10:02 Oct 15, 2009
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Agriculture
Japanese term or phrase:
Is there an English equivalent? The sentence in question is as follows:

麦は世界で一番多く作られている穀物で、日本では小麦や大麦を総称して「麦」と呼んでいます。

The dictionaries I have seen say 麦 is barley or wheat. Obviously, that's not going to work here.
casey
United States
Local time: 02:22


Summary of answers provided
3Cereal grains
humbird
Summary of reference entries provided
FYR
cinefil

Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Cereal grains


Explanation:
Glad you asked this question. I always wondering myself.

How about this, however?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal

Of course Cinefil's info. helped to come up with this.

HTH

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Note added at 2 hrs (2009-10-15 12:21:57 GMT)
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As you know well Japanese is "plural-singular insensitive" language, but 麦 in this case crearly indicates plural (麦類).

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Note added at 1 day3 hrs (2009-10-16 13:36:24 GMT)
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Hi Casey, I was not aware Steven's discussion when I posted.
Yes he got point there. "Kokurui" is another tough word.
Well, I'm glad you got good suggestion from this posting. What is your translation, then? Would you mind sharing it ?

humbird
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, humbird. I appreciate the help, but the answer was given to me by Steven in the discussion before you posted your answer, so I don't think it's fair to award points.

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Reference comments


9 mins
Reference: FYR

Reference information:
■麦
コムギとオオムギとをまとめて麦とよび、明治以降はその後伝来したライムギやエンバクなどをも麦に含めるようになった。この「麦」という概念は欧米にはなく、麦に相当する英語もない
スーパーニッポニカ百科事典(小学館)

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Note added at 10分 (2009-10-15 10:13:24 GMT)
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ce・re・al
*n. [Upl.] 穀物, 穀類, 禾穀((かこく)) 類; 穀草; 穀物食品, セリアル 《朝食用オートミール・コーンフレークの類》.
リーダーズ+プラス

cinefil
Japan
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 23
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks! I guess I'm going to have to figure out some clever way of putting it all together.

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