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English translation: groomsman / usher

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

German term or phrase:	Kranzelherr
English translation:	groomsman / usher
Entered by:	Rachel Ward

13:57 Oct 2, 2006

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Kafka

German term or phrase: Kranzelherr

This is from one of Kafka's letters to Felice Bauer. I have found "Kranzjungfrau" as a dialect word for bridesmaid so I presume that this is the male version. I'm having a mental block on the word for this in British English! "Groomsman" seems American to me.

"In dem Augenblick, in dem Du diesen Brief liest, fahre ich vielleicht in meinem alten Frack, mit zersprungenen Lackstiefeln, viel zu kleinem Cylinderhut und außergewöhnlich bleichem (das ist nichts als Koketterie, ich schaue genau so aus wie sonst und wie damals im August) Gesicht (ich brauche jetzt nämlich immer so lange Zeit zum Einschlafen) als **Kranzelherr** neben einer angenehmen, hübschen, eleganten und vor allem sehr rücksichtsvollen und bescheidenen Cousine in den Tempel, wo die Hochzeit mit dieser großen Feierlichkeit vollzogen wird, die mich auch immer stört, denn dadurch, daß für die jüdische Allgemeinheit wenigstens bei uns die religiösen Ceremonien sich auf Hochzeit und Begräbnis eingeschränkt haben, rücken diese zwei Gelegenheiten in eine so rücksichtslose Nähe, und man sieht förmlich die strafenden Blicke eines vergehenden Glaubens."

Rachel Ward KudoZ activity Questions: 454 (none open) (8 closed without grading) Answers: 72 United Kingdom
Local time: 02:16

groomsman / usher

Explanation:
acc. to the New Oxford:
"a male friend officially attending the bridegroom at a wedding."

i.e. NOT the best man (who accompanies the groom)
Apparently, "usher" is sometimes used in this context as well (although this is new to me).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groomsman

Selected response from:

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 03:16

Grading comment

Thanks Francis and everyone.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

best man

swisstell

3 +2

groomsman / usher

Francis Lee (X)

groomsman

Darin Fitzpatrick

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

best man

Explanation:
certainly here in the USA

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 03:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 20

13 mins confidence:

groomsman

Explanation:
See the ref. for US/British usage; not sure if the German is the "best man" or just a regular "groomsman."

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groomsman

Darin Fitzpatrick
United States
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

15 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

groomsman / usher

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 03:16
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 80

Grading comment

Thanks Francis and everyone.

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