Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SACCHARINE

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"SACCHARINE" Pronunciation: SACK er in Part of speech: (Adjectives are describing words, like “large” or “late.” They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in “a saccharine grin” 2. After a linking verb, as in “The grin was saccharine.”) Meaning: Literally, saccharine is a sugar substitute. The meaning we're interested in is figurative: Someone or something saccharine is so sweet that it's annoying. Other forms: saccharinely, saccharinity How to use it: Talk about a saccharine song, a saccharine movie, a saccharine book or story, a saccharine greeting card, a saccharine comment, her saccharine optimism, his saccharine tone of voice, and so on. If you find yourself saying "saccharine sweet" or "saccharine sweetness," consider nixing one of those words from your phrase. Chicken Soup for the Soul, a series of books that drips saccharinity, is filled with tales of kind strangers and dying puppies. Yes, I wrote a saccharine poem to my baby girl on her first half-birthday, celebrating her soft cheeks and her precious little giggles, and I make no apologies for it. Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You'll know you understand what "saccharine" means when you can explain it without saying "sappy" or "annoying." Think of something that annoyed you by being sappy and disgustingly sweet, and fill in the blank: "Let me just avoid that/those saccharine _____ from here on out.” Example: “Let me just avoid those saccharine Olsen twins movies with all the montages from here on out.” Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don't go straight to the review now; let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month's game is "Guess the real pop song title when I give you a long-winded, highfalutin version of it." All the answers this month will be titles of popular songs released no earlier than 2012. Try it out each day and see the right answer the next day. We're playing this in order to appreciate the simple, precise vocabulary of pop song titles, despite how often they are criticized for being sappy, trite, and simplistic.   Yesterday’s answer: “Juxtaposed with Myself” is really “Next to Me” by Emeli Sandé.   Try this one today: “Members of the Monarchy” A Point Well Made: John Irving: “Good habits are worth being fanatical about.” 1. The opposite of SACCHARINE is A. SOUR or BITTER B. COMPLEX or INTERWOVEN C. WHOLE or COMPLETE 2. Music strikes us as saccharine when _____. A. it has a driving beat that makes us want to dance. B. its lyrics repeat themselves again and again and lose their meaning. C. it swells from delicate, quiet notes to grand, sweeping ones. Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C