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weichende Söhne

English translation: yielding son; yielding heir

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:weichender Sohn
English translation:yielding son; yielding heir
Entered by: Rowan Morrell

23:48 Mar 19, 2007
German to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Historical Trail Audio
German term or phrase: weichende Söhne
"Herr X erzählt von den „weichenden Söhnen“ – Brüder und Onkel auf den Höfen, die im Winter in die Fremde gingen, um ein wenig dazu zu verdienen.

'Vor Weihnachten wurde Heu von den Bergen herunter gezogen. Nach Weihnachten sind dann die „weichenden Söhne“, die alle ein Handwerk gelernt haben – Schustern, Weben, Schneidern – die sind über den [mountain range] gegangen, nach [village]. Und dann haben sie im [valley] und drüben im [town] Geld verdient. Sie sind „auf Stöhr“ gegangen, von Haus zu Haus. Da haben sie eine Woche Schuhe geflickt oder gewebt. Dann sind sie weiter zum nächsten Haus. Bis zum Mai ist das so gegangen.' "

More about life up in the Austrian Alps. Although the term "weichende Söhne" is explained, I can't for the life of me think of a good English expression here. TIA for your help.
Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 20:32
"yielding sons"
Explanation:
There is more to this term than what is evident from your description. This has to do with inheritence. Weichende Söhne are the ones that do not inherit the farm, the reason why they learned a trade. This web site provides an answers in English: www.answers.com/topic/inheritance-and-wills. I am not sure how widely used the term "yielding sons/heirs" is, however.
Selected response from:

Carmen Berelson
United States
Local time: 04:32
Grading comment
"Yielding heirs" seemed to get slightly better hits than "ceding heirs", although neither term seems to be very common. But I think I'll use "yielding heirs" here. Many thanks Carmen, but thanks also to Johanna for some pretty good help and Andrew for a reasonably plausible suggestion. Appreciate everyone's assistance.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1"yielding sons"
Carmen Berelson
3cadet sons
Lancashireman
3ceding sons
Johanna Timm, PhD


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
"yielding sons"


Explanation:
There is more to this term than what is evident from your description. This has to do with inheritence. Weichende Söhne are the ones that do not inherit the farm, the reason why they learned a trade. This web site provides an answers in English: www.answers.com/topic/inheritance-and-wills. I am not sure how widely used the term "yielding sons/heirs" is, however.

Carmen Berelson
United States
Local time: 04:32
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
"Yielding heirs" seemed to get slightly better hits than "ceding heirs", although neither term seems to be very common. But I think I'll use "yielding heirs" here. Many thanks Carmen, but thanks also to Johanna for some pretty good help and Andrew for a reasonably plausible suggestion. Appreciate everyone's assistance.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: You sent me on the right track- posted separately because of all those references :)
2 hrs
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cadet sons


Explanation:
Cadet: A younger son or line.
http://www.brockett.info/Level1/Glossary.htm
The William Frothingham who at the age of thirty came out to Massachusetts with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, seems to have been another of the younger sons of those troubled times, likely without the prospect of further inheritance at home, and without the desire to marry an heiress, enter the church or the army, the usual recourse of the cadet sons of the country gentry.
http://tinyurl.com/2ofg6p


Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:32
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 160
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ceding sons


Explanation:
Generell versteht man unter "weichenden Kindern" jeweils die Geschwister des Hofübernehmers. Auch ihre Interessen müssen natürlich gewahrt werden. Obwohl ein Erb- oder Pflichtteil erst beim Tod der Eltern - und nicht schon bei der Übergabe - entsteht, empfiehlt sich auch hier eine klare Lösung. Die "weichenden Kinder" können etwa anlässlich der Übernahme auf ihren Pflichtteil verzichten und so dem neuen Bauern oder der neuen Bäuerin den Weg vollständig frei machen.
http://www.notar-stockinger.at/aufgaben/hof_lan.htm

weichende Erben "ceding heirs." In instances where the. daughter inherits, the effective Hofleiter, or operational. director of the farm, is the in-marrying ...
www.anthrosource.net/doi/abs/10.1525/cag.2004.26.1-2.124

For example, the ceding heirs are provided with a good education or are recompensed financially. Nevertheless, such financial compensation is well below the ...
www.redorbit.com/.../164035/above_all_farming_means_family_... - 60k


Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 01:32
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 90
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