German: BurgschützenEnglish translation: castle's marksmen 
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German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature | | German term or phrase: Burgschützen | This is from the afterword to Kafka's "A Country Doctor", to be published following the stories. It describes the "Goldene Gässchen" in which he wrote them.
"Unter Kaiser Rudolph II. (1552-1612) wurden
die Häuser von einer bunten Schar von Bewohnern
-Glöcknern, **Burgschützen**, Wächtern - genutzt."
I've got "castle riflemen" at the moment, but wondered if there was a more precise term. Thanks!
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| | Clarification request(s) and responsexxxFrancis Lee: 11:35am Jan 2, 2007: Isn't the era specified a tad early for rifles?
BrigitteHilgner: 11:43am Jan 2, 2007: With Francis - I have my doubts about the rifles, I think that needs checking. The most "neutral" (in regard to weapons) term I can come up with is "marksmen". And what about artillerymen?
Rachel Ward: 12:14pm Jan 2, 2007: Wiki (I know, I know) says that they date from the mid-15th century but weren't used by the infantry until the 18th.
David Moore: 12:30pm Jan 2, 2007: I suspect the Wiki "rifle" entry was made by someone who didn't read the dictionary too well; the OED says the word in use from 1459 meant a stick, or billet of wood, and the word was only used in its present sense as from 1751 (and rifleMAN from 1775).
BrigitteHilgner: 12:51pm Jan 2, 2007: Try: www.google.de. Type in: "castle marksmen" - and the result might be what you are looking for.
Frosty: 1:48pm Jan 2, 2007: @ David: Source - "The Lore of Arms - A Concise History of Weaponry": Quote; "The invention of the matchlock, sometime before 1411, was the first major improvement in firearms design." The book starts with slingshots and ends with Carl Gustav M2!!
Frosty: 1:57pm Jan 2, 2007: @David again - About the Author: William Reid is director of the National Army Museum in London. Author of ARMS THROUGH THE AGES and numerous articles on military subjects. Impeccable pedigree, don`t you think?
David Moore: 2:04pm Jan 2, 2007: @Frosty: I agree entirely; I still think it would have been a long, long time before muskets had driven out the crossbow. It would be interesting to know just when that DID happen, wouldn't it? Still, "marksmen" does cover both types of arms, doesn't it?
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| | castle's marksmen | Explanation:
According to the dictionary, a marksman is defined as one who can shoot a rifle OR OTHER WEAPON accurately.
Since we are looking at the late 16th. century, and the castle defenders would have been armed with bows and arrows, I think marksman has to be favourite - I'm sorry Brigitte didn't post her suggestion, to which I would certainly have agreed. |
| Selected response from:
 David Moore
Germany
| Note from asker to answererMarksmen does indeed cover both types of arms! Thanks, everyone.
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The translation workplace 
