Comments on: 13 words not found in the English language http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/ The great paradox of the writer's life is how much time he spends alone trying to connect with other people. ~ Betsy Lerner Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:56:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: PJ http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3924 PJ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:10:27 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3924 Thanks for all your visits. I've closed the comments now as I think everything that could possibly be said about this post has been said. Before emailing me please check whether your comment has already been covered by someone else, chances are that it has. :smile: Thanks for all your visits. I’ve closed the comments now as I think everything that could possibly be said about this post has been said.

Before emailing me please check whether your comment has already been covered by someone else, chances are that it has. :smile:

]]> By: PJ http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3923 PJ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:07:43 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3923 Two final comments which have been emailed to me: Frank Yee: Guanxi literally means relationship. Having guanxi, then, suggests that you are connected or have "pull." If you don't have guanxi, how can you lose it by asking a favor? Chris: Great entry. Actually, the discussion on words not found in English could go on forever - it's a fascinating subject. I pass on to you my own list, gathered from various sources over the years in the translation industry. Concise Words from They Have a Word for It attaccabottoni (Italian): A doleful bore who buttonholes people and tells sad, pointless tales. aware (Japanese): the feelings engendered by ephemeral beauty. baraka (Arabic): a git of spiritual energy hat can be used for mundane purposes birilulo (Kiriwina, New Guinea): Comparing yams to settle disputes. bonga (Santali): spirit of a place that must be dealt with conmoción (Spanish): emotion held in common by a group or gathering Drachenfutter (German): Peace offerings for wives from guilty husbands. farpotshket (Yiddish): Something that is all fouled up, especially as the result of an attempt to fix it. fisselig (German): Flustered to the point of incompetence - a temporary state of inexactitude and sloppiness that is elicited by another person's nagging. fucha (FOO-hah; Polish; verb): to use company time and resources for personal ends. hart ducha (Polish): self-mastery in the face of internal and external forces hózh'q (Navajo): the beauty of life, as seen and created by a person istiqâra (Arabic): a request for spiritual or practical assistance in the form of a dream kolleh (Yiddish): a beautiful bride Korinthenkacker [lit: someone who craps currants] (German): a person overly concerned with trivial details koro (Chinese): The hysterical belief that one's penis is shrinking. kula (Trobriand Islands): sacred, endless process of gift giving kyooikumama (Japanese): Mother who pushes her children into academic achievement. land nám (Icelandic): the sanctification of new land by mythologizing it mamihlapinatapai (Tierra del Fuegan): two people looking at each other in the expectation that one of them will do something equally desired by both but which neither is willing to do. (Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records). masa bodoa (MAH-sah boh-DOE-ah; Javanese; adjective): sociopolitically passive and unaware. maya (Sanskrit): the mistaken belief that a symbol is the same as the reality that it represents mbuki-mvuki (em-BOO-kee-em-VOO-kee; Bantu; verb): to shuck off one's clothes in order to dance. Mokita (moe-KEE-tah; New Guinean; noun): truth everybody knows but nobody speaks. nadi (Balinese): to temporarily inhabit another dimension nakhes (Yiddish): A mixture of pleasure and pride, particularly the kind that a parent receives from a child. nemawashi (Japanese): informal feeling-out and consensus gathering Ondinnonk (ON-din-onk; Iroquoian; noun): the soul's innermost benevolent desires. ostranenie (Russian): art as defamiliarization; making familiar perceptions seem strange plunderbund (Dutch): group of alliance of financial or poltical interests that exploits the public potlach (Haida): the ceremonial act of gaining social respect by giving away wealth Radfahrer (German): one who flatters superiors and browbeats subordinates rasa (Sanskrit): the mood or sentiment that is evoked be a work of art Razbliuto (ros-blee-OO-toe; Russian; noun): the feeling a person retains for someone he or she once loved. sabi (Japanese): beautiful patina sabsung (Thai): to slake an emotional or spiritual thirst to be revitalized Schadenfreude (German): joy that one feels as a result of some one ele's misfortune shibui (Japanese): beauty of aging shih (Chinese): an insightful, elegant kind of knowledge sitike (Apache): In laws who are formally committed to help during crises. ta (Chinese): to understand things and thus take them lightly Talkin (TALL-keen; Indonesian; verb): to whisper instructions to the dying. Tartle (TAR-tul; Scottish; verb): to hesitate in recognizing a person or thing. Wabi (wah-BI; Japanese; noun): a flawed detail that creates an elegant whole. waq'f (Arabic): property given to God Weltschmerz (German): a gloomy, romanticized, world-weary sadness, experienced most often by privileged youth won (Korean): unwillingness to let go of an illusion ygen (Japanese): an awareness of the universe that trigers feelings too deep and mysterious for words Yoin (yoh-EEN; Japanese; noun): experiential reverberation that continues to move one long after the initial external stimulus has ceased. zalatwic [accent on c] (Polish): Using acquaintances to accomplish things unofficially. zanshin (Japanese): A state of relaxed mental alertness in the face of danger Two final comments which have been emailed to me:

