Wordy

Cleaning cupboards and book shelves is always rewarding because I always come across some serendipitous find – neatly pressed sarees and suits worn only once or twice but forgotten that I still had them in my possession, nicely wrapped books I intended to read but never did, documents efficiently punched in forgotten files which could make or break life etc.

This time though I did not get what I was looking for, I discovered a print-out of 20 Awesomely Untranslatable Words From Around The World.

Sharing them here :

Toska (Russian) – A great spiritual anguish often  without any specific cause…a longing with nothing to long for.

Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan) – The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.

Jayus (Indonesian) – A joke so unfunny and poorly told that one cannot help but laugh.

Iktsuarpok (Inuit) – To go outside to check if anyone is coming.

Litost (Czech) – A state of agony and torment created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery.

Kyoikumama (Japanese) – A mother who relentlessly pushes her children towards academic achievement.

Tartle (Scottish) – The act of hesitating while introducing someone because the introducer has forgotten his/her name.

IIunga (Tshiluba – Southwest Congo) – Stature of a person who is ready to forgive and forget a first abuse, tolerate it the second time but never forgive or tolerate  the third time.

Prozvonit (Czech) – To call a mobile phone and let it ring once so that the other person will call back saving the first caller money.

Cafune (Brazilian Portuguese) – The act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair.

Schadenfreude ( German) – The feeling of pleasure derived by seeing other’s misfortune.

Torschlusspanik (German) – The fear of diminishing opportunities as one ages.

Wabi-Sabi (Japanese) – Finding beauty in imperfections.

Depaysement (French) – The feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country.

Tingo ( Pascuense – Easter Island) – The act of taking objects one desires from the house of a friend by gradually borrowing all of them.

Hyggelig (Danish) – An experience which causes the feelings of  warmth, friendliness and coziness.

L’ appel du vide (French) – Call of the void or the instinctive urge to jump from high places.

Ya’ aburnee (Arabic) – A declaration of a hope to die before another person because of how difficult it would be life without him/her.

Duende (Spanish) – The mysterious power that a work of art has to deeply move a person.

Saudade (Portuguese) – The feeling of longing for something or someone one loves but has lost.

Honestly, I don’t remember from where I downloaded this information. I also cannot vouchsafe the authenticity of these words and their given meanings (which are not exact but  claim to be the closest). Google has slightly different versions of them. However, some of the words like Wabi Sabi and Saudade are now being frequently used and recognised in English vocabulary. But it was such fun reading them that I could not help but share. If anyone, knowing the particular language, finds some anomaly in the definitions, may please feel free to correct.

While we have many parents who are driven by the Kyoikumama complex in our society, we majorly thrive on Prozvonit. Well, Torschlusspanik and Schadenfreude are feelings not uncommon too but God forbid if we have a friend or acquaintance with a Tingo. However, among these, my favourite is duende, which I have often experienced looking at a painting or a photograph, listening to a particular song and so many times reading a book, a post or a write up.

Which one of these are your favourites?

Let me know…