Translation of occupations

Having problems with the Italian language? Do you need help to translate or understand an old family document? There is always someone who can help you!
Post Reply
User avatar
jspdg
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 00:00
Location: Canada

Translation of occupations

Post by jspdg »

Most of the Napoleonic and Italian civil vital records from the 19th century give the occupations of the principals, and there are numerous books and web sites where one can find translations of Italian occupations.

However, in researching my ancestry in Principato Ultra (now Avellino), I came across a couple that I haven't been able to figure out:

embreciaro (also spelled embraciaro)

guabile


Can anyone tell me what these words mean?

Thanks
jspdg
User avatar
elba
V.I.P.
V.I.P.
Posts: 739
Joined: 15 Feb 2006, 00:00
Location: The Alps - N.Italy

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by elba »

jspdg wrote:Most of the Napoleonic and Italian civil vital records from the 19th century give the occupations of the principals, and there are numerous books and web sites where one can find translations of Italian occupations.

However, in researching my ancestry in Principato Ultra (now Avellino), I came across a couple that I haven't been able to figure out:

embreciaro (also spelled embraciaro)

guabile


Can anyone tell me what these words mean?

Thanks
jspdg
Hi jspdg,

Well the first one - 'embreciaro' is easy - it means he was a 'tiler', or worked with (probably roof) tiles!

The second one is just a bit more difficult.... 'guabile' I can't trace. However the verb 'guadabile' means Fordable. So it just may be that this person was a 'ferryman'.....

Of course there may be someone reading this who knows if that is correct or not!
Hope that helps,
elba.
User avatar
suanj
V.I.P.
V.I.P.
Posts: 15264
Joined: 20 Feb 2003, 00:00
Location: Molise region, Italy
Contact:

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by suanj »

jspdg wrote:Most of the Napoleonic and Italian civil vital records from the 19th century give the occupations of the principals, and there are numerous books and web sites where one can find translations of Italian occupations.

However, in researching my ancestry in Principato Ultra (now Avellino), I came across a couple that I haven't been able to figure out:

embreciaro (also spelled embraciaro)

guabile


Can anyone tell me what these words mean?

Thanks
jspdg
Hi jspdg:
you can insert here the picture of this word's handwriting ? It is better for to help you.

Regards, suanj

PS:

the second "occupation" that is wrote most probable is "Inabile" ( no able for the job; so no occupation, but a phisique's status).. you almost can see if in"guabile" the "G" is a "I" and "u" is "n"?

For "embraciaro" ( no embreciaro) and better "imbraciaro", if so, most probable was a embers vendor, a live coal vendor... let me see the handwriting of this words, so I can be more precise, but I think that they are so..
Envy is the most flattering of flattery

----------------------------------------------
Visit my website:
ITALIAN ORIGIN SEARCH
User avatar
jspdg
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 00:00
Location: Canada

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by jspdg »

Hello elba and suanj,

Thanks to both of your for your suggestions. Unfortunately I cannot post an image of the records, I don't have access to any means of imaging them.

I think you are very probably correct about 'guabile' being inabile. The person so described was an 82 year-old woman. I know in the past I mistook this clerk's u for n. And as far as the g being an i instead, also highly possible since either one could be written as a sort of squiggle (almost like the way we write lowercase s in English printing.) On the microfilms, its easy for the dot of the i to get lost assuming it was even written in the first place.

About embraciaro, I saw this one written repeatedly as it was a profession that ran in the family for a number of generations. I also saw the "ember" root and wonder if it was related to fire somehow, maybe cooking charcoal production. Realizing that these records are from the 1820s to 1860s when regional dialects were still alive. Someone else that I asked in the US told me that he queried his 95-year-old Avellinese grandmother, and she translated it as a peddler. One of the records gave the person's place of residence as "Contrada Embraciaro", meaning I suppose a street or area of town where this occupation occurred. Still a mystery!

Thanks again for all of your help
jspdg
User avatar
suanj
V.I.P.
V.I.P.
Posts: 15264
Joined: 20 Feb 2003, 00:00
Location: Molise region, Italy
Contact:

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by suanj »

jspdg wrote:Hello elba and suanj,

Thanks to both of your for your suggestions. Unfortunately I cannot post an image of the records, I don't have access to any means of imaging them.

I think you are very probably correct about 'guabile' being inabile. The person so described was an 82 year-old woman. I know in the past I mistook this clerk's u for n. And as far as the g being an i instead, also highly possible since either one could be written as a sort of squiggle (almost like the way we write lowercase s in English printing.) On the microfilms, its easy for the dot of the i to get lost assuming it was even written in the first place.

About embraciaro, I saw this one written repeatedly as it was a profession that ran in the family for a number of generations. I also saw the "ember" root and wonder if it was related to fire somehow, maybe cooking charcoal production. Realizing that these records are from the 1820s to 1860s when regional dialects were still alive. Someone else that I asked in the US told me that he queried his 95-year-old Avellinese grandmother, and she translated it as a peddler. One of the records gave the person's place of residence as "Contrada Embraciaro", meaning I suppose a street or area of town where this occupation occurred. Still a mystery!

Thanks again for all of your help
jspdg
Hi:
about "guabile" for sure is "inabile";
about "embraciaro" ( imbraciaro/imbraciaio) without to see the handwriting it is impossible to say with precision.. but however the "embraciaro/embraciaio /etc" was a peddler of embers .. live coal... In Avellino area as in all Campania region, the profession about the coke was very frequent ... and it was a profession that was handed from father in son... but it is impossible to say with precision, because i think that "embraciaro" it is no very well transcribed...
best regards, suanj
Envy is the most flattering of flattery

----------------------------------------------
Visit my website:
ITALIAN ORIGIN SEARCH
User avatar
elba
V.I.P.
V.I.P.
Posts: 739
Joined: 15 Feb 2006, 00:00
Location: The Alps - N.Italy

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by elba »

suanj wrote: Hi:
about "guabile" for sure is "inabile";
about "embraciaro" ( imbraciaro/imbraciaio) without to see the handwriting it is impossible to say with precision.. but however the "embraciaro/embraciaio /etc" was a peddler of embers .. live coal... In Avellino area as in all Campania region, the profession about the coke was very frequent ... and it was a profession that was handed from father in son... but it is impossible to say with precision, because i think that "embraciaro" it is no very well transcribed...
best regards, suanj
Hi ,
It is almost certain that suanj is correct about the word base of 'embers'. And I'm glad she could also solve your 'guabile' problem too.
I hope your ongoing research is successful.
Elba.
User avatar
jspdg
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 00:00
Location: Canada

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by jspdg »

because i think that "embraciaro" it is no very well transcribed...
Now why would you think that, Suanj? Is it possible that I lack credibilty because I mis-transcribed 'inabile' as 'guabile'? :P :lol:

Elba - unfortunately my research is not very "ongoing" at present, which is why I am doing little things like trying to clear up doubts about occupations or professions.

Anyway, I thank both of you for sharing your knowledge.

jspdg
User avatar
suanj
V.I.P.
V.I.P.
Posts: 15264
Joined: 20 Feb 2003, 00:00
Location: Molise region, Italy
Contact:

Re: Translation of occupations

Post by suanj »

Now why would you think that, Suanj? Is it possible that I lack credibilty because I mis-transcribed 'inabile' as 'guabile'?
No, absolutely no, your credibility is always good for me... many regards, suanj
Envy is the most flattering of flattery

----------------------------------------------
Visit my website:
ITALIAN ORIGIN SEARCH
Post Reply