shearer / barber
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shearer
A person whose job is to shear sheep in order to obtain their wool. This work is usually done seasonally.
Im Frühling kommen die Scherer auf den Hof, um die Schafe von ihrer dicken Wolle zu befreien.
In spring, the shearers come to the farm to free the sheep from their thick wool.
'Der Scherer' (the shearer/barber) is derived directly from the verb 'scheren' (to shear/cut), which means 'schneiden' (to cut). A Scherer is therefore a person who shears something—either the wool from sheep or, historically, hair and beards.
Der Bauer hat einen Scherer bestellt, der seine Schafe schert.
The farmer hired a shearer to shear his sheep.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about 'Schafen' (sheep), 'Wolle' (wool), or 'Landwirtschaft' (agriculture), it means a sheep shearer. In connection with 'Mittelalter' (the Middle Ages), 'Bart' (beard), or 'Haare schneiden' (cutting hair), it refers to the outdated meaning of barber.
Der Scherer befreite das Schaf von seiner dicken Winterwolle.
The shearer freed the sheep from its thick winter wool.
The meaning 'Barbier' (barber) is outdated today. It is used almost only in historical contexts, for example in books, films, or museums that describe life in the Middle Ages or the early modern period.
Früher war der Scherer nicht nur für die Rasur, sondern auch für kleine medizinische Behandlungen zuständig.
In the past, the barber was responsible not only for shaving, but also for minor medical treatments.
shepherd
'der Schäfer' and 'der Scherer' both have to do with sheep, but they refer to different people. A 'Schäfer' herds and cares for a flock of sheep. He watches over the animals and, for example, leads them to a pasture. A 'Scherer' shears the sheep, meaning he cuts off their wool. Learners may confuse the words because they sound similar and occur in the same area. Remember: the 'Schäfer' takes care of the flock; the 'Scherer' takes care of the wool.
Im Frühling kommt der Scherer auf den Hof und schneidet den Schafen die Wolle ab.
In spring, the shearer comes to the farm and cuts the wool off the sheep.
Auf der Wiese führt der Schäfer seine Schafe langsam zum Fluss.
In the meadow, the shepherd slowly leads his sheep to the river.