I've read several interviews where Carlson Gracie is credited with using the term "creonte" to refer to a traitor. My question is, has the use of this term made its way into mainstream Brazilian Portuguese? Would a native speaker from Brazil who is not into the BJJ scene, and may not even know who Carlson is, understand and/or use the word creonte the way Carlson did? What about the term "poderoso." I know it literally means powerful, but Carlson also used it to refer to people who are kind of crazy.
Probably not, considering most of the Brazilians I have met don't even know wtf jiu jitsu is.
^^ this
"Probably not, considering most of the Brazilians I have met don't even know wtf jiu jitsu is."
Wow, no sh*t?
Aaron = poderoso
-the beard of Zeus 
Ridgeback - Most Brazilians don't know about BJJ and many of those who do see it as a borderline activity for thugs and bullies.
That's why I'm curious as to whether a word like creonte has any meaning in mainstream culture or is it basically BJJ slang.
porra - Aaron = poderoso-the beard of Zeus <img src="/images/phone/post_tag.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Porra Antany! Standupee, standupee, no pull to guard!
no it hasn't. brazos who aren't in the bjj scene don't know what it means.
it's just slang used by bjj people that refers to things. much like how slang is used in almost any specific endeavour.
i don't know surfing or skate slang but there are people who do.
and most brazos don't know about bjj, only the ones who train or have some sort of link to it through family or friends. it's still a very very small thing.
Judo is much more popular in Brazil the jiu jitsu.
Carlson didn't invent the term creonte, it was the name of a tv character who had no loyalty, so anyone who had ever seen the show would presumably understand the reference?
JSho - Carlson didn't invent the term creonte, it was the name of a tv character who had no loyalty, so anyone who had ever seen the show would presumably understand the reference?
LOL @ the gross overestimation of the popularity of BJJ.
i used to think this. but from my experience going to brasil to train the past few years there are plenty of non-practitioners who already know it exists. no, it isn't a national sport by far or even mainstream.
in many encounters with strangers asking what my business was staying in brasil, many were familiar or atleast had some exposure to "arte-suave". again, this is information gathered from my own personal experience spending time in brasil.
things has changed a lot in brazil. i life here in Santo andre,Sao Paulo. Most people these days understand what bjj is, and most people know who anderson silva is and vitor belfort. But most think ufc=mma. There is ufc on rede tv every satherday night.
There is an easy solution to this problem. Ask the next Brazilian you meet/see who is not into the BJJ scene what the word creonte means.
aaronlapoi - I've read several interviews where Carlson Gracie is credited with using the term "creonte" to refer to a traitor. My question is, has the use of this term made its way into mainstream Brazilian Portuguese? Would a native speaker from Brazil who is not into the BJJ scene, and may not even know who Carlson is, understand and/or use the word creonte the way Carlson did? What about the term "poderoso." I know it literally means powerful, but Carlson also used it to refer to people who are kind of crazy.
Just a hand full of Brazilians would know what "creonte" is.
"Poderoso" is a term more commonly used. So, to answer your question: No
dutchman - things has changed a lot in brazil. i life here in Santo andre,Sao Paulo. Most people these days understand what bjj is, and most people know who anderson silva is and vitor belfort. But most think ufc=mma. There is ufc on rede tv every satherday night.
Wow! Do you live in Santo Andre? Onde exatamente?
They ask "have you spelt/said it correctly"
close to the center.
It's kind of like this:
Imagine if you are with a group of people at a bar and you said "Hey check out Urkel over at the door" Would your friends/aquaintences realize you were talking about the dorky dude with his pants jacked up? Would it be funny?
That's kinda like creonte. It's not jiu jitsu related just because Carlson said it. You either know about it from pop-culture or you don't.
Chango