WotD: sweeten

[muckefuck]

Now here's a puzzle I can actually solve! I'm forever running out of words whenever I speak a foreign language (including English, now that I think about it). So I have to improvise. Sometimes this involves modifying a word from a closely-related language and hoping for the best. (Results have been decidedly mixed.) Other times, deriving one on the spot using the native resources of the language. (Also dodgy.)

For instance, planning a chat in Spanish today, I realised I didn't know the proper word for "sweetened", so I assembled one based on the word for "sugar". To test myself, I decided to do this in my other languages as well. Below you have what I came up and, behind a cut so you all can test yourselves as well, the correct term(s).

1. versüßen (figurative; in the literal sense, only süßen)
2. verzoeten (ver)zoeten (same as above)
3. azucarar (in the narrower meaning of "to sugar"; general term endulzar)
4. sucrar endolcir, edulcorar, ensucrar (in the sense of "to sugar")
5. sucrer [idem], édulcorer
6. siwcrio melysu, siwgro
7. milsigh [idem]
8. 다기다 달게 하다
9. 甜化 tiánhuà 變甜 biàntián (but 甜化 attested online)

So pretty sad: Came close nearly every time, but only nailed it twice. In two cases, the formation was sound by imperfect, and in four, I stumbled upon a legitimate word that didn't mean quite the same thing, but might well have been understood in context. The only one I completely whiffed was the Korean.

Comments

[eyeballmassage.livejournal.com]

are you sure about french? i'm no native speaker but i know i've seen "sucré" around and "édulcorer" is new to me.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Are you not familiar with the word idem?

[eyeballmassage.livejournal.com]

ahhh, sorry. i am, but i thought it was referring to something else.

[pne.livejournal.com]

I was confused, too; I thought, at first, that it meant "the comment applies as with the language immediately preceding".

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

When you put it that way, I can see how confusing it is. Sorry; I was just looking for a way to condense the entries somewhat.

"sweeten"

[ursine1.livejournal.com]

In the US they use "sweetened", because nowadays they don't actually use sugar (sucrose). Here in Spain when the label says azucarado it means "sugared" using the real thing.

And there's the "dehydrated cane juice" that's allowed to be used in place of "sugar" in the US for the "health-conscious" crowd. Please!

Chuck

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

It seems you were thinking of "sugared" more than "sweet" -- like dulce or something.

I sure wouldn't have done any better!

By the way, tyrannio will make up words in other languages, too. He was using "schweinerei", but to mean "porkiness" rather than "filthiness", and thought it would be an excellent name for a restaurant that he wouldn't go to. I keep urging him to learn German since he seems to have a natural affinity for the language.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I would so love to eat at a place called "Die Schweinerei"!

[innerdoggie.livejournal.com]

mmmm. pig.

[tyrannio.livejournal.com]

You'd probably also like "At The Sign of the Double Eagle". ("Bob's Baikal Buryiat Breakfasts", maybe not.)

[gorkabear.livejournal.com]

When i was a little kid, Danone started selling yoghourt with sugar. The ad said "azucarado, azucarado". That's how I learned this word, because until that moment I used to say "con azúcar"

BTW, edulcorado usually refers to artificial sweeteners and azúcar, usually real sugar. But unlike ursine1 says, the evil high-fructose syrup is already on European stores shelves.