# Slovenian: uličar



## rosarosae

Would you please tell me how would you translate uličar into Spanish? Or English so that I can figure out a translation into Spanish?
Situation is underground station in Berlin, one member of a gang, i.e. uličar comes to the narrator and defies him:

"ko je prišel do mene, je uličar vnovič zavpil, njegov cvileč glas je odmeval po samotni postaji in se izgubljal v temo železniških rovov ..."

Thank you for your answer whether it be in English or Spanish


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## natasha2000

A mí me parece esloveno eso... Uličar es vagabundo, el sintecho, pero también puede ser un ladrón de poca monta, o un chico problemático, un gamberro, zabandija... No entiendo muy bien el esloveno, pero diría que significa algo así:

Quién se me ha acercado? -- gritó el vagabundo, su voz echaba eco en la estación de trenes vacia, y se perdió entre las vias ferroviales...

Pero, espera a algún esloveno, mejor...


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## sokol

I think Natasha is right; "vagabondo" should be the meaning - it is a form derivated from "ulica - street", and it isn't in my dictionaries  so I guess it is slang.

(And of course it is Slovenian. )


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## natasha2000

I don't know for Slovenian, but in Serbian uličar is not slang, it is just a normal word for someone who is problematic and conflictive person, usually for boys that grew up in street, with broken families and everything that this brings, who are also usually petty criminals...


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## skye

Hm, I must say I've never heard the word, it looks like creative use of language by the author. I would say it's derived from ulica (street) too and that it probably means someone who lives on the street. Reading natasha's comment it makes me wonder if it has any connotations like that too (problematic and conflictive). Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


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## natasha2000

Hm, if it is not Slovenian word, than maybe it might be a Serbian word inserted into a Slovenian speech? Skye, is the rest Slovenian?


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## skye

The rest is Slovenian.


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## rosarosae

Thank you all of you!
It is Slovene indeed, and whether it is a Slovenian word it is not in the dictionary (SSKJ) but it is on the news and so. (I've found uličar applied to basket, street basketball, to homeless, to urban tribes.) My problem is not that I don't understand the meaning, but that it doesn't come to my mind a good translation. The thing is, this man coming up to my narrator is not a "vagabundo". The author compares a member of a gang (dressed in leather clothes, black jeans, earrings hanging from his nose, tough guy) (possibly a jonkie?) with Tacit's description of German tribes and their shrieks when entering combat. It is ironical calling these ones uličarji, and that's why I ask for help.
Again, thank you all

p.s.: dear sokol, I write in English following your advice about not changing the language when I have started in one language, and because I suppose Spanish would leave out of the debate some valuable comments of non Spanish speakers. )


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## natasha2000

> The author compares a member of a gang (dressed in leather clothes, black jeans, earrings hanging from his nose, tough guy) with Tacit's description of German tribes and their shrieks when entering combat.


Rosarosae, the type of person you describe here *is* ULIČAR in Serbian, and considering that a Slovenian says this is not a Slovenian word, and you don't find this word in Slovenian dictionary,  I am pretty sure it was taken from Serbian for that sentence in Slovenian.  The basic meaning of uličar is vagabundo or homeless person, but it is also very frequently used for, as I already said, a person who grew up in the street, possibly a member of some street gang, who obeys the street rules, a problematic, destructive and conflictive person, usually a young man, already very well known to the police. As I speak Spanish, I can offer you some possible translations: gamberro, zabandija, canalla, perro callejero, macarra, pandillista... Maybe it gives you an idea to find the exact word in Spanish...


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## sokol

I also consider it likely, by discussion so far, that "uličar" might be a Serbian loan - especially as it isn't even in SSKJ (as you've told us; I don't have a copy).

And Rosa, thanks for trying to stick to one language - it is always best not to introduce too many languages in a single thread - but if you have troubles explaining in English then please switch to Spanish. I think that Natasha has already given some excellent Spanish suggestions, probably you can yourself elaborate on which one of those might fit best here.


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## TriglavNationalPark

I don't remember ever hearing of the word "uličar" either, but I immediately guessed its meaning from the context. Would I know what it means if I encountered it in a different context? It's hard to say.

By the way, a related term that is found in most Slovenian dictionaries is *pouličnica* = prostitute.


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## rosarosae

Thank you all again!
I have put "pandillero" so far. I'll see if it stands a second reading.


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## natasha2000

Si me permites, yo te propondría que uses macarra. Ulicar no necesariamente es el miembro de una banda callejera, lo que pienso que pandillero implica...


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## rosarosae

El de este libro sí lo es, y macarra es algo que no tenemos la menor idea de lo que quiere decir aquí en el cono sur...
Aunque se publique en España no puedo hacer una traducción que sólo los españoles entiendan.
Gracias de todos modos, quizá cambie por otra cosa, pero teniendo en cuenta lo anterior.


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## natasha2000

OK, no hay problema, tu sabrás mejor 

Nol me he dado cuenta de que vienes de Argentina...


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## rosarosae

Es que es de veras un problema con las traducciones. Yo tuve que ir a mirar al diccionario lo que significa "macarra" y, por otro lado, también tengo que cuidarme de que la traducción no sea en "argentino" porque entonces sería invendible en España... Ya veremos qué me dice luego el editor.
Gracias de nuevo!


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