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zsellér család

English translation: landless peasant family

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Hungarian term or phrase:zsellér család
English translation:landless peasant family
Entered by: JANOS SAMU

12:33 Aug 14, 2010
Hungarian to English translations [PRO]
History / local history
Hungarian term or phrase: zsellér család
The term appears in a 1720 census. I am translating the history of a village. I wrote 'peasant family' in my draft but wonder if anyone has a more accurate (but still succinct) phrase.
amanda solymosi
Hungary
Local time: 08:52
landless peasant family
Explanation:
Let's start wiht the definition of the "zsellér". These were peasants who did not have any land to provide for their family so they worked for others. Even today there are millions of those around the world.
Selected response from:

JANOS SAMU
United States
Local time: 23:52
Grading comment
thanks yes I just popped in the 'landless'
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1cottar family
Tünde Lőrincz
4 +1villein family
János Untener
5landless peasant family
JANOS SAMU


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
cottar family


Explanation:
This might be an elligible term, I would use it. Howerver, as far as I know cottar is a Scottish word. So, if you like, peasant will also do.

Tünde Lőrincz
Local time: 09:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Hungarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ildiko Santana: zsellér = cotter, cottar, "tenant farmer" (from Middle English "cot") http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cotter
3 hrs
neutral  Elevenít (X): De ez majdnem tájszólási szó, nem? Sőt, csak a skóciai hegyvidék területén való. Azért mondom, mert hat évig éltem tartósan Skóciában, és nekem majdnem egy idegennyelv a skóciai beszéd.
21 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
villein family


Explanation:
én a villein szót ismertem, a MW szótár szerint

1 : a free common villager or village peasant of any of the feudal classes lower in rank than the thane
2 : a free peasant of a feudal class higher in rank than a cotter
3 : an unfree peasant standing as the slave of a feudal lord but free in legal relations with respect to all others

probably there is not much difference between cotter, suggested above, and villein, according to 2nd definition of MW villein is a higher class than cotter, so the context you use should be the guide which one you choose

"villein." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.
Merriam-Webster Online. 14 August 2010
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villein>

János Untener
Hungary
Local time: 08:52
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Elevenít (X): Mostanában a 'serf' szó jobb de nem létezett 1761 előtt. A középkorban 'bordars', 'serfs' és 'villein' volt lehetséges, mert külön, pontosan érthető rangú parasztak voltak. 1720-ban szerintem csak 'villein' lenne megfelelő ennek a jelentésével.
16 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
landless peasant family


Explanation:
Let's start wiht the definition of the "zsellér". These were peasants who did not have any land to provide for their family so they worked for others. Even today there are millions of those around the world.

JANOS SAMU
United States
Local time: 23:52
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
thanks yes I just popped in the 'landless'
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