Re: [edict-jmdict] Combining entries

[J Greely <jmdict@***********>]

On Jul 12, 2010, at 7:29 PM, Darren Cook wrote:
> If I don't know Fabaceae means peas then I look it up in Wikipedia.
> I'm not sure, is that reasonable?

If 豆科 is a word that's unlikely to show up in a non-technical
context, then I'd say it's reasonable to give only a precise
technical definition. If it's obviously in broader use than, say,
"Fabaceae" or "Leguminosae", then those shouldn't be the only 
definitions given.

In this particular case, a quick google suggests that 豆科 may
well be encountered in non-technical contexts, making it silly
to leave out the straightforward "pea family of plants".

> where do other people think the line should be drawn?

If it's a technical term or specialized jargon, then it's
reasonable to give a technical or jargon translation. If
someone unfamiliar with the field sees the word in their
reading and looks it up, they're going to need to go to
Wikipedia anyway. The computer jargon in JMdict is full of
examples; someone who looks up ビュー上方向定義ベクトル will
either know what it means or need plenty of context. No one
would really benefit from expanding its JMdict definition.

-j