Rodmar18 Lord
Posts : 26 Join date : 2017-01-29
| Subject: Renaming Knights units Thu May 18, 2017 12:28 am | |
| Hello, I understand the logic behind (disambiguation), but as a translator, I find difficulties with two Knights units.
- Kight Errant: or Wandering Knight, is not so a social or military rank than a way of living; there were like questing knights, independently of their true power and fiefdom.
One the other hand, it could also mean "orphan knight", wandering the land to gain fame. Perhaps, the word you need is the one used to name the lowest ranking knight. It seems to have been 'bachelor' or 'knight bachelor' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor), i.e. a (young) knight without any vassals. Bachelor comes from an old French word meaning 'teenager knight' or a squire. There should be 'yeoman' in English too (some could be mounted), but isn't it off-theme?
- Cavalier: although a synonym to 'Sir' in some languages (I'm thinking about Spanish 'Caballeros'), it's a synonym to 'cavalry' in French and is thus impossible to translate. 'Gentilhomme' (=gentleman) would sound weird.
Granted, it share the same origin as 'chevalier' (=horseman) but a 'chevalier' in French is the same as a 'knight' in English. In German, you have Ritter (=knight), Reiter(=horseman/cavalry), Kavalier(fig., or =gentleman), and perhaps the same concern. What about 'Knight-Banneret' or 'Banneret' or 'Bannerman' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_banneret)? That is, a knight wealthy enough to bear a banner and command a host of lower ranking knights.
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Joe the Bartender Keeper of Balance
Posts : 510 Join date : 2014-08-20 Location : The Candlekeep Inn
| Subject: Re: Renaming Knights units Sat May 20, 2017 4:39 am | |
| I think in this particular case, because they have different meanings in English/French you may need to rename them in translation. | |
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