Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Jul 5, 2018 08:24
5 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
Destraler
English
Other
History
Moros y Cristianos festival
This is actually a Catalan word but I can't find an English equivalent so I thought I would provide a definition in the hope that someone can come up with the right term, if one specific term exists in English.
A 'destraler' is a soldier who, in battles, clears the passage of obstacles for the other soldiers as they march, using various tools such as axes, sticks, hammers, etc.
A 'destraler' is a soldier who, in battles, clears the passage of obstacles for the other soldiers as they march, using various tools such as axes, sticks, hammers, etc.
Responses
3 +3 | axeman | Alison MacG |
3 +5 | path-clearer | Charles Davis |
4 | trail clearer | airmailrpl |
Responses
+3
6 days
Selected
axeman
Please see discussion
Diccionari enciclopèdic català
DESTRALER m. Mil. Soldat armat d'una destral Hachero
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9whPAAAAYAAJ&q="destrale...
MOORS AND CHRISTIANS 2016
At 9 PM. CHRISTIAN PARADE.
The parade will start from C/Colón and will continue through Avenida País Valencià to Plaza de la Generalitat, where it will end.
The Christian Troops will march in the following order: Drums, Associació Santa Marta Flag, “Caçadors” (Hunters), “Pescadors” (Fishermen), Catalans (Catalonians) , Artillería Cristiana (Christian Artillery), Contrabandistes (Smugglers), Pirates, Destralers (Axemen), Llauradors (Peasants), Almogavers, “Marinos” (Sailors), to finish with “Voluntaris” (Volunteers) and the Christian King with his escort.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=OMlFW4SEBsLjsAf...
(hopefully the links will work this time)
Diccionari enciclopèdic català
DESTRALER m. Mil. Soldat armat d'una destral Hachero
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9whPAAAAYAAJ&q="destrale...
MOORS AND CHRISTIANS 2016
At 9 PM. CHRISTIAN PARADE.
The parade will start from C/Colón and will continue through Avenida País Valencià to Plaza de la Generalitat, where it will end.
The Christian Troops will march in the following order: Drums, Associació Santa Marta Flag, “Caçadors” (Hunters), “Pescadors” (Fishermen), Catalans (Catalonians) , Artillería Cristiana (Christian Artillery), Contrabandistes (Smugglers), Pirates, Destralers (Axemen), Llauradors (Peasants), Almogavers, “Marinos” (Sailors), to finish with “Voluntaris” (Volunteers) and the Christian King with his escort.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=OMlFW4SEBsLjsAf...
(hopefully the links will work this time)
Note from asker:
Many thanks for your help, Alison! |
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Charles Davis
: With research skills of this quality, you don't really need to know the language :-)
5 mins
|
Thank you very much, Charles!
|
|
agree |
Helena Chavarria
29 mins
|
Thanks, Helena
|
|
agree |
JohnMcDove
: Ditto. :-) /.../ You're welcome! :-)
1 day 5 hrs
|
Many thanks, John - and also for the useful links and pictures!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you all for your help with this!"
+5
43 mins
path-clearer
I don't think this is a formal army term, but I can't think of/find one that refers specifically to this function. It does at least describe what these people do. I once saw a Festival of Moors and Christians in Spain, and I remember there was a person who walked from side to side in front of his group in the procession with a broom, sweeping their path in a more or less symbolic way. That must be the "destaler".
"Path-clearers" are mentioned by John Masefield in his (first-hand) account of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, so perhaps it is or was a recognised job:
"All over the field the glimmers and bursts of fire lit little places and showed groups of men at work -- path-clearers, signalers, carriers -- preparing for the morrow. In parts of the field, even at midnight, hand-to-hand fighting went on for trenches, and bits of trenches which the fighters could not see."
http://leoklein.com/itp/somme/texts/masefield_1919.html
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-07-05 15:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I am sure Alison is right and that the translation in this context is "axemen". I hope she posts this answer.
