cold meats

English translation: Cold Cuts or Processed Meats

19:38 Jul 11, 2002
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Marketing - Food & Drink / food
English term or phrase: cold meats
Do you call these cold meats, deli meats, cold cuts, processed meats, etc.?

I am looking for the most general expression for what in Mexico are called "carnes frías" (cold meats). This is for a website, so it will be seen all over the world, but as the company is Mexican, the main English-language readership could be expected to be North American.

The company's products include different types of ham, processed meats (ham loaves, head cheese, etc.), frankfurters, other cold sausages such as beer sausage, white veal sausage, breakfast sausage, mortadella, and so on; chorizo, longaniza, a few different kinds of paté, smoked turkey, etc.
Margaret Schroeder
Mexico
Local time: 01:56
Selected answer:Cold Cuts or Processed Meats
Explanation:
This is the most familiar US term to me (am American, age 54). But cold meats, though less idiomatic, makes a term that is easier to understand for second-language speakers of English. However, if it is a website, the pictures will speak a 1,000 words and "cold cuts" is fine. "PRocessed meat" is a term I would reserve for professional audiences: cold cuts is more suited to potential direct clients who will be eating it themselves. Good luck!
Selected response from:

Arthur Borges
China
Local time: 15:56
Grading comment
I must ask Arthur's pardon for giving only 1 point, but in a case like this where each and every one's answer made a valuable contribution, this seems to me fairer than giving a higher grade, because it leaves the least difference (i.e. only 1 point) between the "winner" and the rest. In the end, I went for "processed meats" but I don't think any of the other terms were "wrong", either. All your comments were helpful to me for taking geography and readership into consideration for making my choice. ¡Buen provecho!
1 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +11deli meats
CLS Lexi-tech
5 +4cold cuts
Claudia Andreani
4 +2Cold Cuts or Processed Meats
Arthur Borges
4 +2If you want "classy" go with Paola's deli meats
Kim Metzger
4 +1Cold meats
Sarah Ponting
4prepared meats
LJC (X)


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +11
deli meats


Explanation:
since sausages are not cut :-)

Fairly general terms, understood by all, with a little more appeal than cold cuts.

I am hungry!

ciao

paola l m


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Note added at 2002-07-11 21:33:03 (GMT)
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I am a contemporary of Arthur, I was born in Rome Italy, have gone to school in Washington, D.C., and now live in Canada.

Good luck!

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Note added at 2002-07-11 21:34:00 (GMT)
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Let\'s not forget the \"pate\" since I live in Quebec... definitely better cold, but not cut in thin slices.
I am going to have dinner now.

CLS Lexi-tech
Local time: 03:56
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Claudia Andreani
7 mins

agree  Marian Greenfield: sausages are definitely not cold cuts
13 mins

agree  Kim Metzger: I'm a gringo living in Guadalajara and enjoy both carnes frías and deli meats.
25 mins

agree  John Guzman: Chicago - Deli Meats (Carnes Frias) Chorizo and Longaniza I'm not su sure that they would be cathegorized here.
31 mins

agree  Chinoise
34 mins

agree  Oso (X): D'accordo! ¶:^)
37 mins

agree  Ingrid Petit
1 hr

agree  Illona Morris
5 hrs

agree  Enza Longo
10 hrs

agree  Sue Crocker
1 day 2 hrs

agree  AhmedAMS
11 days
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2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
cold cuts


Explanation:
like the Subway sandwich selection.




Claudia Andreani
Local time: 03:56
Native speaker of: Spanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Piotr Kurek
9 mins
  -> gracias :o)

agree  mickymayes
4 hrs

agree  jccantrell: In the USA, for sure
8 hrs

agree  Ang: Cold cuts = more colloqu. / Deli meats = more expensive. :-) (Portland/Ore)
4 days
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Cold Cuts or Processed Meats


Explanation:
This is the most familiar US term to me (am American, age 54). But cold meats, though less idiomatic, makes a term that is easier to understand for second-language speakers of English. However, if it is a website, the pictures will speak a 1,000 words and "cold cuts" is fine. "PRocessed meat" is a term I would reserve for professional audiences: cold cuts is more suited to potential direct clients who will be eating it themselves. Good luck!

Arthur Borges
China
Local time: 15:56
Grading comment
I must ask Arthur's pardon for giving only 1 point, but in a case like this where each and every one's answer made a valuable contribution, this seems to me fairer than giving a higher grade, because it leaves the least difference (i.e. only 1 point) between the "winner" and the rest. In the end, I went for "processed meats" but I don't think any of the other terms were "wrong", either. All your comments were helpful to me for taking geography and readership into consideration for making my choice. ¡Buen provecho!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  John Guzman: Would not ground meat be concider a processed meat? I think Cold Cuts or Deli Meat would be better, just my oppinion.
6 mins
  -> Dear John, "ground meaté (US) or "mincemeat" (UK) is FRESH meat; the baseline for processing is adding of nitrates or other salts as preservatives.

agree  Paul Mably (X): am partial to 'processed meats' - more generic
7 hrs

agree  AhmedAMS
11 days
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
If you want "classy" go with Paola's deli meats


Explanation:
I was born and raised in the US. At home we used the term cold cuts, but we were simple people, i.e., thrifty, working class. I associate the term "deli meats" with a classy operation. That's most likely the term that would be used by a catering company in San Francisco - a town with a cosmopolitan bent. Deli meats is a good translation of carnes frías. Saludos, desde Guadalajara.


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 01:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Holly Hart: I agree with 'deli meats' to make it sound classy. But 'cold cuts' would do fine. As for including sausages, etc. among the deli meats, I assume the paragraph she is translating has a separate word for sausages.
5 mins

agree  jccantrell: Subway does offer the 'Cold cut combo' and they won't refuse to serve you if you pull up in a Rolls!
7 hrs
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Cold meats


Explanation:
I'm English and would simply say "cold meats"

"Selection of Cold Meats & Salads"

http://www.newconnaughtrooms.co.uk/menu5.htm


"Platter of cold meats"

http://www.rootsdeli.demon.co.uk/buffet.htm


"A Selection of Cold Meats with Mixed Salads and Sauces"

http://www.jersey.co.uk/hotels/beau/menus.html

"Cold buffet
Selection of cold meats, tuna fish, smoked mackerel
Selection of vegetarian options
All served with a selection of mixed salads"

http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/eConferencing/html/menus.html

"Preparation of Cold Meats and Teatime Fayre"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A666650










Sarah Ponting
Italy
Local time: 08:56
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  tongue tied: you certainly buy "cold meats" from the deli counter in ASDA (UK)
5 hrs
  -> thanks, Neil
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
prepared meats


Explanation:
Just another suggestion to add to the 'pot'. (I'm British)

LJC (X)
France
Local time: 08:56
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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