# mermelada de guayaba



## renacentista

Hola, todos:

Bajo _mermelada, _el diccionario de "WordReference" dice "marmalade" o "jam" que no es bastante específico.

Encontré un hilo sobre _mermelada_ vs. _jalea_ pero no me sirve en el caso que trato. De aquél, entiendo que según la circunstancia, contexto o país, _jalea_ puede ser o una medicina, o un plato de pescado hecho de una manera particular.

http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/mermelada-vs-jalea.791829/

En inglés, _mermelada_ es "marmalade", en el sentido literal con los trozos de fruta inclusas, pero también he visto "jam," que en inglés es un puré, sin trozos flotando en la mezcla. _Jalea_ es "jelly", que tiene color pero es completamente claro, y aquélla he oído con la _guayaba_ también.

Es decir, en inglés, las tres no son sinónimos para nada, sino describen la fruta cocida con azucar, pero con distintos procesos y texturas resultantes. Por eso, una traducción que parece tan sencilla, no la es. He visto varias en el internet, por supuesto.

En el contexto particular que tengo, una madre cubana escribe a su hijo que debe comer la _mermelada de guayaba_ para quitarse de una enfermedad del estómago, pero no en el sentido de medicina, sino para comer con el arroz blanco.

En este caso, ¿significaría "guayaba marmalade" (en el sentido literal sobredicho), "guayaba jelly" o "guayaba jam"? Mi instinto me dice la segunda sería más común en inglés, aunque equivocada, pero prefiero saber cuál es correcto en vez de adivinar.

¡Gracias de antemano!


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## Nipnip

Pues como en español no tenemos esa diferencia, tendrías tú que ver la consistencia de la mermelada para saber qué tipo de conserva es de la que hablan. En general, en español dependerá de qué tan tacaño sea quien hizo la mermelada y cuánta fruta decida ponerle.


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## renacentista

Nipnip said:


> Pues como en español no tenemos esa diferencia, tendrías tú que ver la consistencia de la mermelada para saber qué tipo de conserva es de la que hablan. En general, en español dependerá de qué tan tacaño sea quien hizo la mermelada y cuánta fruta decida ponerle.



¡JAJA, Nipnip! ¡Qué gracia¡ ¿Que no es asunto de la textura ni proceso, sino de cantidad de fruta? Qué poético, y qué contraste con las distincciones algo clínicas del inglés. Sin embargo, si alguien más tiene una idea, están bienvenidos.


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## kleberito

Yo estoy de acuerdo con vos, Renacentista, guayaba jelly iría fenómeno, sin embargo, si usaras marmalade creo yo que te acercarías más gráficamente por lo menos, al texto original en español. Saludos.


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## The Newt

Creo que se dice "guava" (en vez de "guayaba") en inglés, ¿no?


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## Nipnip

How can you agree to something you haven't seen or tasted, by Renacensista's own claims and comments. Mermelada translated into what you guys call either mermelade, jelly, or jam. So, if you haven't seen what the Cuban woman was talking about, what logic exactly makes you think that is either one or the other?

For me jalea is a syrup, like maple, for example. But _jalea de fresa _could be either a syrup or a jelly depending on how rich it is.

This should be, in any case, a cultural question, and a Cuban should be able to say _what_ guava thing they usually eat with rice to cut off diarrehea.


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## kleberito

Do you really need to taste the flavor of cheese to agree with the fact that is made out of milk? or have you seen it at least in pictures to agree that is made out of milk?
Do you really need to jump from the Empire State Building to feel the taste of hight? or have you at least seen it in pictures to agree that it is rather tall?
In other words, do you really need to taste everything to agree on its meaning?


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## Nipnip

kleberito said:


> Do you really need to taste the flavor of cheese to agree with the fact that is made out of milk? or have you seen it at least in pictures to agree that is made out of milk?
> Do you really need to jump from the Empire State Building to feel the taste of hight? or have you at least seen it in pictures to agree that it is rather tall?
> In other words, do you really need to taste everything to agree on its meaning?



The question was simple, a Cuban woman told her son to eat _mermelada de guayaba_, since _mermelada _can be translated in English into apparently at least 3 different things, how do you so categorically say that it is one or the other?

On your cheese logic, yes, I will need to taste or at least see the cheese to say that it is _it_. Likewise, you would need to see or taste the _mermelada de guayaba_ to know if it is marmelade, jelly or jam. Until then, the closest translation is somewhere along the lines of _sweet substance made with fruit that can be spread on bread._


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## kleberito

Rather interesting to know that you really need to taste something in order for you to agree on the meaning of a word. That is why I went beyond the cheese logic but, apparently did not do much my effort to make it clear.


