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ancien

English translation: the elder


08:25 Jun 25, 2009
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French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Genealogy / From a heritage book
French term or phrase: ancien
From a 17th century heritage book (town families' geneology), appears next to a name and occupation:
"Jean Borel laboreur, ancien"
"Jean Borel husbandman, retired? elderly?"
Hermien Desaivre
South Africa
Local time: 12:26
English translation:the elder
Explanation:
Just a guess.
Selected response from:

aubreydewet
South Africa
Local time: 12:26
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2the elder
aubreydewet
4formerColin Rowe
4ancient
swanda


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ancien (this context)
the elder


Explanation:
Just a guess.

aubreydewet
South Africa
Local time: 12:26
Native speaker of: Native in AfrikaansAfrikaans
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi - this is possible, but elsewhere this distinction is given as (father) and (son) - although this text is a mixture of French and German - essentially German - and the other references to father or son are in German. It does make sense. The entire text is research into whether two people mentioned in different contexts was indeed only one person. Thanks, Aubrey and Bourth.

Asker: It looks like thsi is going to turn out being "elder" as in "church elder".

Asker: I've discoverfed it might also refer to church elder, the client has not come back to contradict me - I'll award points to you.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bourth: Certainly, if there's a Jean Borel the Younger.
7 mins
agree  Christopher Crockett: Seems most likely, since you've got a father & son mentioned elsewhere.
4 hrs
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ancient


Explanation:
*

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Note added at 8 mins (2009-06-25 08:34:28 GMT)
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ancient wisdom: la sagesse des anciens

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-06-25 09:47:29 GMT)
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then I would say "senior"

swanda
Local time: 11:26
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi Swanda - thanks for your answer; this context doesn't seem to refer to this meaning.

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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
former


Explanation:
I rather suspect that this means "former husbandman[/ploughman/plowman]"

"ancien laboureur" gets quite a few Google hits, mainly from genealogical sources, e.g.

Famille COLLINET - [ Diese Seite übersetzen ]... d'Etienne BÉNARD, procureur fiscal, fermier à Moisselles en 1771 (il est dit *ancien laboureur* demeurant à Attainville en 1780), et de Geneviève GOUY. ...
genealog.fr/ferlab/collinet.html


Example sentence(s):
  • ...procureur fiscal, fermier à Moisselles en 1771 (il est dit *ancien laboureur* demeurant à Attainville en 1780)

    Reference: http://genealog.fr/ferlab/collinet.html
Colin Rowe
Germany
Local time: 11:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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