Frank Yee:

Guanxi literally means relationship. Having guanxi, then, suggests that you
are connected or have “pull.” If you don’t have guanxi, how can you lose it
by asking a favor?

Chris:

Great entry.

Actually, the discussion on words not found in English could go on forever
- it’s a fascinating subject. I pass on to you my own list, gathered from
various sources over the years in the translation industry.

Concise Words
from They Have a Word for It
attaccabottoni (Italian): A doleful bore who buttonholes people and tells
sad, pointless tales.
aware (Japanese): the feelings engendered by ephemeral beauty.
baraka (Arabic): a git of spiritual energy hat can be used for mundane
purposes
birilulo (Kiriwina, New Guinea): Comparing yams to settle disputes.
bonga (Santali): spirit of a place that must be dealt with
conmoción (Spanish): emotion held in common by a group or gathering
Drachenfutter (German): Peace offerings for wives from guilty husbands.
farpotshket (Yiddish): Something that is all fouled up, especially as the
result of an attempt to fix it.
fisselig (German): Flustered to the point of incompetence - a temporary
state of inexactitude and sloppiness that is elicited by another person’s
nagging.
fucha (FOO-hah; Polish; verb): to use company time and resources for
personal ends.
hart ducha (Polish): self-mastery in the face of internal and external
forces
hózh’q (Navajo): the beauty of life, as seen and created by a person
istiqâra (Arabic): a request for spiritual or practical assistance in the
form of a dream
kolleh (Yiddish): a beautiful bride
Korinthenkacker [lit: someone who craps currants] (German): a person overly
concerned with trivial details
koro (Chinese): The hysterical belief that one’s penis is shrinking.
kula (Trobriand Islands): sacred, endless process of gift giving
kyooikumama (Japanese): Mother who pushes her children into academic
achievement.
land nám (Icelandic): the sanctification of new land by mythologizing it
mamihlapinatapai (Tierra del Fuegan): two people looking at each other in
the expectation that one of them will do something equally desired by both
but which neither is willing to do. (Listed in the Guinness Book of World
Records).
masa bodoa (MAH-sah boh-DOE-ah; Javanese; adjective): sociopolitically
passive and unaware.