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## renacentista

kleberito said:


> Rather interesting to know that you really need to taste something in order for you to agree on the meaning of a word. That is why I went beyond the cheese logic but, apparently did not do much my effort to make it clear.




Please let me know if I should write this in Spanish, as well.

Thank you all for going to the trouble to talk this out. Newt, I knew what guayaba was, it was the jelly/marmelade/jam question which troubled me. To the rest of you who helped me above, I agree that mermelada _could_ be any of the three and, not having actually seen the substance made of guava, I cannot guess. Kleberito, you're correct that I needn't taste it, because I already knew that all three were made of guava and sugar, but I didn't want to translate it literally, or graphically as you suggested, because my question came up due to the fact that the dictionary was so vague, so ambiguous. I agree with Nipnip that like cheese, it needn't be tasted but must be seen, because what separates the three words are their textures. That is/was the essence of the question and why none of us can answer it now. I'd have to see it made or hold a jar of it up to the light. Therefore, since the above analysis corroborates my question and none of us were or are in Cuba with that particular mother looking at the product, I'll pick "jelly" because I have seen "guava jelly" in jars in the US, but I must be authentic. I'm a translator so will add a footnote, as I sometimes do, and say to my readers -- non-Spanish speakers -- that this was the closest I could come without actually being there to see what the Cuban mother recommended. This was fascinating. THANK YOU!! ¡¡Millones de gracias!!


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## duvija

"Guava paste". Así se llama acá y se consiguen las latas Goya en muchos supermercados. Es como el 'dulce de membrillo'.
"Guava Jelly" is ok, for jars.


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## renacentista

Gracias, duvija. ¿Acá en su caso es Paraguay? ¿Sería la misma cosa que en Cuba? Conozco cómo es el membrillo, pero en este caso ¿por qué dice mermelada, si quiere decir "membrillo de guayaba"? Ya estoy más confundida, pero bueno, no es mi lengua materna. =;-) Aprecia su aviso y mañana, investigo más.


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## SydLexia

In BrE "marmalade" is made of citrus fruit - with or without 'trozos' - you can't make marmalade from guavas, strawberries, plums, raspberries, cherries, apricots, etc., etc.

In the UK "mermelada de guayaba" would be "guava jam" if it was formless and spreadable, or "guava jelly" if it set like a jelly.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goiabada

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guava_jelly

There is also a similar product which I would call "quince jelly" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince_cheese


syd


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## duvija

renacentista said:


> Gracias, duvija. ¿Acá en su caso es Paraguay? ¿Sería la misma cosa que en Cuba? Conozco cómo es el membrillo, pero en este caso ¿por qué dice mermelada, si quiere decir "membrillo de guayaba"? Ya estoy más confundida, pero bueno, no es mi lengua materna. =;-) Aprecia su aviso y mañana, investigo más.



Sorry I confused you.
- "acá" is Chicago
- I'm from Uruguay
- 'membrillo' is just another fruit that can be made into 'paste' (you can cut it with a knife. A spoon doesn't work)


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## Moritzchen

Yes, _membrillo _is *quince.*
And Duvija is from Uruguay.


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## renacentista

Moritzchen said:


> Yes, _membrillo _is *quince.*
> And Duvija is from Uruguay.


Thanks, Moritzchen, she did correct me already. I was not feeling well yesterday, a bit out of focus, so thanks for your edits.


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## renacentista

duvija said:


> Sorry I confused you.
> - "acá" is Chicago
> - I'm from Uruguay
> - 'membrillo' is just another fruit that can be made into 'paste' (you can cut it with a knife. A spoon doesn't work)



Sorry to be so careless with your nationality. It was right there for me to read! And most of all, I appreciate your patience. ¡Muchísimas gracias!


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## renacentista

SydLexia said:


> In BrE "marmalade" is made of citrus fruit - with or without 'trozos' - you can't make marmalade from guavas, strawberries, plums, raspberries, cherries, apricots, etc., etc.
> 
> In the UK "mermelada de guayaba" would be "guava jam" if it was formless and spreadable, or "guava jelly" if it set like a jelly.
> 
> See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goiabada
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guava_jelly
> 
> There is also a similar product which I would call "quince jelly" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince_cheese
> 
> 
> syd



This will help, thanks, SydLexia!


