How would you interpret ‘granatieri’ in the context? 1 Does it mean soldiers armed with grenades? Or does it mean soldiers belonging to some army like the Grenadier Guards in British. I think it’s the latter. What do you think? 2 By the way, how would you interpret the sentence ‘this was a joke’? I think the speaker meant it was a joke because the granatieri were tall and strong but coward. What do you think? Thanks. It’s from A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (Chapter 9).the context: "Who goes to the attack?" asked Gavuzzi. "Bersaglieri." "All bersaglieri?" "I think so." "There aren't enough troops here for a real attack." "It is probably to draw attention from where the real attack will be." "Do the men know that who attack?" "I don't think so." "Of course they don't," Manera said. "They wouldn't attack if they did." "Yes, they would," Passini said. "Bersaglieri are fools." "They are brave and have good discipline," I said. "They are big through the chest by measurement, and healthy. But they are still fools." "The granatieri are tall," Manera said. This was a joke. They all laughed."Were you there, Tenente, when they wouldn't attack and they shot every tenth man?" "No." "It is true. They lined them up afterward and took every tenth man. Carabinieri shot them." "Carabinieri," said Passini and spat on the floor. "But those grenadiers; all over six feet. They wouldn't attack." "If everybody would not attack the war would be over," Manera said. "It wasn't that way with the granatieri. They were afraid. The officers all came from such good families." "Some of the officers went alone." "A sergeant shot two officers who would not get out." "Some troops went out." "Those that went out were not lined up when they took the tenth men."