Is it pretentious to use "brava!' instead of "bravo!"?

[Anonymous]

Really pretentious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are opera singers, yes. Otherwise, no.

This . Not appropriate in a work setting in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, I think it's pretentious, but that's just because I didn't know what it meant.

Ditto

[Anonymous]

I guess I'm pretentious because I'd have used Brava without even giving it a thought. Pardon me for being educated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm pretentious because I'd have used Brava without even giving it a thought. Pardon me for being educated.

You can be educated and still be a pretentious ass.

[Anonymous]

I would not show pretense, but ignorance if you used it for a male performer.

[Anonymous]

It, not "I"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, not pretentious at all, just educated. It's like saying "alumnae" or "alumna" and people not being used to it. Just because their ears aren't used to it, it doesn't mean that the speaker or writer is pretentious. How silly. Use the proper word. Otherwise you appear illiterate. (And that isn't meant to seem unkind at all. It's just that when you're writing, especially for something that's going to be read by bosses, etc. you don't want to appear that you don't know better.)

Unless you're in an Italian setting and directing a "good job" to a woman, don't use brava. Use "great job!" or whatever else is a good substitute

but not brava - It is indeed pretentious.

- Italian signing off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am writing reports for some people I manage. I am giving commendations to a few women and while I know that technically, if female, the word brava applies instead of bravo, I wonder if following the letter of that rule is pretentious? Also, I worry that people who may not be familiar with that technicality will think I had a typo or got the word wrong.

Thoughts from the gallery? TIA.

It is both pretentious and wrong. "Bravo" goes for the performance itself (it's like saying Great!), regardless of the gender of the performer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We should all know when to use brava, bravo and bravi.

What about "brave"? For the all female team.

only in Italy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unless you are Italian or whatever.

agreed. I know what it means but somehow to use it makes it seem like to you are trying to show off about knowing Italian grammar

[Anonymous]

BRAVO --- translates to brave man


BRAVA --- translates to brave woman


BRAVI --- translates to brave pair or more

[Anonymous]

Isn't there a movie or TV show when a superficial female character sarcastically says Brava to someone? I feel like it's a common reference (and probably an embarrassing one at that :p) but that's why I associate it with being pretentious.

I also thought fora was more commonly used than Brava, but then again I often hang out on the Chronicle of Higher Ed fora so my perspective might be a bit skewed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I'm pretentious because I'd have used Brava without even giving it a thought. Pardon me for being educated.

Italians are only laughing at you. We don't care how "educated" you THINK you are.

[Anonymous]

How is this thread still alive?