O (adjective) one

Question

I've tried and failed to find a suitable translation for this construction. We use it fairly often in a joking way, intentionally using an archaic and reverential tone in a sarcastic manner. Examples:

-OK, you don't have to pay me back.
-Thank you, O merciful one!

-Alright, here's what you've got to do.
-Teach me, O wise one.

-I would never have gotten lost like you did.
-I am unworthy to be in your presence, O omniscient one.

Answer 1

James Santiago said:

¡Tremendo! Gracias para tu ayuda, oh omniscio. (guiño)

Stuffing the ballot box, Oh devious one?

P.S. (for J & L) This "oh" shouldn't be called an interjection. It's, obviously, a borrowing of the honorific from Japanese (e.g. oosensei, okakyusan, ookaasan, et al)

Answer 2

papanatas

¡Me gusta! Gracias de nuevo, oh salvabobos. (copyright, James Santiago, 2008, all rights reserved)

Answer 3

Maybe you'd like this one better:

papanatas.
1. com. coloq. Persona simple y crédula o demasiado cándida y fácil de engañar.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

Answer 4

James Santiago said:

¡Tremendo! Gracias para tu ayuda. (guiño)

Se las daré, descuida.

Answer 5

¡Tremendo! Gracias para tu ayuda, oh omniscio. (guiño)

Answer 6

James, in your examples you are using a pronoun (one) modified by an adjective. You can do the same thing in Spanish. More literary quotes:

¡oh bello prodigio hermoso!
¡Oh hechicera!
Tienes razón, ¡oh Preciosa!
¡Oh pecador de mí!
¡oh impúdica!
¡Oh contento!
¡oh, bienamada, yo no te amaría!

I don't see any problem in saying things like "Oh, crédulo" to refer to someone imitating ancient formal literary style, with clear sarcastic intention, in this case.

Answer 7

Thanks. So, there is no form I can use to plug in my adjective of choice? This came up because I was corresponding with a bilingual friend, and he used it to me in English, but my reply was in Spanish, and I wanted to use something equivalent (something that pokes fun at him in the same way). The actual line I wanted to say was "O gullible one."

In other words, if you want to mockingly reply to someone in this way, what would you say? That is, mocking some quality of theirs, such as their generosity, knowledge, strength, etc.

Answer 8

Some short quotes from Spanish novels (15th - 20th century):

¡Oh, padre mío!
¡Oh, Santa María!
¡Oh, mi señora Oriana!
¡Oh, Señor Dios Todopoderoso!
¡Oh suerte importuna!

From Manuel Seco dictionary:

oh
(lit) Se emplea enfáticamente precediendo a un vocativo. iOh, tú, Honesto, el mejor, más honrado
y más excelente de los hombres! ¡Mi marido! ¡Nada menos que mi marido!

Answer 9

Thanks for pointing that out. I actually knew it, but for some reason the capital O looked odd when I typed it, so I changed it to lower case. Should have checked my references first. Maybe it's my week this time...

I've fixed it in my original post.

Answer 10

I can't answer your question, but it's an interjection when used this way. (I think. After last week I'm flagging all my posts that way, he he.) But look at this (from dictionary.com):

O? '/o'/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [oh] Show IPA Pronunciation
interjection, noun, plural O's.
'interjection 1. (used before a name in direct address, esp. in solemn or poetic language, to lend earnestness to an appeal): Hear, O Israel!
2. (used as an expression of surprise, pain, annoyance, longing, gladness, etc.)

Reina Valera version of the Bible puts "oh" where KJV has "O", but I don't know if it can be used in the sarcastic sense or not.