pretendendes

Pretendendes is a coined term used in discussions of discourse and identity to describe individuals who regularly adopt a deliberately crafted persona in social interaction in order to influence others. The term appears to derive from the Portuguese verb pretender (to pretend) and is intended to denote “those who pretend.” It is not an established term in major dictionaries and is chiefly encountered in academic blogs, theoretical essays, or speculative fiction that explore performative identity.

Usage and scope: In sociolinguistics and online discourse analysis, pretendendes refers to speakers who align speech, appearance, and behavior to a desired social role, often across different audiences. The behavior is treated as performative, emphasizing audience-facing front-stage presentation and strategic disclosure rather than a blanket claim about honesty. Some discussions focus on impression management and strategic communication, while others consider potential manipulation or propaganda, depending on context and intent.

Relation to related concepts: Pretendendes overlaps with ideas of performativity, persona, and impression management. It is sometimes contrasted with terms like deception or fakery to signal a focus on consciously constructed identities rather than merely false beliefs, though interpretations vary and the term remains informal.

Limitations: Because pretendendes is not a standardized term, there is variation in its definitions and applications across disciplines. It functions best as a heuristic for describing patterns of identity presentation and audience tailoring rather than a fixed category with strict criteria.