salivary

The adjective 'salivary' describes something *related to* saliva or the salivary glands. It doesn't mean 'full of saliva' or 'producing a lot of saliva.' A common mistake is to assume it directly translates to a state of excessive salivation. The correct term to describe someone producing a lot of saliva is 'salivating.' Japanese speakers might incorrectly assume a direct adjectival form exists like in Japanese (e.g., 唾液の = salivary), overlooking the nuance of English word formation.

While 'salivary' relates to saliva, you can't literally add 'salivary' (meaning saliva itself or something derived from saliva) to food. This is a category error. The sentence is nonsensical in English. A Japanese speaker might be thinking of using something that stimulates saliva production, but 'salivary' isn't the ingredient itself. The error comes from mistaking the adjective for a noun or a functional ingredient. A more nuanced understanding of English requires recognizing the distinction between describing something *related to* saliva and the actual substance or its effect.

While grammatically correct, using 'salivary research' might sound clinical and slightly off-putting in a general context, especially when discussing public funding. The word 'saliva' itself is more direct and less likely to be misinterpreted as implying something inherently distasteful. This highlights a difference in register. While 'salivary' is a perfectly valid scientific term, using 'saliva' directly acknowledges the inherent associations people have with bodily fluids. This is because the word 'salivary' is more formal and often used in medical or scientific contexts. In contrast, the word 'saliva' is more direct and commonly used in everyday language. Japanese culture often has a higher tolerance for directness in certain contexts, so learners might not immediately grasp the need for a more nuanced or euphemistic approach in English depending on the audience and situation.