The world is a wondrous place, filled with breathtaking landscapes, rich cultures, and diverse people. While English serves as the global language that allows us to communicate with each other while traveling or connecting with friends from different nations, wouldn't it be amazing if we could effortlessly switch to the local language of the country we're visiting? Imagine immersing ourselves fully in the experience and expressing our thoughts with words that may not even exist in the English dictionary.
We've compiled examples of distinct words from Merriam Webster's Twitter thread, spanning different languages and often lacking direct English equivalents. These words are paired with their English meanings for clarity. Ranging from cozy and amusing to slightly weird, these words capture many unique situations. So, let's all have a "hygge" (the Danish word for cozy snug time) and start this philological journey together.
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While the English language boasts a vocabulary of over 750,000 words, it doesn't always provide the most fitting terms for every concept or emotion. The idea that Eskimos have countless words for snow might not be entirely true – in this instance, their languages actually have about as many snowy synonyms as English. However, it's still clear that a culture's language can be really interesting and revealing. For example, Italians, who enjoy longer meals, have a word for the circle of moisture left by a glass on a table.
Linguists face a big challenge when they need to translate words that don't have an exact match in another language. These are called "untranslatable" words. It's hard to express the exact meaning and feeling of these words in a different language, so translators have to be creative to solve this problem. Let's see why some words are untranslatable and how translators can handle this tricky task.
In cultures with deep histories and traditions, some ideas need special words or pictures that are unique to that culture. This is especially the case for sayings that might lose their real meaning if translated exactly into other languages. In these situations, skilled translators find different ways to explain these ideas without translating the words exactly. They might use words that mean the same thing, or they might compare the idea to things everyone knows to make sure the message gets across just right.
When you learn a new language, you dive into a culture. You're likely to explore a country's history, language, and traditions – things you might never have discovered otherwise. This leads to a deeper appreciation for that place. You'll also understand why certain cultural practices exist and gain insight into the reasons behind them.
Well, if it doesn't work properly, I'm returning it.
When you're learning a language, it's important to talk with people who are native speakers. This helps you understand their culture and get to know them. Even though there might be differences, we're all just people at heart. Apart from our differences, all of us has shared experiences, though many of these experiences are different and birth words that can't be directly translated across languages.
Or simply a very silly idea that may have sounded good at first.
You likely have cherished books and movies from your upbringing. Well, guess what? People in other countries might not have read those books or watched those movies. They had their own unique childhood experiences.
See also schneefrei and hitzefrei! The best words for a school-age kid.
We ( Dutch) also use Flâner in almost precisely the same way. Flaneren. Typically one Flaneert when walking on a boulevard ( road alongside a beach) or so. It also has a bit to do with being seen by others. Like casually strolling alongside the beach taking in views / letting your mind wander wherever it wants/being seen by people at that beach or terraces, you stroll by...
Through the untranslatable, we learn to connect, appreciate, and celebrate the shared humanity that unites us across the languages that shape our global community. Keep scrolling to find inspiration to learn a new language or pick up some new words for your daily conversations. For more related content, check out our previous posts here and here.
I like this. We become, at least partially, because of who our ancestors became. Without their environment, their skills, their culture, they wouldn't have been who they were, and neither would we be.
As a dual French-English native, this one has been bugging me for nearly 50 years!
Note: this post originally had 76 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
We need more articles like this, and less about AITA and about people having conflicts. This kind of beautiful stuff is why BP used to be so great.
haven't seen "Weltschmerz" (german) on the list. It is a feeling of unease or melancholy emanating from the state of the world/your surroundings. The direct translation world-weariness doesn't really cover it.
Judenschmerz... created by Heinrich Heine, describes the miserable feeling of being a Jew in early 20th century Germany...
i am the living embodiment of this word
Thanks, I was about to write this too.
This was the first word I thought of when I clicked on this article. But I am glad its not here, because it's kind of depressing
German: “Fahrvergnügen” The feeling of pleasure you can potentially experience when driving a car.
We need more articles like this, and less about AITA and about people having conflicts. This kind of beautiful stuff is why BP used to be so great.
haven't seen "Weltschmerz" (german) on the list. It is a feeling of unease or melancholy emanating from the state of the world/your surroundings. The direct translation world-weariness doesn't really cover it.
Judenschmerz... created by Heinrich Heine, describes the miserable feeling of being a Jew in early 20th century Germany...
i am the living embodiment of this word
Thanks, I was about to write this too.
This was the first word I thought of when I clicked on this article. But I am glad its not here, because it's kind of depressing
German: “Fahrvergnügen” The feeling of pleasure you can potentially experience when driving a car.