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I have in Portuguese contexts seen the terms "bom", "sólido" and "coesivo" used for arguments which are valid and have true arguments. Is there a preferable or recommended use?

How can I translate "sound argument" in Portuguese?

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  • "cohesive"? What do you mean? Can you replace that with a Portuguese word?
    – ANeves
    Dec 20, 2019 at 14:04
  • I think the suggestion was coesão for soundness and coesivo for sound.
    – Sapiens
    Dec 20, 2019 at 15:02

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I'm surprised no one else said it:

"Sound argument" translated to the letter is: "Argumento São".

"São" is homonymous with other words, it can mean "sound", "sain", "saint" or the 3rd person plural present indicative of the verb "to be", described in the dictionary. Having its root in the latin word "sanctus" one can say the word "são" carries a mystical potential...

Because "São" enjoys such wide semantic, and its homonyms are of frequent use, other synonyms with stricter sense are usually preferred instead. (That is why you've seen other terms being employed). I wouldn't say the use of the word for that end is uncommon, rather that it has plentiful alternative synonyms.

Within mathematical logic, the property of "soundness" is frequently translated as "correção". As indicated in this post.

EDIT: Regarding the translation in the domain of engineering/mathematics I leave a quote from a thesis published in the university of São Paulo. Available here. correção

EDIT nº2: Regarding prevalence on the use of "são" as an adjective together with the word "argumentos". Thesis from Universidade Federal Fluminense.

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EDIT nº3: Regarding, again, the translation of soundness as validity in mathematics, the problem is both in English and Portuguese, soundness and validity are different concepts, and thus require different words.

Validity: enter image description here

Soundness: enter image description here

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    Who would say that in Portuguese? Sound body is corpo são, but not a sound argument. Translated to the letter? You mean literally. soundness in math is validez.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:17
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    I don't care how wikipedia translates it. Wikipedia is not a translator and I am. The soundness of an argument means the validity of an argument. Mathematical or other. Credo, queria dizer: validade. :)
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 20:12
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    Many of the Portuguese pages have half-baked translations from the English. Se fala em validade de um argumento, em computação e em (lógica) matemática: pucsp.br/~logica/Argumento.htm By the way, we say sociology, engineering, mathematics, etc. dictionaries.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 20:47
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    Only for logic (mathematical logic) here is the distinction: You have to take a look at the paper: rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil1440/validity.pdf Soundness: An argument is sound if it meets these two criteria: (1) It is valid. (2) Its premises are true. pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corre%C3%A7%C3%A3o Um argumento é dito correto se e somente se: O argumento é válido Todas suas premissas são verdadeiras.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 21:49
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    sound argument in mathematical logic = argumento correto na lógica matemática. "São" não funciona. Validade e correção = Validity and soundness
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 22:01
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A good translation for "sound" here could be:

  • sólido
  • bem fundamentado

"Bom" just means "good", so it's quite generic and a bit weak; "coerente" (coherent) also isn't as strong as "sound".

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    Thanks! I will in contexts where I use this give the definition, and write "solidez" for soundness.
    – Sapiens
    Dec 20, 2019 at 0:02
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Um argumento válido:

Portuguese translation of 'sound': Collins Dictionary

sound [saund] ADJECTIVE

  1. (healthy) saudável ⧫ sadio
  2. (safe, not damaged) sólido ⧫ completo
  3. (secure) seguro
  4. (reliable) confiável
  5. (sensible) sensato
  6. (argument, policy) válido
  7. (move) acertado
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  • Acho que "forte" também merece entrar nessa lista. "Sound money" é moeda forte.
    – Macondo
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:12
  • @Macondo moeda forte = strong currency. sound money não se diz nesse contexto.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:13
  • Então como você traduziria "sound money"? Pois numa discussão proposta por economistas, para a tradução de um livro, concluíram que "moeda forte" seria a melhor opção.
    – Macondo
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:17
  • @Macondo Eu nunca usaria "sound money", pessoalmente. rationalwiki.org/wiki/Sound_money no sentido deles: backed by or pegged to some good or commodity é uma coisa. Outra é isso: Sound money is making a resurgence among the more populist Teabaggers, financial bloggers, and even "serious" Republicans.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:25
  • No uso serio deles (antes da crítica, que tem muita validez), eu diria: moeda atrelada por mercadorias [commodities].Segundo Wikipedia, moeda forte não é a ideia. Ë claro que se pode dizer argumento forte, sim.
    – Lambie
    Dec 30, 2019 at 19:27

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