French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Genealogy | | French term or phrase: journalier | I am translating a set of old family records. One is a marriage certificate that states the occupation of the man as a "journalier"...the document is from the late 1830's.
Any ideas???? |
| | | Selected response from:
  Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 06:31
| Grading comment yes, this is correct
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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Automatic update in 00:
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1 min confidence:   peer agreement (net): +1 journeyman
Explanation:
| Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 06:31
Native speaker of:  Spanish, Italian
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| | | Notes to answerer
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10 hrs confidence:
12 mins confidence: day labourer
Explanation:
See the Oxford Spanish Dictionary.
'Journalier' originally had the meaning of 'journeyman' (see the Concise Oxford English Dictionary), but I think not by the 1830s.
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Note added at 16 hrs (2008-06-25 08:23:21 GMT)
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'Journeyman' is indeed still in use, as mediamatrix says, but its meaning has changed considerably over time. Today it means "a skilled workman who is employed by another," according to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, which has a UK bias; this is not necessarily incompatible with the www.skilledworkers reference, which is American. So the question is, what did it mean in 1830 and where? I don't have access to the full Oxford English Dictionary, which is the dictionary one really needs for translating historical documents, though it's available online.
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Note added at 18 hrs (2008-06-25 10:26:57 GMT)
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The Merriam-Webster (American) adds to the COED definition: "usually by the day." But both dictionaries refer to skill. So if the man in question was a skilled workman, then I would agree that 'journeyman' is probably better than 'day labourer', because 'labourer' implies the opposite.
| translatol
Local time: 12:31
Native speaker of: English
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The translation workplace 