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## cirrus

It doesn't help one bit that BE and AE usages are so contradictory. Often Americans call what we'd call jam, a jelly. What further complicates things is that jelly (a pudding which you set with gelatin) can also be similar to a jam albeit with all the pips and bits filtered out. Rosehip jelly comes to mind. 

Occasionally you'll see things described as a conserve. To be honest, despite it being labelled that way, I am not sure anyone really says that in real life.


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## renacentista

Yes, Cirrus, I know what you mean, "conserve" is a lovely word but who says it? Maybe a cooking show host or shop owner? Back to the first point, that's interesting. I obviously use AE but always thought that jam and jelly were distinguished by the same textural differences you describe in BE! It would be fun to have a party among us and try out all the semantic varieties on some scones someday.


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## Janis Joplin

duvija said:


> Sorry I confused you.
> - "acá" is Chicago
> - I'm from Uruguay
> - 'membrillo' is just another fruit that can be made into 'paste' (you can cut it with a knife. A spoon doesn't work)



But membrillo or guava paste are "ates" not marmalades.

http://html.rincondelvago.com/plan-de-exportacion.html

Al final de la hoja vienen las fotografías.


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## Janis Joplin

renacentista said:


> En el contexto particular que tengo, una madre cubana escribe a su hijo que debe comer la _mermelada de guayaba_ para quitarse de una enfermedad del estómago, pero no en el sentido de medicina, sino para comer con el arroz blanco.



You are right, the marmalade here is not a medication, both meals, rice and guavas act as astringent and help to treat diarrhea.


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## renacentista

Thanks, and now I learned what an "ate" is, fantastic word. WR doesn't have it in its dictionary except as the past tense of "eat" in English. However, the RAE does, being more comprehensive and having editors from all over the Spanish-speaking world! I love this forum, thank you Janis Joplin!! BTW, I was lucky enough to see "you" sing way back in 1973! How lovely to see you reincarnated here.


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## Moritzchen

Three little ítems:
*Ate* is a word used in Mexico, not in the rest of Latin America, or at least not in South America where they use "pasta".
Yes Cirrus, and I find "preserves" in the jams and jellies shelves in the market. I cannot see any difference between them and jams. There are no fruit pieces in it.
And Renacentista, you saw Janis Joplin in 1973?


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## renacentista

Yes, Moritzchen, that's what the RAE said, México, I was just saying that the RAE has such a variety of editors, they cover a lot of ground. Sometimes I don't express myself literally enough! And, no, my mistake, Joplin died in 1970. I was thinking about the person with whom I thought I went to the concert, and had the year all wrong! If I write a book, will you be my editor? "The cobbler's children have no shoes."


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## EddieZumac

Uno de mis postres favoritos es queso con guayaba.


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## renacentista

Me suena delicioso.


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## Amapolas

To add a bit more confusion, what has been described above as _quince ate/cheese/jelly_, in Argentina is called 'dulce': _dulce de membrillo_ and _dulce de batata_ being the most popular varieties, and often eaten together with cheese for dessert.


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## nelliot53

Queso blanco con ("dulce de guayaba)"- It's not a marmalade, a jam, or a jelly.  It is so dense you have to cut it with a knife.

http://es.paperblog.com/postre-queso-y-dulce-de-guayaba-2151711/


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## renacentista

Thanks for corroborating the earlier contributions, y gracias a todos! Ya quiero un postre ...


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## catrina

Hola,
Creo que en este caso sería una marmalade

Aquí te paso un vínculo de un sitio de recetas cubanas y se ve la foto

Está elaborada con fruta pero se tiene que colar para quitarle las semillas

Me parece buena fuente 

http://www.glotoncubano.com/Mermelada de guayaba.html


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## renacentista

Gracias, Catrina, es posible que fuera una mermelada del tipo en la receta. Pero del principio y hasta ahora, en la discurso arriba hemos llegado a la conclusión que la palabra mermelada en sí signifique una variedad de texturas, y no puedo preguntar a la madre, cuál de éstas le recomendaba a su hijo para comer con arroz blanco para curarse de las diarreas. He dicho en una nota al fin de mi traducción que -- a diferencia de la palabra específica en inglés -- mermelada en español puede ser cualquiera de aquellas preparaciones de guayaba y azucar. Mientras, por si acaso, he hablado con unos amigos cubanos bilingües y están de acuerdo. Sin embargo, le agradezco a Ud. su interés y tiempo.


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