# perroflauta



## narhei

Hola, quería saber un equivalente a la palabra "perroflauta" en inglés.

Perroflauta es "una forma despectiva de designar a los músicos ambulantes callejeros que tocan algún instrumento con escasa fortuna y que por regla general van desaseados, ocasionalmente en compañía de un perro callejero".


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## Chris K

Several options:

A busker (but the word is not negative).
An organ grinder (probably too specific, but usually negative).
A wandering minstrel / player (not exactly the same thing).
A street musician (neutral).

None of the above is a perfect fit.


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## narhei

In spite of the definition, a "perroflauta" does not always play an instrument, although most of them know how to play at least one. They usually have a punk or hippy style. The thing with the word is that has a negative meaning.


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## Chris K

narhei said:


> In spite of the definition, a "perroflauta" does not always play an instrument, although most of them know how to play at least one. They usually have a punk or hippy style. The thing with the word is that has a negative meaning.



It might help if you give us the sentence in which the word appears. A one-to-one equivalent may not exist, but we might be able to get the same idea across.


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## maverick19

In the UK we use 'crusty' to describe a perroflauta.


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## ch4rl1

No estoy de acuerdo con que la acepción de perroflauta designe a un músico ambulante. Más bien yo creo que es una de estas tribus urbanas proliferantes en las ciudades que se caracterizan por ser de la izquierda radical, llevar ropas con tendencia hippie, practicar el movimiento okupa, ir desaliñados, normalmente con rastas, beber en la calle y suelen tener perros por compañía. Y en vez de tocar instrumentos musicales se inclinan más hacia juegos tipo diábolo, malabares, etc.


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## Wanna_Spain

Hola, solamente quería dejaros esta curiosidad:

¿Eres un perroflauta?
http://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20110525/54161274942/eres-un-perroflauta.html


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## Almighty Egg

De acuerdo con maverick 19.
Un *perroflauta* es un *crusty* en RU. They usually have a "doggy on a string". 
(Search for the song of the same name by Attila the stockbroker for more info...)

Not sure what the equivalent in USA would be, gutter punk?

@Wanna_Spain. The same thing happens in Britain too, and all over the world, it's called media disinformation...


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## JB

This blog has additional opinions on current usage of the term:
romera.blogspot.com/2006/05/perroflauta.html


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## randymaytag

Yes, I think that "gutter punk" would be the American equivalent of crusty and probably the closest in tone to what the original poster describes. I should note that--as with many derogatory terms--gutter punks may apply it to themselves with some measure of irony or pride. Is the same true of perroflauta?


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## noula

Gutter punk would be perroflauta de _merda..._


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## PAUL B.T.

NUEVA PREGUNTA -- HILOS UNIDOS 
(Por favor, revisar si hay hilos anteriores para la palabra que se pregunta. Gracias)​
Hi everyone.

I'd like to know if there's any specific word that's equivalent to the Spanish "perroflauta"
You know, the tipical punky guy who seem to have no home, lives on the money that people give him and is usually accompanied by his dog.
It's also used by conservative people when they refer to the 15-M people and so, despectively.


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## aztlaniano

Desde hace décadas: A hippy


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## Des_Kaje

aztlaniano said:


> Desde hace décadas: A hipp*ie*



I'm not sure if I agree with aztlaniano in this case, neither whether there is an English word with the same connotation. Hippies were not necessarily homeless (though most of them had dogs for as far as I know). Maybe you could use a word as 'bum', or 'hobo' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo).


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## Seica

Des_Kaje said:


> Hippies were not necessarily homeless (though most of them had dogs for as far as I know). Maybe you could use a word as 'bum', or 'hobo' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo).



_Perroflautas_ aren't homeless either, actually many of them came from well-off families, and are for the most part university students or graduates. The term is mildly derogatory because a _perroflauta_ is a middle class youngster who've chosen (or pretends to be) on the fringes of society. 

I'd say a_ perroflauta_ is somewhat between a hipster and a hippie but I can't think of a better word than *hippie*, as Aztlaniano said already.


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## aztlaniano

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hippy1 (also hippie) 
▶noun (_pl._ hippies) (especially in the 1960s) a young person associated with a subculture which rejected traditional social values, advocated peace and free love, and favoured long hair and unconventional dress.


