(urth) BotNS in German

[Stanisław Bocian]

Monday, December 6, 2004, 6:23:31 AM, Dan Rabin wrote:


DR> Is "hetman" in this category?

According to Oxford English Dictionary

"hetman  1: A captain or military commander in Poland and countries
formerly united or subject to it; whence subsequently retained as a
title among the Cossacks. Under the suzerainty of Poland, 1592–1654,
‘the hetman of the Cossacks’ was a semi-independent prince or viceroy.
His title and authority were at first continued after the acceptance
of Russian suzerainty by the Cossacks in 1654; but the power and
privileges of the office were gradually curtailed and abolished. In
the late 19th c. the title ‘Hetman (ataman) of all the Cossacks’ was
an appanage of the Cesarevitch, who was represented by a ‘hetman by
delegation’, for each of the territorial divisions. Subordinate
Cossack chiefs had also the title (ataman). Hence "hetmanate,
"hetmanship"

According to Polish dictionaries, "hetman" comes from a Czech world
"hejtman" meaning commander, headman, which in turn comes from older
German Hoeftmann or Heubtmann (modern der Hauptmann - captain,
leader).

In Poland till XVIII century a Hetman was a Commander-in-chief. (There
were four of them - Grand and Field Hetmans for Crown of Poland and
for Grand Duchy of Lithuania.) Among Cossacks ataman was any leader,
not necessarily a Commander-in-chief.

It is a favorite word of Jack Vance, used usually to mean a headman of
a primitive tribe or village. Its use by Wolfe is clearly a kind of
homage to Jack Vance (cf. deodand), since the village hetman in the
"Sword of the Lictor" is a very Vancian character. There are many just
such village hetmans in books of Vance, from the Dying Earth to Ports
of Call.


Jack Vance, the Dying Earth, Guyal of S

"A gaggle of surly louts appeared and surrounded him with expressions
of curiosity. Guyal, no less than the villagers, had questions to ask,
but none would speak till the hetman strode up-a burly man who wore a
shaggy fur hat, a cloak of brown fur and a bristling beard, so that it
was hard to see where one ended and the other began. He exuded a
rancid odor which displeased Guyal, who, from motives of courtesy,
kept his distaste concealed.

"Where go you?" asked the hetman.

"I wish to cross the mountains to the Museum of Man," said
Guyal."Which way does the trail lead?"

The hetman pointed out a notch on the silhouette of the mountains.
"There is Omona Gap, which is the shortest and best route, though
there is no trail. None comes and none goes, since when you pass the
Gap, you walk an unknown land. And with no traffic there manifestly
need be no trail."

The news did not cheer Guyal. "How then is it known
that Omona Gap is on the way to the Museum?"

The hetman shrugged."Such is our tradition."

Guyal turned his head at a hoarse snuffling and saw a pen of woven
wattles. In a litter of filth and matted straw stood a number of
hulking men eight or nine feet tall. They were naked, with shocks of
dirty yellow hair and watery blue eyes. They had waxy faces and
expressions of crass stupidity. As Guyal watched, one of them ambled
to a trough and noisily began gulping gray mash.

Guyal said, "What manner of things are these?" The hetman blinked in
amusement to Guyal's naivete. "Those are our oasts, naturally." And he
gestured in disapprobation at Guyal's white horse. "Never have I seen
a stranger oast than the one you bestride. Ours carry us easier and
appear to be less vicious; in addition no flesh is more delicious than
oast properly braised and kettled."

Standing close, he fondled the metal of Guyal's saddle and the red and
yellow embroidered quilt. "Your deckings however are rich and of
superb quality. I will therefore bestow you my large and weighty oast
in return for this creature with its accoutrements." Guyal politely
declared himself satisfied with his present mount, and the hetman
shrugged his shoulders."

Additionally notice the use of giants as mounts.

--
Stanisław Bocian


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