Talk:ponto

How can I translate the word "Ponto-Mediterranean" into Chinese?
 * Well, I don't speak Chinese, but I can guess. The usual way of forming these "X-Y" compounds in Chinese is to take the first part of each of the names and stick them together to form a new compound adjective. For example, Sino-Japanese War is 中日战争, with 中 being short for 中國 and 日 being short for 日本. Since "Ponto-Mediterranean" refers to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea together, I'd take 黑海 for Black Sea and 地中海 for Mediterranean Sea, drop the parts that mean "sea", and stick them together to form 黑地中. But you'd have to double-check with a Chinese speaker. —Angr 16:32, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Someone needs to explain to me what Ponto-Mediterranean is first. Some context would also help (so I have something I can use to look it up). Jamesjiao → T ◊ C 23:38, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
 * "of or relating to both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean" —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 23:43, 3 February 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks. I've had a look around and couldn't find useful abbreviations. 黑地中 could mean anything. For example, when used in the boardgame go, it refers to areas controlled by the black pieces. The main reason for this is because these two regions are not wellknown to the Chinese as being related (at least when it comes to China's political interest). I suggest NOT to abbreviate at all and simply use their full forms: e.g., 黑海和地中海(的)防御. Jamesjiao → T ◊ C 22:17, 4 February 2013 (UTC)
 * If it comes to that, it's an extraordinarily rare term in English too, and probably extremely few people associate "Ponto-" with the Black Sea, as very few people even know the ancient name Pontus for the Black Sea to begin with. I had never heard the term before I saw this thread, and although I suspected it meant "Black Sea + Mediterranean Sea" I had to google it and find images like this to be sure. —Angr 22:59, 4 February 2013 (UTC)
 * I didn't realise how obscure it is, TBH. I've spent a lot of time studying oceanography, and I assume there is a shortening somewhere in Chinese papers on sedimentation rates or paleosalinity or something. —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 02:57, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
 * There could well be, but its use would be limited to that specialist circle. I surely don't have the expertise to search for texts like that. If anyone's willing to dig up Chinese texts on this subject, I am all ears. By the way, I have also raised this question on chinese.se here. I am quite familiar with some of the regulars on the site and I don't think any of them has expertise in any scientific field. Jamesjiao → T ◊ C 03:31, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
 * It's hell finding good papers in English, I usually have to go to my local museum for their subscriptions to various scientific magazines like Vertebrate Palaeontology that I can't get elsewhere. I don't know how I'd manage with Chinese. —Μετάknowledge discuss/deeds 05:09, 5 February 2013 (UTC)