で言うとIn terms of; the equivalent in
で言うと explains an unfamiliar item by placing it in a named scale, category, culture, or other reference system. It often corresponds to “in X terms” or “the equivalent of Y in X.”
Name the system used for the explanation
The noun immediately before で言うと names the system you are converting into. The sentence first identifies the original item, then gives its class or equivalent in that named system.
Clear mappings between systems
この犬の十二歳は、人間の年齢で言うと六十歳くらいに当たる。
For this dog, age twelve is roughly equivalent to age sixty in human years.
Analyze日本の高校一年生は、アメリカの学校制度で言うと十年生に当たる。
A first-year high school student in Japan corresponds to a tenth grader in the American school system.
Analyze彼の役職は、軍隊で言うと大佐に相当する。
His position is equivalent to a colonel in military terms.
AnalyzeWhen the equivalent is a following noun
Instead of ending the reference frame with で言うと, you can place でいう or でいうところの directly before the noun that names the equivalent.
将棋の飛車は、チェスでいうところのルークに近い。
The rook in shogi is close to what chess calls a rook.
AnalyzeThis is an explanatory comparison rather than a claim that the two pieces are identical in every respect.
Conversion versus a basis for judgment
で言うと names a system used to classify or convert something. By contrast, から言うと names the evidence, position, or angle from which someone makes a judgment. The two forms are therefore not interchangeable.
More examples
この猫の八歳は、人間の年齢で言うと四十八歳くらいです。
This cat's age of eight is about forty-eight in human years.
Analyzeこの大会の準優勝は、オリンピックで言うと銀メダルに近い。
Finishing second in this tournament is comparable to winning a silver medal at the Olympics.
Analyzeこのサイズは、日本の服で言うとLくらいです。
This size is about a large in Japanese clothing sizes.
Analyze江戸時代の寺子屋は、現代で言うと地域の学習教室に近い。
Edo-period temple schools were somewhat like local learning centers in modern terms.
Analyze彼はこの組織では、会社で言うと部長に当たる立場です。
Within this organization, his position is equivalent to a department manager in a company.
Analyzeその選手は、サッカーでいう司令塔の役割を果たしている。
That player fills what soccer would call the playmaker role.
Analyze