On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 07:07:00PM +0200, David Fokkema wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 12:14:36PM -0400, ScruLoose wrote:
> >
> > There's a long history in English (especially informal English, maybe)
> > of using 'sweet' for 'good' in some circumstances.
> > From the pop song some years back that mentioned "kisses sweeter than
> > wine" which makes no literal sense because neither kisses nor (decent)
> > wine are actually sweet-tasting -- to the widespread use of "sweet
> > deal!" to describe a particularly impressive bargain...
>
> Ah, of course... This reminds me of a line in a children's song: 'wie
> zoet is krijgt lekkers' meaning 'those who are sweet will receive
> candy/cookies/whatever' (I don't know the word in english which
> describes the whole range of candy/cookies/etc.). In this context,
> 'zoet' also means 'good'. I could've known, ;-)
Ironically enough, the word is 'sweets'. ('Treats' is synonymous, but
much less ironic in this context).
> > Ahh, the quirks of languages!
>
> Indeed, ;-)!
> I never looked at it this way, but 'zoet water' historically could mean
> 'good water' as opposed to salt water, which you can't drink or grow
> crops with.
True enough. It could certainly still be referring to the taste,
though. The taste of good, clean water is definitely sweet as in
good; and could almost be described as sweet in the literal sense when
compared to salt water, marsh water, etc.
> Thanks for enlightening me
My pleasure. I love the subtleties of language (and any excuse to
discuss the subject!)
Cheers!
--
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> -ScruLoose- | Sometimes I'm ashamed to call myself a Christian, <
> Please do not | for all the same reasons that <
> reply off-list. | I'm sometimes ashamed to call myself a human being. <
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