maya (Sanskrit): the mistaken belief that a symbol is the same as the
reality that it represents
mbuki-mvuki (em-BOO-kee-em-VOO-kee; Bantu; verb): to shuck off one’s
clothes in order to dance.
Mokita (moe-KEE-tah; New Guinean; noun): truth everybody knows but nobody
speaks.
nadi (Balinese): to temporarily inhabit another dimension
nakhes (Yiddish): A mixture of pleasure and pride, particularly the kind
that a parent receives from a child.
nemawashi (Japanese): informal feeling-out and consensus gathering
Ondinnonk (ON-din-onk; Iroquoian; noun): the soul’s innermost benevolent
desires.
ostranenie (Russian): art as defamiliarization; making familiar perceptions
seem strange
plunderbund (Dutch): group of alliance of financial or poltical interests
that exploits the public
potlach (Haida): the ceremonial act of gaining social respect by giving
away wealth
Radfahrer (German): one who flatters superiors and browbeats subordinates
rasa (Sanskrit): the mood or sentiment that is evoked be a work of art
Razbliuto (ros-blee-OO-toe; Russian; noun): the feeling a person retains
for someone he or she once loved.
sabi (Japanese): beautiful patina
sabsung (Thai): to slake an emotional or spiritual thirst to be
revitalized
Schadenfreude (German): joy that one feels as a result of some one ele’s
misfortune
shibui (Japanese): beauty of aging
shih (Chinese): an insightful, elegant kind of knowledge
sitike (Apache): In laws who are formally committed to help during crises.
ta (Chinese): to understand things and thus take them lightly
Talkin (TALL-keen; Indonesian; verb): to whisper instructions to the
dying.
Tartle (TAR-tul; Scottish; verb): to hesitate in recognizing a person or
thing.
Wabi (wah-BI; Japanese; noun): a flawed detail that creates an elegant
whole.
waq’f (Arabic): property given to God
Weltschmerz (German): a gloomy, romanticized, world-weary sadness,
experienced most often by privileged youth
won (Korean): unwillingness to let go of an illusion
ygen (Japanese): an awareness of the universe that trigers feelings too
deep and mysterious for words
Yoin (yoh-EEN; Japanese; noun): experiential reverberation that continues
to move one long after the initial external stimulus has ceased.
zalatwic [accent on c] (Polish): Using acquaintances to accomplish things
unofficially.
zanshin (Japanese): A state of relaxed mental alertness in the face of
danger

]]> By: Nick http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3745 Nick Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:08:07 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3745 Great words... pity nobody can pronounce them, and if you use one nobody knows what it means. Isn't the English equivalent of most of them simply, 'Whatever'. Great words… pity nobody can pronounce them, and if you use one nobody knows what it means.
Isn’t the English equivalent of most of them simply, ‘Whatever’.

]]> By: wes http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3617 wes Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:38:41 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3617 My Japanese speaking girlfriend taught me my new favorite word: mendokusai. It means something is too much of a hassle, a pain in the butt, etc. The Brits have the phrase 'I can't be bothered' which sums it up nicely. She regrets this because: Her: We need to do some housework around here. Me: Mendokusai... -- Stumblers: keeping old posts alive since 200X My Japanese speaking girlfriend taught me my new favorite word: mendokusai. It means something is too much of a hassle, a pain in the butt, etc. The Brits have the phrase ‘I can’t be bothered’ which sums it up nicely. She regrets this because:

Her: We need to do some housework around here.
Me: Mendokusai…

–
Stumblers: keeping old posts alive since 200X

]]> By: PJ http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3574 PJ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:43:24 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3574 Here are some comments that were emailed to me: Rike: Hey there, I have a new word for your list, it's "Schadenfreude" (german)...means when you laugh about a misfortune of somebody... bye bye says rike Robin: I stumbled on your site re the 13 words and although I'm not really a POCHEMUCHKA, my ESPRIT DE L’ESCALIERs have been too numerous to mention. And who hasn't wanted to be a little SELATHIRUPAVAR now and then? Pardon my misusage. And misspelling. David Walmsley: Number ten could be querulous blabbermouth, n'est-ce pas? Francois Lacherez: It's "Esprit d'escalier", not "Esprit de l'escalier". Very good find though! Trish: I was interested to see that You had not included the Welsh word "hiraeth", which means among many things a longing for home or someone or something that is lost to you. Check it out with any Welsh speaking people you know. Oh I almost forgot -Welsh is not included in many language lists, including the 97 version of Encarta, which included many obscure languages.Welsh is one of the oldest languages in Europe and still spoken widely. I would be interested to receive your comments. Here are some comments that were emailed to me:

Rike: Hey there,
I have a new word for your list, it’s “Schadenfreude” (german)…means when
you laugh about a misfortune of somebody… bye bye says rike

Robin: I stumbled on your site re the 13 words and although I’m not really a
POCHEMUCHKA, my ESPRIT DE L’ESCALIERs have been too numerous to mention.
And who hasn’t wanted to be a little SELATHIRUPAVAR now and then? Pardon my
misusage. And misspelling.

