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What's unique here is that those terms are not transliterations of English terms. Which is what happens in most European languages. I'm guessing that apart fro

What's unique here is that those terms are not transliterations of English terms. Which is what happens in most European languages. I'm guessing that apart from increased phonetic distance what also matters is the size of the language, i.e. the number of speakers. With more speakers it's more likely that someone will create a neat native term for a new concept that spreads successfully, instead of adopting a foreign one.

jareklupinski 3y ago
> As individual characters, “mai” means burying, and “dian” means points. The phrase “maidian” literally means “embedding points” or “burying seeds”. > It can be translated into tracking, tagging or user data analytics depending on the context. or "breadcrumbs", to highlight the similarity of stuffing someone's pockets with something that trickles out so they can be found later
- dragontamer 3y ago
  Breadcrumbs is arguably an English word that only makes sense after you read the Children's Story: Hansel and Gretel. Where Hansel and Gretel use breadcrumbs to find their way back home (except not really, cause the birds eat the crumbs and so they get lost). ------------- I've been told of various Chinese phrases that have similar story-driven meanings. Ex: "Pour more oil" is something to do with Sima Yi filling the torch of Zhuge Liang in the tomb. Sima Yi, a lifelong enemy of Zhuge Liang, is somewhat expected to defile the tomb, but instead honors his fallen enemy by pouring more oil and keeping the light going. I forgot what "pour more oil" means in Chinese, but its something to do with respect, even respect towards a sworn enemy. ------------ English has "Breadcrumbs", "Sour Grapes", "Break a leg"... Actually, English also has "Adding fuel to the fire", which is almost the opposite of the Chinese meaning.
  - vore 3y ago
    Unless you are referring to another term, "add oil" (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/加油 https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/加油) is just a term of encouragement, derived from the verb to refuel a car. I don't think it really has a connotation of respect.
    - jmchuster 3y ago
      From the provided wiki link, it doesn't mean to refuel the car, it means to "step on the gas."
- paradite 3y ago
  It would make a nice translation, if not for the existing common understanding of breadcrumbs as a frontend UI navigation component. Having a term with two different meanings in the frontend tech stack would be problematic for communication.

jareklupinski 3y ago

> As individual characters, “mai” means burying, and “dian” means points. The phrase “maidian” literally means “embedding points” or “burying seeds”. > It can be translated into tracking, tagging or user data analytics depending on the context. or "breadcrumbs", to highlight the similarity of stuffing someone's pockets with something that trickles out so they can be found later

dragontamer 3y ago
Breadcrumbs is arguably an English word that only makes sense after you read the Children's Story: Hansel and Gretel. Where Hansel and Gretel use breadcrumbs to find their way back home (except not really, cause the birds eat the crumbs and so they get lost). ------------- I've been told of various Chinese phrases that have similar story-driven meanings. Ex: "Pour more oil" is something to do with Sima Yi filling the torch of Zhuge Liang in the tomb. Sima Yi, a lifelong enemy of Zhuge Liang, is somewhat expected to defile the tomb, but instead honors his fallen enemy by pouring more oil and keeping the light going. I forgot what "pour more oil" means in Chinese, but its something to do with respect, even respect towards a sworn enemy. ------------ English has "Breadcrumbs", "Sour Grapes", "Break a leg"... Actually, English also has "Adding fuel to the fire", which is almost the opposite of the Chinese meaning.
- vore 3y ago
  Unless you are referring to another term, "add oil" (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/加油 https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/加油) is just a term of encouragement, derived from the verb to refuel a car. I don't think it really has a connotation of respect.
  - jmchuster 3y ago
    From the provided wiki link, it doesn't mean to refuel the car, it means to "step on the gas."
paradite 3y ago
It would make a nice translation, if not for the existing common understanding of breadcrumbs as a frontend UI navigation component. Having a term with two different meanings in the frontend tech stack would be problematic for communication.