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Skriv ut sidan - US city girl needs help with Swedish farming words
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Titel: US city girl needs help with Swedish farming words
Skrivet av: Kathryn Stone skrivet 2012-06-04, 20:42
Greetings,
If I have not worn out my welcome yet (smile), I am wondering if someone can explain the meanings of/differences between: 1. bonde vs. hemmansägare 2. arrendator vs. torpare 3. frälsefogde 4. sockenman: one dictionary explains this as 'people of some wealth, who had to pay taxes', another explains it as an 'honorary term given to an elderly farmer'; that seems like a big difference between definitions 5. dräng vs. statdräng vs. stalldräng: would any of these be better off financially than the other?
I am looking at 6 generations of family in Sweden [1600-1850] and trying to get a sense of well being, i.e. were they fairly poor generation after generation until finally some of them decided to emigrate in hopes of a better future? or was there an obvious gradual decline in status/wealth until finally some of them ...
I have looked at definitions of these terms in many, many online and print dictionaries and it seems to be a very fine line of difference between the terms or possibly no difference at all. Yet there must be a reason/need for the differentiation between terms or they wouldn't have developed [I think].
And finally, I must say I am totally astounded at the number of words in the Swedish language for the basic occupation of farming! Though I am a couple of generations removed from being part of a farming family here, I can't imagine that we have anywhere close to as many terms for the occupation!
As always, I eagerly await any insight you all may be willing to share, and am again so-o-o grateful, Kathryn