--- Gerard Meijssen <gerardm(a)myrealbox.com> wrote:
Reacting toAndrew Dunbar.
A word may have several meanings in a language. Each
meaning has its own definition. Your "topo" would
propably best translate to rodent which includes
Absolutely not! I cannot find the Italian for "rodent"
but Spanish is "roedor" and Romanian is "rozãtor" so
it is surely something close to that.
Rodent is a whole category which includes a host of
animals with different names for every language. In
some languages the individual names do not map neatly
to other languages. A guinea pig is also a rodent but
it is a "cavia" in Italian. Not a "topo" or a
"sorcio".
both mice and rats. When there is no exact
word or phrase for mouse in Italian, it should not
be only translated with the Italian topo. I am sure
a description in Italian for a mouse is possible.
We should have both a description/definition and a
list of translations. Each translation can have a
small note if needed. The English wiktionary has so
far been resistant to definitions feeling that a
gloss "mouse" or "rat" is enough. I think this is
unwise.
<snip>
Regrettably I have no time to reply to other points
right now. I hope to tomorrow.
Andrew Dunbar.
=====
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