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rustvagn

English translation: transport wagon

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:rustvagn
English translation:transport wagon
Entered by: Ian Giles

15:38 May 28, 2015
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - History
Swedish term or phrase: rustvagn
In a text about the cholera epidemic in Gothenburg in the 1830s, it says the following:

Dessa kollektiva kistor ställdes på stora rustvagnar, som nattetid avpatrullerade gatorna.

SAOB says:

"[jfr d. rustvogn, mlt. rustwagen, t. rüstwagen) (numera bli skildring av ä. förh.) (av hästar dragen) större lastvagn använd för transport av militär utrustning (t. ex. vapen l. ammumtion), trossvagn; äv. om sådan vagn använd för civil transport (t. ex. av bagage o. d. vid resor l. av flyttsaker o. d.), flyttvagn, packvagn. "

But I'm at a total loss to think of what this might be in English. Suggestions?
Ian Giles
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:55
transport wagon
Explanation:
Just using "wagon" as George suggests might also be an option.
Selected response from:

Agneta Pallinder
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:55
Grading comment
Thanks - I've gone with this one because I think it fits my particular translation the best - but there were several good suggestions here.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1supply wagon
Sven Petersson
3 +2transport wagon
Agneta Pallinder
5Horse-drawn cart/wagon
zebung
5 -1rust wagon
x1ansheng (X)
4hearse
Hanne Rask Sonderborg


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
rust wagon


Explanation:
I think you stumbled across the origin of the English term, "rustbucket".

During epidemics, such as the Black Plague, the Cholera Epidemic, and the Spanish Influenza of 1918, there was a great fear of spreading whatever was slaughtering people right and left.

And back then, they didn't use the best wagons to carry off the diseased dead -- they used rust wagons, which were literally beat-up, old, rusty wagons barely holding together.

Later on, with the invention of cars, "rust wagons" became "rust buckets". Hope this helps. Thanks for the grin.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2015-05-28 15:46:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Historical note: automobiles were originally called "wagons" or "horseless carriages". Eventually they started calling them "automobiles" and then "cars". "Buckets" referred to cars that had bucket seating, an early modification.

x1ansheng (X)
United States
Local time: 23:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Agneta Pallinder: Nice idea, but the "rust" in "rustvagn" surely is cognate with "utrustning" and "rustmästare" not with "rost". Additional comment: rustmästare is responsible for military equipment - see http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rustmästare
3 hrs
  -> Right. Except we're not dealing with an NCO in logistics (rustmästare), we're dealing with military logistical equipment (rustvagn). A "vagn", like George mentioned and I've translated, means "wagon". I simply didn't quite get "rust" and I own that.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
transport wagon


Explanation:
Just using "wagon" as George suggests might also be an option.

Agneta Pallinder
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 46
Grading comment
Thanks - I've gone with this one because I think it fits my particular translation the best - but there were several good suggestions here.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  x1ansheng (X): That makes the most sense, considering the logistical necessities during the Cholera Epidemic.
3 mins
  -> Thanks Nick!
agree  Deane Goltermann: This fits best, maybe 'army' (or 'military') in front. The 'rust' is definitely as the asker found. I read the context as that these wagons were commandeered into use because they were built for heavy transport and matched the task at hand.
10 hrs
  -> Thanks Deane!
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Horse-drawn cart/wagon


Explanation:
...

From a primary source in the article... "Then my brother Daniel died. My aunt saw the horse-drawn wagon coming down the street. The strongest person in our family carried Daniel’s body to the sidewalk. Everyone was too weak to protest.”


    Reference: http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/your_state/northeas...
zebung
Local time: 05:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
supply wagon


Explanation:
:o)


    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_wagon
Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 05:55
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 47

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cynthia Coan
7 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
hearse


Explanation:
Specifically for transporting dead people.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2015-05-29 14:42:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology says the word "hearse" meaning a funeral carriage dates back to 1700.


    Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearse
Hanne Rask Sonderborg
Denmark
Local time: 05:55
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Diarmuid Kennan
8 mins
disagree  zebung: These were horse-drawn carriages for picking up dead bodies. A hearse is mmore for transporting a dead body to a formal funeral.
6 hrs
  -> See the wikipedia link I posted. They were horsedrawn and went to cemetaries.
agree  Anna Herbst: In this case I think this is the best translation.
13 hrs
disagree  Sven Petersson: Man får inte blanda ihop fordonsspecifikation och fordonsanvändning.
1 day 13 hrs
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