"Path-clearers" are mentioned by John Masefield in his (first-hand) account of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, so perhaps it is or was a recognised job:
"All over the field the glimmers and bursts of fire lit little places and showed groups of men at work -- path-clearers, signalers, carriers -- preparing for the morrow. In parts of the field, even at midnight, hand-to-hand fighting went on for trenches, and bits of trenches which the fighters could not see."
http://leoklein.com/itp/somme/texts/masefield_1919.html
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2018-07-05 15:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I am sure Alison is right and that the translation in this context is "axemen". I hope she posts this answer.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Tony M
25 mins
|
Thanks, Tony!
|
|
agree |
Jack Doughty
48 mins
|
Thanks, Jack!
|
|
agree |
B D Finch
2 hrs
|
Thanks, Barbara
|
|
agree |
JohnMcDove
: http://dilc.org/destraler/ Soldat proveït de les eines adequades, com destrals, pales, etc., per a netejar els camins i preparar-los per al pas de les tropes. / Either way, "axemen" or "X-men"... ;-))
7 hrs
|
Thanks, John, but yes, axemen: they used to be called the "hacheros" until they were Catalanised/Valencianised in the 1980s (see discussion).
|
|
agree |
NishantM
4 days
|
Thanks, Nishan :-)
|
3 hrs
trail clearer
destraler => trail clearer
CIA ANALYST JOHN SEABURY THOMSON DIES AT 77 - The ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/...at.../055d12b5-0c6c-44a4-b...
Aug 5, 1998 - ... who was captured while on an intelligence assignment for the Army Air ... Mr. Thomson volunteered as a trail clearer on the Appalachian Trail ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 2 hrs (2018-07-06 11:08:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Bloody Pacific: American Soldiers at War with Japan
https://books.google.com.br/books?isbn=0230292305
P. Schrijvers - 2010 - History
Men from the 1st Marine Division, for instance, lauded the raccoon, coyote, and ... their stalking skills, and their crucial roles as camp protectors and trail clearers. ... You have the feeling he would go out in the woods with an axe and build a ...
CIA ANALYST JOHN SEABURY THOMSON DIES AT 77 - The ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/...at.../055d12b5-0c6c-44a4-b...
Aug 5, 1998 - ... who was captured while on an intelligence assignment for the Army Air ... Mr. Thomson volunteered as a trail clearer on the Appalachian Trail ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 2 hrs (2018-07-06 11:08:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Bloody Pacific: American Soldiers at War with Japan
https://books.google.com.br/books?isbn=0230292305
P. Schrijvers - 2010 - History
Men from the 1st Marine Division, for instance, lauded the raccoon, coyote, and ... their stalking skills, and their crucial roles as camp protectors and trail clearers. ... You have the feeling he would go out in the woods with an axe and build a ...
Discussion
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=854&tbm=isch&sa=1...
Tras los mercenarios del mar, Destralers, también marchando a ritmo de batukada, y con su capitán, Fran Tonda, liderando el contingente a hombros de un ariete gigante.
The 3rd picture here, https://www.diarioinformacion.com/servicios/multimedia/image...
http://www.enciclopedia.cat/EC-GEC-0098566.xml
There is a Valencian variant, "estral":
https://ca.wiktionary.org/wiki/estral
https://glosbe.com/ca/en/destral
""Destralers" es una de las formaciones más antiguas de la localidad ya que fue refundada en 1983 a partir de la antigua compañía "Hacheros". "
https://ocio.diarioinformacion.com/agenda/noticias/nws-25021...
I think you should post this. It's clearly right. But also the question should probably be changed to Catalan-English (or perhaps Valencian-English).
DESTRALER m. Mil. Soldat armat d'una destral Hachero
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9whPAAAAYAAJ&q="destrale...
MOORS AND CHRISTIANS 2016
At 9 PM. CHRISTIAN PARADE.
The parade will start from C/Colón and will continue through Avenida País Valencià to Plaza de la Generalitat, where it will end.
The Christian Troops will march in the following order: Drums, Associació Santa Marta Flag, “Caçadors” (Hunters), “Pescadors” (Fishermen), Catalans (Catalonians) , Artillería Cristiana (Christian Artillery), Contrabandistes (Smugglers), Pirates, Destralers (Axemen), Llauradors (Peasants), Almogavers, “Marinos” (Sailors), to finish with “Voluntaris” (Volunteers) and the Christian King with his escort.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?complete=0&biw=1280&bih=845&...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Pioneer_Corps