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  3. Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting

edulcoración

English translation: sugarcoating

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:edulcoración
English translation:sugarcoating
Entered by: David Russi

11:30 May 21, 2010
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / Francisco de Goya
Spanish term or phrase: edulcoración
Durante estos siglos, entre otros muchos disparates, hemos transformado el orgullo napoleónico en una degradante chulería tecnocrática.
Algunos lo han llamado, más moderadamente, “optimismo tecnológico”; pero creo que esa edulcoración abre la puerta de una complacencia que a estas alturas no podemos permitirnos.

I was thinking "nicety", but that doesn't do it for me. I'm not sure whether to rework the phrase, but either way, the term I want is eluding me.
What's the term I'm looking for and failing to come up with?

Thanks so much for your help: much appreciated. :)
Kate Major Patience
Spain
Local time: 10:10
sugarcoating
Explanation:
Webster's

sugarcoat
Pronunciation:|**|*
Function:verb
Etymology:1sugar + coat (v.)

transitive verb
1 : to coat (as a food or drug) with sugar or candy *sugarcoat almonds* *sugarcoat pills*
2 a : to make (something difficult, harsh, or unpleasant) superficially easy, attractive, or palatable : SWEETEN *sugarcoating the classics for children* *sugarcoated the punishment with promises of future rewards* b : to conceal (something ugly or evil) under a deceptively pleasing exterior : gloss over *adept at sugarcoating their vicious purpose* *sugarcoat the real facts*
intransitive verb : to embellish something harsh or unpalatable : conceal a bitter truth by glossing over it *makes a practice of sugarcoating*
Selected response from:

David Russi
United States
Local time: 02:10
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +9sugarcoating
David Russi
3 +1prettification
Evans (X)
3 +1airbrushing
liz askew
4euphemism
neilmac
3mellowing/edulcoration/sweetening
Gad Kohenov
3embellishment
claudia16 (X)
3anodyne term
Rachel Fell


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
mellowing/edulcoration/sweetening


Explanation:
Possibilities.

Gad Kohenov
Israel
Local time: 11:10
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in HebrewHebrew
PRO pts in category: 4
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
prettification


Explanation:
might possibly work here, although I've a feeling there's a better word lurking somewhere!

Evans (X)
Local time: 09:10
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 103

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bubo Coroman (X): wonderful! -- I think the term means "euphemistic labelling/facelifting"
13 mins
  -> thanks, Deborah!
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22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +9
sugarcoating


Explanation:
Webster's

sugarcoat
Pronunciation:|**|*
Function:verb
Etymology:1sugar + coat (v.)

transitive verb
1 : to coat (as a food or drug) with sugar or candy *sugarcoat almonds* *sugarcoat pills*
2 a : to make (something difficult, harsh, or unpleasant) superficially easy, attractive, or palatable : SWEETEN *sugarcoating the classics for children* *sugarcoated the punishment with promises of future rewards* b : to conceal (something ugly or evil) under a deceptively pleasing exterior : gloss over *adept at sugarcoating their vicious purpose* *sugarcoat the real facts*
intransitive verb : to embellish something harsh or unpalatable : conceal a bitter truth by glossing over it *makes a practice of sugarcoating*

David Russi
United States
Local time: 02:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 58
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  accuratewords: This is it! Or, "embroidery" but that's not as American/English sounding as David's answer!
27 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Muses Inc: I really like that one, good find!
39 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Cinnamon Nolan: Yep. :-)
50 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Monique Rojkind
1 hr
  -> Thanks!
agree  amendozachisum: agree
1 hr
  -> Thanks!
agree  J Celeita (X): perfect
4 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Jenny Westwell
9 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  eski: Nice! eski
10 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Jenni Lukac (X)
20 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
airbrushing


Explanation:
.............

liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 39

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Fell
1 day 7 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
euphemism


Explanation:
euphemism: use of a word or phrase to replace another with one that is considered less offensive or less vulgar than the word or phrase it replaces ...

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Note added at 4 hrs (2010-05-21 15:46:56 GMT)
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If you want to preserve something of the author's metaphor, you could say "sweet/sugary euphemism" ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2010-05-21 15:47:42 GMT)
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"sweet/sugary euphemism"...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2010-05-21 15:48:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, the added notes take forever to upload...

neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 124
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
embellishment


Explanation:
superfluous ornament

claudia16 (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 day 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
anodyne term


Explanation:
another suggestion

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day8 hrs (2010-05-22 19:55:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or use of this anodyne term

Rachel Fell
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 18
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