Answers.Body: <p>As you ask for German, we make the distinction as in your question:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Figur chess piece
  Stein chessman
  Bauer pawn
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>We also distinguish between</p>
  
  <pre><code>Leichtfigur light piece (knight or bishop)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and</p>
  
  <pre><code>Schwerfigur heavy piece (rook or queen)
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-04-22T10:06:18.660Z
Answers.Text: Since you translate Figur with chess piece, does that mean that the meaning of Figur is ambiguous and depends on the context, just like chess piece does?
Answers.UserDisplayName: hkBst
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Answers.CreationDate: 2016-04-22T10:12:35.843Z
Answers.Text: @hkBst: No, I don't mean that. *Verlust einer Figur* (loss of a piece) is generally fatal and does not comprise *Verlust eines Bauern* (loss of a pawn). I used the English terminology of the OP.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sir Cornflakes
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Answers.CreationDate: 2016-04-22T10:33:23.253Z
Answers.Text: BTW in English one also has minor piece and major piece
Answers.UserDisplayName: hkBst
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-04-30T06:10:58.243Z
Answers.Text: I'd disagree: In German, we see the same development as in English. "Stein" is becoming somewhat old-fashioned and often gets replaced by "Figur" (i.e. most people don't really care). "Verlust einer Figur" still refers to non-pawns only, though.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Annatar
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Answers.CreationDate: 2016-04-18T10:15:11.950Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Sir Cornflakes
Answers.Body: <p>As you do, I have the impression that the usage has changed within a lifetime, but I can’t be more precise than that. </p>
  
  <p>I tend to use the generic “unit” as do many problemists. For non-pawns I use the term “officer”, but I am not sure if that includes the king. I am sure I slip into using the word “pieces” often but these days it’s a synonym for “unit”.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-04-28T15:39:12.277Z
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Laska
Body: <p>In English as far as I know, <em>pawns</em> were once not <em>pieces.</em> A player had eight pieces and eight pawns which, together, totaled 16 <em>chessmen.</em></p>
  
  <p>When did this usage change? Why?</p>
  
  <p>And (if you happen to know) how is it in the other major chess languages, like French, German and Russian?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-04-18T08:43:01.837Z
Comments.Text: As far as I know that hasn't changed. But I don't know much, and I haven't been keeping up with the times. Do you have some evidence that pawns are now considered pieces?
Comments.UserDisplayName: bof
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-04-18T19:56:33.080Z
Comments.Text: @bof: If you don't know much, I certainly don't. No, I have no evidence, *per se.* It was just an impression -- common knowledge, I thought. But maybe it isn't. At any rate, there is this: https://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=171&view=article
Comments.UserDisplayName: thb
Tags: <terminology>
Title: Pieces, pawns and chessmen
ThreadText: # Pieces, pawns and chessmen
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-17)
  
  In English as far as I know, *pawns* were once not *pieces.* A player had eight pieces and eight pawns which, together, totaled 16 *chessmen.*
  
  When did this usage change? Why?
  
  And (if you happen to know) how is it in the other major chess languages, like French, German and Russian?
  
  **Tags:** terminology
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: As far as I know that hasn't changed. But I don't know much, and I haven't been keeping up with the times. Do you have some evidence that pawns are now considered pieces?  
  > **username_0**: @username_1: If you don't know much, I certainly don't. No, I have no evidence, *per se.* It was just an impression -- common knowledge, I thought. But maybe it isn't. At any rate, there is this: https://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html?id=171&view=article  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2016-04-18. Score: 4
  
  As you ask for German, we make the distinction as in your question:
  Figur chess piece
  Stein chessman
  Bauer pawn
  
  We also distinguish between
  Leichtfigur light piece (knight or bishop)
  
  and
  Schwerfigur heavy piece (rook or queen)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Since you translate Figur with chess piece, does that mean that the meaning of Figur is ambiguous and depends on the context, just like chess piece does?  
  > **username_2**: @username_3: No, I don't mean that. *Verlust einer Figur* (loss of a piece) is generally fatal and does not comprise *Verlust eines Bauern* (loss of a pawn). I used the English terminology of the OP.  
  > **username_3**: BTW in English one also has minor piece and major piece  
  > **username_4**: I'd disagree: In German, we see the same development as in English. "Stein" is becoming somewhat old-fashioned and often gets replaced by "Figur" (i.e. most people don't really care). "Verlust einer Figur" still refers to non-pawns only, though.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2018-04-28. Score: 2
  
  As you do, I have the impression that the usage has changed within a lifetime, but I can’t be more precise than that.
  
  I tend to use the generic “unit” as do many problemists. For non-pawns I use the term “officer”, but I am not sure if that includes the king. I am sure I slip into using the word “pieces” often but these days it’s a synonym for “unit”.
  
  
  ---
  
  