Caperfører

English translation: (first) mate on a privateer

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Danish term or phrase:Caperfører
English translation:(first) mate on a privateer
Entered by: Timoshka

03:32 Mar 15, 2020
Danish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - History / Occupations
Danish term or phrase: Caperfører
From records in Helsingør, dated 1810, a man is listed as "forhen Caperfører, nu Avlsbruger." I've found the word Caperfører/Kaperfører online, but no explanation or translation, so I have no idea what it refers to. It doesn't appear in any of the dictionaries I've accessed either. I assume it is an obsolete term?
Timoshka
Local time: 01:10
(first) mate on a privateer
Explanation:
You can find kaper (caper) in Ordbog over det danske sprog (see the reference link below).

Its definition is: '(fører af et) privatskib, der (egl. m. en krigsførende stats bemyndigelse) deltager i fjendtligheder til søs og især beslaglægger fjendtlige handelsskibe; tidligere ogs. undertiden i videre anv.: fribytter (1), sørøver(skib). DL.4–7–1. en Engelsk Caper indbringer en af ham giort Fransk eller neutral Prise.'

I looked up 'caper' in Wiktionary (ref. below), where it says: 'From Dutch kaper. A vessel formerly used by the Dutch; privateer.'

At https://dis-danmark.dk/bibliotek/911267.pdf , I found the word being used clearly in the meaning of 'ship':
- 'Kl. 3 / 2 sejlte med Caperen fra Kjøbenhavn.'
- 'Efter at have bekommet noget til ham fra Apotheket, bragte ham igen om Bord for at bringe Skibet op til Kjøbenhavn, samt satte to Mand og Styrmand Niels Bakke om Bord for at følge op med. Kl. 8 satte Vagten op i Caperen med to Mand.'
- 'Da jeg kom om Bord, erfarede jeg, at det var Caperfører Hammer af Kjøbenhavn. Han havde Skibets Papirer.'

I'm not specialised in maritime terms, so perhaps you can find a better choice in English.
Selected response from:

Thomas T. Frost
Portugal
Local time: 06:10
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1(first) mate on a privateer
Thomas T. Frost
3carriage driver
Gitte Hovedskov (X)


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
carriage driver


Explanation:
caper = kaper = hackney coach / carriage
fører = driver / coachman

Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Denmark
Local time: 07:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Danish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Thomas T. Frost: Looking up those old terms can be fun, but what's your source for this? I ask out of interest.
2 hrs
  -> Gyldendal plus a sense of history :-)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
caperfører / kaperfører
(first) mate on a privateer


Explanation:
You can find kaper (caper) in Ordbog over det danske sprog (see the reference link below).

Its definition is: '(fører af et) privatskib, der (egl. m. en krigsførende stats bemyndigelse) deltager i fjendtligheder til søs og især beslaglægger fjendtlige handelsskibe; tidligere ogs. undertiden i videre anv.: fribytter (1), sørøver(skib). DL.4–7–1. en Engelsk Caper indbringer en af ham giort Fransk eller neutral Prise.'

I looked up 'caper' in Wiktionary (ref. below), where it says: 'From Dutch kaper. A vessel formerly used by the Dutch; privateer.'

At https://dis-danmark.dk/bibliotek/911267.pdf , I found the word being used clearly in the meaning of 'ship':
- 'Kl. 3 / 2 sejlte med Caperen fra Kjøbenhavn.'
- 'Efter at have bekommet noget til ham fra Apotheket, bragte ham igen om Bord for at bringe Skibet op til Kjøbenhavn, samt satte to Mand og Styrmand Niels Bakke om Bord for at følge op med. Kl. 8 satte Vagten op i Caperen med to Mand.'
- 'Da jeg kom om Bord, erfarede jeg, at det var Caperfører Hammer af Kjøbenhavn. Han havde Skibets Papirer.'

I'm not specialised in maritime terms, so perhaps you can find a better choice in English.


    https://ordnet.dk/ods/ordbog?query=Kaper
    https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/caper#Noun
Thomas T. Frost
Portugal
Local time: 06:10
Native speaker of: Native in DanishDanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tine Wanning: Definetely a maritime term. But maybe rather the owner/captain of the ship. See also http://denstoredanske.dk/Geografi_og_historie/Økonomisk_hist... about "kapervæsen"
9 hrs
  -> Thanks. Interesting article. But if he was the captain, they'd have said kaperkaptajn (cf. https://ordnet.dk/ods/ordbog?query=kaperkaptajn), wouldn't they? Btw., 'kaper' is the origin of the verb 'kapre', cf. https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=kapre .
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search