Satisfied (satisfaction) and gratified (gratification)

[Kolridg]

I would appreciate your help with the next question.

Today that's the second time when I have studied internet links on the subject of the difference between "satisfaction" and "gratification", but like before I again saw surprisingly little number of threads, and even those had very uncertain, contradictory replies.

Having gathered some facts I now can imagine, maybe wrongly though, that "satisfaction" is enjoying the positive result of some action. Say, if I wanted to plant trees in the garden, and at the end of the work I see each tree properly planted just like I wanted them to be planted, then I can say "I'm satisfied with my work in the garden today.".

On the other hand, if I want to convey the sense that I was enjoying the process of planting itself then it would be appropriate to say "I am gratified with my work in the garden today.", which could be paraphrased like "I took much pleasure in working in the garden today.".

Have I nailed it down?

Thank you.

 

[jutfrank]

Nearly but not quite, no.

it would be appropriate to say "I am gratified with my work in the garden today."

That's not right. If you're talking about gratification, then since the gratifying process is in the past, you'd have to say something like Working in the garden was gratifying. We don't say I'm gratified with ...