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micromamíferos

English translation: micromammals


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:micromamíferos
English translation:micromammals
Entered by: Katherine Bartlett
Options:
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- Include in personal glossary

08:10 May 5, 2011
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Science - Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-) / Parasitology
Spanish term or phrase: micromamíferos
Context: Igualmente se ve reducida la presencia de animales en su interior, tales como reptiles, micromamiferos, artrópodos, etc...

Obviously 'micromammals' appears many times in Google but all refs seem to be translated from Latin languages, which usually makes me suspect that it's not the most natural way of expressing this in English - would we not simply say 'small mammals'?
Katherine Bartlett
Local time: 07:11
micromammals
Explanation:
How many Web sources have you checked? In English we use the prefixes "macro-" and "micro-" quite often when referring to animals (e.g., "macrofauna"). I see no reason why we should not use them here. There are many original English sources which use this term:

"Micromammals and Macroparasites"

http://www.springer.com/biomed/molecular/book/978-4-431-3602...

"The palaeoecology of the micromammals from the late middle Pleistocene site of Hoedjiespunt 1 (Cape Province, South Africa)."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16045969

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Note added at 10 mins (2011-05-05 08:21:28 GMT)
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And many other sources you can check out:

http://www.fossilpark.org.za/pdfs/fossil-animals-micromammal...
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3889292
https://webspace.utexas.edu/dnr266/www/pdfs/Reed_Denys_2011_...
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1986.88.1.02a0...
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a920...

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Note added at 14 mins (2011-05-05 08:25:12 GMT)
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There are literally thousands of original English sources that use the terms "micromammal", "micromammals", "micromammalian" and "micromammalia". Mammalogy is my main translation speciality and I can assure you that this term is widely used, as a contrast to the term "megamammals".

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Note added at 15 mins (2011-05-05 08:26:26 GMT)
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Or in contrast to the term "macromammals".

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Note added at 17 mins (2011-05-05 08:27:59 GMT)
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This is a Google Books search for the term "micromammals" in scientific books and peer-reviewed journals. You will see the term is [relatively] common:

http://www.google.es/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&hl=ca&q="micromamm...
Selected response from:

Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
Local time: 07:11
Grading comment
Thanks Alistair. You're right, I didn't search enough refs before asking the question. However I did find some of the peer comments unhelpful, unnecessary and frankly unkind. I take it neilmac and Otto have nothing better to do than to make critical comments regarding a fellow translator's supposed knowledge base rather than actually making a constructive contribution to the discussion. Thanks Liz for your support on that front by the way.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +9micromammals
Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
4 +1small mammalsljane
Summary of reference entries provided
liz askew
micromammalsRoy vd Heijden

Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
micromammals


Explanation:
How many Web sources have you checked? In English we use the prefixes "macro-" and "micro-" quite often when referring to animals (e.g., "macrofauna"). I see no reason why we should not use them here. There are many original English sources which use this term:

"Micromammals and Macroparasites"

http://www.springer.com/biomed/molecular/book/978-4-431-3602...

"The palaeoecology of the micromammals from the late middle Pleistocene site of Hoedjiespunt 1 (Cape Province, South Africa)."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16045969

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2011-05-05 08:21:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And many other sources you can check out:

http://www.fossilpark.org.za/pdfs/fossil-animals-micromammal...
http://www.jstor.org/pss/3889292
https://webspace.utexas.edu/dnr266/www/pdfs/Reed_Denys_2011_...
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1986.88.1.02a0...
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a920...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2011-05-05 08:25:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

There are literally thousands of original English sources that use the terms "micromammal", "micromammals", "micromammalian" and "micromammalia". Mammalogy is my main translation speciality and I can assure you that this term is widely used, as a contrast to the term "megamammals".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 mins (2011-05-05 08:26:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or in contrast to the term "macromammals".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 mins (2011-05-05 08:27:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This is a Google Books search for the term "micromammals" in scientific books and peer-reviewed journals. You will see the term is [relatively] common:

http://www.google.es/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&hl=ca&q="micromamm...

Alistair Ian Spearing Ortiz
Local time: 07:11
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks Alistair. You're right, I didn't search enough refs before asking the question. However I did find some of the peer comments unhelpful, unnecessary and frankly unkind. I take it neilmac and Otto have nothing better to do than to make critical comments regarding a fellow translator's supposed knowledge base rather than actually making a constructive contribution to the discussion. Thanks Liz for your support on that front by the way.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  liz askew: Same to you:) I am off to Salisbury for the day with my daughter!
7 mins
  -> Thanks, Liz. Have a nice day.

agree  neilmac: Typical problem when someone not familiar with a technical field takes on a translation job that is beyond their scope of knowledge. One just hopes they appreciate the learning curve.
2 hrs

agree  Sheila Hardie
2 hrs

agree  Antoni Morey
3 hrs

agree  Linda Grabner: besides, "micromammals" has a very different connotation from simply "small mammals"
4 hrs

agree  Lourdes Sanchez: correct
5 hrs

agree  FlyHi: According to Roy's reference.
5 hrs

agree  Mirtha Grotewold
7 hrs

agree  Michele Fauble
15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
small mammals


Explanation:
yes!

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Note added at 19 mins (2011-05-05 08:29:36 GMT)
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in a more scientific document I have to admit colleague Alistair is right!

ljane
Local time: 07:11
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  neilmac: Like the shrew, mouse, rat etc... in this technical field.
2 hrs
  -> cheers Neil
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Reference comments


18 mins peer agreement (net): +2
Reference

Reference information:
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010QuInt.228...91M

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Note added at 19 mins (2011-05-05 08:29:41 GMT)
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http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:weYLu0t...

liz askew
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 78

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  neilmac: Micromammals. A micromammal is a small mammal such as a shrew, mouse, rat or mole rat.
1 hr
agree  Michele Fauble
15 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

26 mins peer agreement (net): +2
Reference: micromammals

Reference information:
"The category, ’small mammals’ refers to animals weighing less than 5 kg (after Andrews 1990), and the term ’micromammal’ refers to a subset weighing less than a few hundred grams."


    https://webspace.utexas.edu/dnr266/www/pdfs/ReedDN_2007_Kluwer.pdf
Roy vd Heijden
Belgium
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  liz askew: Indeed, an important distinction.
8 hrs
agree  Michele Fauble
14 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




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