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唯一

English translation: merely, solely, only

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:唯一
English translation:merely, solely, only
Entered by: Roddy Stegemann

12:53 Feb 19, 2007
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Medical - Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-) / biochemistry - hypocalcemia
Japanese term or phrase: 唯一
This occurs in a text describing the endocrine disease that causes hypocalcemia and how it affects the workings of the PTH hormone:
D欠乏症のみがPTH作用低下以外に唯一低Ca血症を引き起こす内分泌疾患である。
My problem here is the combination of nomi, which I suppose has the usual meaning ("only vitamin D deficiency") with yuiitsu. Is there such a term as "sole (or whatever the word should be) hypocalcemia"?
rfehmers
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:52
merely
Explanation:
I am not a medical expert and will not attempt to translate your sentence. I can, however, remark on the grammatical interpretations of のみ and 唯一 in your sentence. In effect, there are two ways to interpret their use, and you must choose which one is correct based on their implied medical implication.

Firstly, in both cases のみ refers to D欠乏症 as the sole agent.

Secondly, the use of 唯一 can be redundant as you suggest, or it can have a meaning all of its own.

Case One (No Redundancy):

「D欠乏症のみが」「PTH作用低下以外に唯一低Ca血症を引き起こす内分泌疾患」である。

In this phrase 唯一 refers to the mere effect of 引き起こす

Case Two (Redundancy):

「D欠乏症のみがPTH作用低下以外に唯一低Ca血症を引き起こす」内分泌疾患である。

In this case 唯一 reinforces the idea that D欠乏症 is the only active agent.

Concluding remark: In general, I give authors the benefit of the doubt and assume that they know their own language better than I -- in effect, that they would not be redundant unless there were an important need for emphasis.
Selected response from:

Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 02:52
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3only
Kaysha Valen (X)
5FYI
yuzouren
4merely
Roddy Stegemann


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
only


Explanation:
In this sentence there shouldnt really be both のみ　and yuitsu. Double usage. Both are referring to D欠乏症. So just choose one of them and translate.

Vitamin D deficiency is the only endocrine disease that causes hypocalcemia other than low functioning by PTH (pls check correct translation for PTH作用低下).




--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-02-19 14:13:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

唯一 can be placed before PTH作用低下 or even before 内分泌疾患（in that case it would be 唯一の内分泌疾患）　。　Even used like that, it would be referring to D欠乏症

Kaysha Valen (X)
Canada
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Koan, for your answer. The sentence then turns out to mean that it is the only disease [...] which, apart from decreased PTH activity, solely causes hypocalcemia.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  casey
27 mins
agree  KathyT
3 hrs
agree  yumom
8 hrs
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
merely


Explanation:
I am not a medical expert and will not attempt to translate your sentence. I can, however, remark on the grammatical interpretations of のみ and 唯一 in your sentence. In effect, there are two ways to interpret their use, and you must choose which one is correct based on their implied medical implication.

Firstly, in both cases のみ refers to D欠乏症 as the sole agent.

Secondly, the use of 唯一 can be redundant as you suggest, or it can have a meaning all of its own.

Case One (No Redundancy):

「D欠乏症のみが」「PTH作用低下以外に唯一低Ca血症を引き起こす内分泌疾患」である。

In this phrase 唯一 refers to the mere effect of 引き起こす

Case Two (Redundancy):

「D欠乏症のみがPTH作用低下以外に唯一低Ca血症を引き起こす」内分泌疾患である。

In this case 唯一 reinforces the idea that D欠乏症 is the only active agent.

Concluding remark: In general, I give authors the benefit of the doubt and assume that they know their own language better than I -- in effect, that they would not be redundant unless there were an important need for emphasis.


Roddy Stegemann
United States
Local time: 02:52
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Hamo. You help me take this sentence apart.

Asker: Further inquiry has provided clarity: whereas other diseases cause hypocalcemia in combination with other afflictions, vitamin D deficiency is the only one that can cause it all on its own. Therefore, as you suggested might be the case, there is no redundancy. Thanks again for your help.

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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
FYI


Explanation:
In addition to low PTH level, Vitamin D deficiency is the only endocrine disorder that causes hypocalcemia alone.

yuzouren
Japan
Local time: 18:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 8
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