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## Des_Kaje

Aah, yes, you're both right. I misinterpreted the term _perroflauta._ _Hippie_​ would be better, indeed.


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## Tegs

Seica said:


> _Perroflautas_ aren't homeless either, actually many of them came from well-off families, and are for the most part university students or graduates. The term is mildly derogatory because a _perroflauta_ is a middle class youngster who've chosen (or pretends to be) on the fringes of society.
> 
> I'd say a_ perroflauta_ is somewhat between a hipster and a hippie but I can't think of a better word than *hippie*, as Aztlaniano said already.



I wouldn't use 'hipster' - I've only ever heard that term used to describe a specific cut of trousers, not a person.
I guess hippie is the best term, although bear in mind that hippies do not necessarily come from well-off families.


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## plurker

Seica said:


> _Perroflautas_ aren't homeless either, actually many of them came from well-off families, and are for the most part university students or graduates. The term is mildly derogatory because a _perroflauta_ is a middle class youngster who've chosen (or pretends to be) on the fringes of society. .



In whci case, may I suggest 'trustafarian' - someone living the hippie ideal, but funded by rich family - it's as informal as perroflauta...


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## Tegs

plurker said:


> In whci case, may I suggest 'trustafarian' - someone living the hippie ideal, but funded by rich family - it's as informal as perroflauta...



Plurker - welcome to the forum  Trustafarian is a brilliant translation - I'd completely forgotten about that word. 

For any Italians who might not know its etymology, it comes from the idea of young people who have a "trust fund" (a bank account set up by their parents which contains a fortune). It a combination of the ideas trust fund + rastafarian ...trustafarian


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## Mawliette

May I say that a 'hippie' has nothing to do with a 'perroflauta', because it's almost as if you were comparing hippies with punks.
On second thought, you could say a 'perroflauta' is a mixture of both punks and hippies.

Unfortunately, I'm clueless about what the equivalent of this could be .


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## plurker

Tegs said:


> Plurker - welcome to the forum  Trustafarian is a brilliant translation - I'd completely forgotten about that word.


De nada, and happy to help.
I came here via google - searching 'perroflauta' from an article on Manu Chao - the epitome of a hippie/punk mixture!


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## euphemism_treadmill

_Trustafarian_ is REALLY GOOD; you might also want to look into _oogle_.


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## euphemism_treadmill

Almighty Egg said:


> Un *perroflauta* es un *crusty* en RU.





Almighty Egg said:


> Not sure what the equivalent in USA would be, gutter punk?



También tenemos crusties en EE.UU., supongo que no son exactamente los mismos que gutter punx, but it's not like there's a sharp dividing line, either.


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## cirrus

When many older right wing people don't can't back up an argument, rather than debate or come up with logical reasoning, they resort to stereotypes to sidestep debate. Calling people muesli eating sandal wearers is one that feels pretty similar to perroflauta territory. Before beards were omnipresent, they would have put bearded in front of the expression. It'd be easy to imagine someone like Jeremy Clarkson saying this.


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## Almighty Egg

cirrus said:


> When many older right wing people don't can't back up an argument, rather than debate or come up with logical reasoning, they resort to stereotypes to sidestep debate. Calling people muesli eating sandal wearers is one that feels pretty similar to perroflauta territory. Before beards were omnipresent, they would have put bearded in front of the expression. It'd be easy to imagine someone like Jeremy Clarkson saying this.


Yes, and "*trustafarian*" is probably the closest word to "_*perroflautas*_" we have in English to accomplish this, it's used in exactly the same perfunctorily dismissive, disparaging way.

By the way, as mentioned earlier in the thread, the omnipresent "*rastas*" seen on "*perroflautas*" (and "*trustafarians*") are known as "*dreadlocks*" in English.


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## eno2

"Si un _perroflauta_ agrede a mis hijas, le arranco la cabeza'"


*Eso dice  la esposa Soria, sobre las escraches. ¿Probablemente no hay otra palabra?*


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## Sprachliebhaber

Un perroflauta es un hippy, punk, un joven rebelde y despreciable.


