vertonen
set · set to music
Definition & meaning
The verb "vertonen" has two primary meanings depending on the context:
- Musical Composition: It refers to the act of setting a text, such as a poem, a play, or a prayer, to music. When a composer writes a melody or an orchestral accompaniment for existing words, they are said to be "vertonen" that text.
- Audio Production: In the context of film and media, it means to add sound, music, or a voice-over to a visual recording. This is the process of creating the auditory layer for a movie, advertisement, or video clip.
Grammar & Word origin
"Vertonen" is a regular (weak) verb. Its past tense is "vertonte" and the past participle is "hat vertont."
The word is composed of the prefix ver- and the noun Ton, which means "sound," "tone," or "note." The prefix "ver-" in this instance functions as a prefix of transformation or application, indicating the process of providing something with sound or turning a text into a musical piece.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- For musical contexts: komponieren (to compose), in Musik setzen (to set to music), untermalen (to provide a musical background).
- For media contexts: nachvertonen (to dub or add sound post-production), synchronisieren (to synchronize/dub).
Antonyms: There are no direct lexical opposites for the act of composing, but in a technical sense, the following could be considered opposites:
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Examples
Sie haben das Gedicht vertont.verb
They set the poem to music.
Der Komponist möchte den Text vertonen.verb
The composer wants to set the text to music.
Diese Band will das Gedicht vertonen.verb
This band wants to set the poem to music.
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