Translating favela?

[r_i_l_e_y]

Several times I have had to translate favela in Brazilian articles. The translations offered by Duolingo are "shanty town" and "slum".

"Shanty town" is not exactly a phrase often heard in English, and "slum" sounds quite harsh. Is slum appropriate?

For the moment I have been leaving favela untranslated, after all we do have a favela article in the English wikipedia.

[Paulenrique]

It is the settlement of poorly built shacks ( http://www.teclasap.com.br/2011/12/03/como-se-diz-favela-em-ingles/)

[Duo2012]

We use the same word in English.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/favela?q=favela

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/youre-evicted-hundreds-displaced-from-favela-as-rio-builds-up-to-olympics-8424572.html?origin=internalSearch

I usually think of shanty towns as separate from the "rich" town - the poor have been displaced to another location. The dictionary agrees with me:)

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/shanty%2Btown?q=shanty+town

Slums can be inside a city. However, like you say, it is harsh word. I've been to Rio and the favelas don't look like the slums in my mind - I think of Victorian England. Perhaps the nice weather tricked me.

[Mallowigi]

I'd translate it with "slums"

[karlaGt]

slum

[maria_ferro]

Another english word that may apply is "ghetto". In this case, the segregation is economic but it still applies. However if we were looking for a word that doesn't have negative tones to it, this still isn't great.