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## scotu

Sprachliebhaber said:


> Un perroflauta es un hippy, punk, un joven rebelde y *despreciable*.



¿_despreciable_? Are hippies and rebels despicable, contemptible or worthless?


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## Sprachliebhaber

From the mother's point of view, yes. From their point of view, of course not - just the opposite. But the term perroflauta is pejorative, and a nonconformist would not use it to refer to himself.


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## scotu

Sprachliebhaber said:


> From the mother's point of view, yes. From their point of view, of course not - just the opposite. But the term perroflauta is pejorative, and a nonconformist would not use it to refer to himself.



Thank You, as a card carrying non conformist, I appreciate the clarification.

scotu


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## Sprachliebhaber

With a card, obviously a second-order (nonconforming) nonconformist.


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## Raquel8

Is hipster the English equivalent of perroflauta?


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## Sprachliebhaber

I would say no, "hipster" is not the same, and is not nearly as derrogatory as perroflauta.


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## Omada

Como ha dicho Sprachliebhaber, "perroflauta" tiene connotaciones negativas y se refiere a los  "jóvenes antisistema", que es la expresión que suele aparecer en los periódicos. No sé en inglés qué expresión despectiva puede ser equivalente en inglés.


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## rizzzzzz

the original expression i've always heard is "punk perroflauta" and you used to call this to those hippie/punks who make a living of activities such as playing the flute (flauta) or juggling. the dog, of course, is part of the scene. with the "crisis" the term came into fashion and now they call it to anyone with a punk or hippie style, with dreadlocks, non-conformist... 

i dont agree trustafarian is the translation. if i'm not wrong, a trustafarian is a well-off hippie.


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## solazabal

I would like to make an appointment. Perroflauta came as it has said before, from poor people who lived in the street, usually with a dog, and they could be either playing music to get money or just like playing music in the street with theis fellows (perro=dog, flauta=flute). An example will be pretty helpful: in the simpsons, the chapter when lisa and other workers of the nuclear central start singing against mr burns. This may well remind us to hippies, as many people has said. Perroflautas concept has evolved from that to people who (nowadays) are kindda bohemians, who don't like following traditional streams. The oposite to a perroflauta would be queen elizabeth ii. Perroflautas are alternative people and this term may be used in a despective way on antisystems or radicals, but that does not mean that all perroflautas are radicals. Currently a perroflauta is someone just off the beaten track. They can be more or less radicals, more or less hippie-styled, etc. 

It normally has a negative connotation because of its origin, but that doesn't mean perroflautas are vagabons, drug dealers and that stuff.


Important: this is my perception as a 19 year old man of Sevilla, south of Spain so i may see perroflauta in a different way! Slang and new idioms are not strict sticks but an undetermined concept.
As Ortega y Gasset said: everybody get a perception of a truth, so the sum of the perceptions might well get us closer to the truth!


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## eno2

narhei said:


> In spite of the definition, a "perroflauta" does not always play an instrument, although most of them know how to play at least one. They usually have a punk or hippy style. The thing with the word is that has a negative meaning.


Right. I read it frequently as a despective word for people in marginal positions 

What about perroflauta~bum?


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## Nanoadri

I honestly think "deadbeat" is the closest translation! Perroflauta refers more to an attitude and way of living than the dog or the flute. Read worthless, unemployed, philosopher, daydreamer. Hippie? Yes but it goes beyond that. I don't think it has to do with you being poor or marginalized but more with you having a "don't give a sh*t" attitude. I've been in the US for 7 years and that's in my mind what culturally translates best!


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## juanpide

¿Cómo se dice en inglés "perroflauta"?

Sustantivo con el que se designa a la persona, habitualmente joven y habitualmente con el pelo y la ropa sucios, que puede verse como una mezcla de hippy y punk en su acepción más moderna.

Suele llevar un perro de aspecto descuidado y en ocasiones toca la flauta en la calle o en parques para pedir dinero o entretenerse. También es habitual verle con malabares_, diábolos, fumando porros y bebiendo cerveza._
Suele tener ideología antisistema anarquista, de extrema izquierda o independentista.
Es habitual que el perroflauta conviva con otros perroflautas, muchas veces en comunas en la calle o de okupa.
_._


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