David Walmsley: Number ten could be querulous blabbermouth, n’est-ce pas?

Francois Lacherez: It’s “Esprit d’escalier”, not “Esprit de l’escalier”. Very good find though!

Trish: I was interested to see that You had not included the Welsh word “hiraeth”,
which means among many things a longing for home or someone or something
that is lost to you. Check it out with any Welsh speaking people you know.
Oh I almost forgot -Welsh is not included in many language lists, including
the 97 version of Encarta, which included many obscure languages.Welsh is
one of the oldest languages in Europe and still spoken widely.
I would be interested to receive your comments.

]]> By: Jen http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3543 Jen Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:20:06 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3543 Another good word that doesn't have a good English equivalent: schadenfreude (German) - getting enjoyment from the pain of others. Another good word that doesn’t have a good English equivalent: schadenfreude (German) - getting enjoyment from the pain of others.

]]> By: matt http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3542 matt Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:58:57 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3542 i agree with the probable definition of Pochemuchka but ive never heard it used as such. But Russians do have a way of taking a verb or an adjective and using it as a nickname. i.e. HAHAtunchik - someone who laughs a lot. i agree with the probable definition of Pochemuchka but ive never heard it used as such.
But Russians do have a way of taking a verb or an adjective and using it as a nickname.
i.e. HAHAtunchik - someone who laughs a lot.

]]> By: JJ http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3537 JJ Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:02:29 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3537 Re: John Rouse and Karl's posts- a more detailed explanation of the Swedish word "lagom" is that it's a compound of two words. lag-meaning team and om-meaning around. the word literally means enough to go around for the whole team. so to say lagom means enough for each so that everyone gets some. in everyday use however, it means just enough (which of course can mean anything and is like a little joke). Re: John Rouse and Karl’s posts-
a more detailed explanation of the Swedish word “lagom” is that it’s a compound of two words. lag-meaning team and om-meaning around. the word literally means enough to go around for the whole team. so to say lagom means enough for each so that everyone gets some. in everyday use however, it means just enough (which of course can mean anything and is like a little joke).

]]> By: busybe http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3536 busybe Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:42:52 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3536 Duende in Portuguese means a goblin, small elf, leprechaun or a gnome. A Portuguese word I think doesn't exist in English is "Saudade", which is an emotion, a feeling of nostalgia, of missing someone or something very much. Perhaps it's similar to the Japanese “Natsukashii". Duende in Portuguese means a goblin, small elf, leprechaun or a gnome.

A Portuguese word I think doesn’t exist in English is “Saudade”, which is an emotion, a feeling of nostalgia, of missing someone or something very much. Perhaps it’s similar to the Japanese “Natsukashii”.

]]> By: Hannes J. http://recluse.me/2007/11/01/13-words-not-found-in-the-english-language/#comment-3535 Hannes J. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:17:26 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/?p=725#comment-3535 I'm German and it's true that you can put all kind of words together in German like "Frischluftfanatiker" and "Fahrvergnügen", but people actually use those words. That's not the case with "Waldeinsamkeit", I've never come across that word. It also sounds bumpy, I think people would rather say "die Einsamkeit im Walde" (the loneliness in the woods). Nevertheless, this is an interesting posting... thumbs up! I’m German and it’s true that you can put all kind of words together in German like “Frischluftfanatiker” and “Fahrvergnügen”, but people actually use those words. That’s not the case with “Waldeinsamkeit”, I’ve never come across that word. It also sounds bumpy, I think people would rather say “die Einsamkeit im Walde” (the loneliness in the woods). Nevertheless, this is an interesting posting… thumbs up!

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