation:tiptoeing
Explanation:
suggestion using a metaphor associated with feet :)

https://www.dicionarioinformal.com.br/s� no sapatinho/

Só no sapatinho quer dizer discretamente, sem causar alarde.



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Note added at 2 hrs (2019-04-12 00:04:46 GMT)
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@ Toby

The reason I believe my suggestion works in your context is this sentence in your posting:

"O comportamento discreto era uma tentativa de passar despercebido ao poder público."

Selected response from:

Gilmar Fernandes
United States
Local time: 20:00
Grading comment
Thanks Gilmar. And for weighing in so quickly.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2tiptoeing
Gilmar Fernandes
3 +1keeping their heads down
Martin Riordan
4under wraps
Lara Barnett
4on tiptoe
Oliver Simões
4keeping a low profile
Alcinda Marinho
4discreetly
Teresa Freixinho
3no sapatinho (in little shoes)
Tereza Rae


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


53 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
tiptoeing


Explanation:
suggestion using a metaphor associated with feet :)

https://www.dicionarioinformal.com.br/s� no sapatinho/

Só no sapatinho quer dizer discretamente, sem causar alarde.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2019-04-12 00:04:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

@ Toby

The reason I believe my suggestion works in your context is this sentence in your posting:

"O comportamento discreto era uma tentativa de passar despercebido ao poder público."



Gilmar Fernandes
United States
Local time: 20:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 67
Grading comment
Thanks Gilmar. And for weighing in so quickly.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the quick reply, which I really needed and which was very useful.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  R. Alex Jenkins
15 hrs
  -> Thank you R I C H A R D :)
agree  Mario Freitas:
1 day 11 hrs
  -> Thanks Mario :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
no sapatinho (in little shoes)


Explanation:
Eu deixaria a expressão em Português mesmo e forneceria a tradução literal entre parênteses, já que essa parece ser uma expressão típica do Brasil, e talvez até somente da região Sudeste. Concordo com o Gilmar quanto ao fato dessa expressão transmitir a mensagem de algo que se faz escondido, na ponta dos pés, sem fazer barulho, mas como a frase trata de explicar essa expressão, então faz sentido usar a própria expressão que se está tentando explicar.

Tereza Rae
Canada
Local time: 20:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
keeping their heads down


Explanation:
Just a thought. They were discrete and didn't want to call attention or be noticed.

Example sentence(s):
  • to continue doing something quietly, especially when there is trouble happening around you

    https://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/british/keep-your-head-down
Martin Riordan
Brazil
Local time: 21:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Purdom
12 hrs
  -> Thanks, Richard.
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
under wraps


Explanation:
This is commonly used expression. No "foot" metaphors here really, but the imagery is almost the same.

"...
19... under wraps , Informal . secret:
The army wants this research project kept under wraps."
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/under--wraps?s=t

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Note added at 13 hrs (2019-04-12 11:10:18 GMT)
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"New Military Strategy May Stay Under Wraps"
https://www.defensecommunities.org/blog/congress-dod/new-mil...

"6. Presidents have kept affairs UNDER WRAPS thanks to the aid of the Secret Service: The fact that some presidents had mistresses has been an open secret for decades. "
https://boredomtherapy.com/secrets-of-the-secret-service/

Example sentence(s):
  • "When you KEEP SOMETHING UNDER WRAPS, you keep it a secret. You don’t tell many people, and those you do tell, you ask not to tell anyone else. You might say, 'We are keeping this news under wraps for a while.' "

    https://www.englishbaby.com/lessons/6057/eavesdropping/under_wraps
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Oliver Simões: I think this would be a good translation for "por baixo dos panos": https://www.dicionarioinformal.com.br/por baixo dos panos/
1 hr
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
on tiptoe


Explanation:
no sapatinho
devagarinho, discretamente, sem causar, sem ser notado..

Ontem cheguei em casa de madrugada no sapatinho pra não acordar minha patroa..se ela descobre que cheguei as 4h da manhã tô frito.
https://www.qualeagiria.com.br/giria/no-sapatinho/

on tiptoe: 1. Eagerly anticipating something, as in The children were on tiptoe before the birthday party. [Late 1500s] 2. Moving stealthily, warily, as in They went down the hall on tiptoe. [Mid-1700s] Both usages transfer standing on one's toes to a particular reason for doing so; def. 2 alludes to moving more quietly in this fashion.
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/on tiptoe

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Note added at 15 hrs (2019-04-12 13:04:54 GMT)
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Outras referências:
só no sapatinho: Agir de maneira cautelosa, sem induzir qualquer precipitação.
https://www.dicionarioinformal.com.br/s� no sapatinho/

Vou pixar (sic) no sapatinho: (arte em graffiti)
https://www.deviantart.com/karenfidelis/art/Vou-pixar-no-sap...

Referência, em inglês, a um grafiteiro chinês:
"On tiptoe, Qi Xinghua steps precariously between a towering mountain of discarded paint cans and his latest work, a sprawling 30-by-3-meter scroll that takes up almost all of his basement studio’s floor." - https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1531/beijing-graffiti-artists...

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Note added at 16 hrs (2019-04-12 14:14:32 GMT)
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Algumas divagações literárias/musicais:
Achei interessante o contraste entre a introdução / conclusão e o desenvolvimento ("body") desta música interpretada por Criolo Doido: https://youtu.be/zKle-LsQT3s A música começa e termina com "No sapatinho eu vou.. Pra chegar, conquistar respeito!" ao passo que no meio dela está a mensagem principal: "Eu vim pra incomodar, vim pra cutucar, pra confundir, vou me expressar!" Neste verso, uma crítica implícita ao sistema capitalista: "Eu vou me organizar que é pra ganhar dinheiro, sem precisar me vender o ano inteiro!" E neste outro ele resume o significado do rap: "Eu sei que o rap faz muito mais que sua religião, que o presídio, o cacetete em vão!"

Oliver Simões
United States
Local time: 17:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Ironically, I came across the Criolo Doido video early in my research for the meaning of "no sapatinho". The video only left me more confused and, not wanting to put my foot in it, decided it would be better to post on Proz.

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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
keeping a low profile


Explanation:
I’m leaving you another suggestion, which I believe fits the meaning of the expression as explained in your text (“O comportamento discreto era uma tentativa de passar despercebido ao poder público.)

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/keep a low profile

Alcinda Marinho
Portugal
Local time: 01:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Portuguese
Notes to answerer
Asker: This is what I would have used if didn't have the deadline.

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1 day 13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
discreetly


Explanation:
Sugestão.

Teresa Freixinho
Brazil
Local time: 21:00
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 12
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