complexo de vira-lata

Portuguese

FWOTD – 7 September 2024

Alternative forms

complexo de vira-latas

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/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /kõˈplɛ.ksu dɨ ˌvi.ɾɐˈla.tɐ/ [kõˈplɛ.ksu ðɨ ˌvi.ɾɐˈla.tɐ]
- (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kõˈplɛ.ksu dɨ ˌbi.ɾɐˈla.tɐ/ [kõˈplɛ.ksu ðɨ ˌβi.ɾɐˈla.tɐ]

Noun

complexo de vira-lata m (uncountable)

(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 [meaning Elon Musk] shouts and we get afraid. This guy needs to accept the rules of this country.