corps
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military corps
A large military formation consisting of several divisions and additional corps troops, forming an independent operational unit.
Das Panzerkorps wurde an die Front verlegt, um den Angriff zu führen.
The tank corps was moved to the front to lead the attack.
The word comes from French, so the final letters '-ps' are not pronounced. The correct pronunciation is [koːɐ̯].
Der Befehlshaber sprach zu seinem gesamten Korps.
The commander addressed his entire corps.
The plural form of 'das Korps' (the corps) is identical to the singular form: 'die Korps' (the corps). Only the article changes; the word itself stays the same.
Die Armee bestand aus drei Korps mit jeweils 40.000 Soldaten.
The army consisted of three corps, each with 40,000 soldiers.
The meaning becomes clear from the context. Military terms point to the army unit, job titles such as 'diplomatisch' (diplomatic) point to a group of people, and the university context points to a student fraternity.
Das diplomatische Korps nahm an der Zeremonie teil.
The diplomatic corps took part in the ceremony.
In the meaning of a group of people, 'Korps' (corps) is often combined with an adjective or noun that describes the group more closely. Examples are 'diplomatisches Korps' (diplomatic corps), 'Offizierskorps' (officer corps), or 'Ballettkorps' (ballet corps).
Das gesamte Ballettkorps stand am Ende der Vorstellung auf der Bühne.
The entire ballet corps was on stage at the end of the performance.
When a student fraternity is meant, the word is often written 'Corps'. This spelling with 'C' and 's' at the end is a clear sign of this specific meaning.
Während des Studiums trat er einem alten Heidelberger Corps bei.
During his studies, he joined an old Heidelberg Corps.
connection / association
'die Verbindung' and 'das Korps' can both mean a close-knit community with its own rules. Here, 'Verbindung' usually refers to a student association at a university. 'Korps' can generally mean a group of people with the same function or status; in a student context, it is a specific, often very traditional type of student association. The words can be confused because a 'Korps' in this sense can be a form of 'Verbindung'. However, 'Verbindung' is the more general term, while 'Korps' is more specific and sounds more formal or historical.
Das Korps hat strenge Regeln und pflegt alte Traditionen.
The corps has strict rules and maintains old traditions.
An der alten Universität gibt es noch mehrere Verbindungen.
At the old university, there are still several student associations.