11 Untranslatable Words From Other Cultures

[Piling]

The relationship between words and their meaning is a fascinating one, and linguists have spent countless years deconstructing it, taking it apart letter by letter, and trying to figure out why there are so many feelings and ideas that we cannot even put words to, and that our languages cannot identify.

The idea that words cannot always say everything has been written about extensively -- as Friedrich Nietzsche said, "Words are but symbols for the relations of things to one another and to us; nowhere do they touch upon the absolute truth."

No doubt the best book we've read that covers the subject is Through The Language Glass by Guy Deutscher, which goes a long way to explaining and understanding these loopholes -- the gaps which mean there are leftover words without translations, and concepts that cannot be properly explained across cultures.

Somehow narrowing it down to just a handful, we've illustrated 11 of these wonderful, untranslatable, if slightly elusive, words. We will definitely be trying to incorporate a few of them into our everyday conversations, and hope that you enjoy recognizing a feeling or two of your own among them :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ella-fran ... 17711.html

I have one in Kurdish : çavbelek, A nightmare when you want to translate a romantic poetry : Beautiful dark eyes in which black and white make a contrast as on black and white cow !

[talsor]

I have one in Kurdish : çavbelek, A nightmare when you want to translate a romantic poetry : Beautiful dark eyes in which black and white make a contrast as on black and white cow !

Toile ?
black toiled eyes or dark toiled eyes

[Londoner]

Russian: Pochemuchka
Someone who asks a lot of questions. In fact, probably too many questions. We all know a few of these.

That is 'nosy' in English.

[Londoner]

I have one in Kurdish : çavbelek, A nightmare when you want to translate a romantic poetry : Beautiful dark eyes in which black and white make a contrast as on black and white cow !

Toile ?
black toiled eyes or dark toiled eyes [/quote

]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toile

Toile is a fabric, from the French word meaning "linen cloth" or "canvas", particularly cloth or canvas for painting on. The word "toile" can refer to the fabric itself, a test garment (generally) sewn from the same material, or a type of repeated surface decoration (traditionally) printed on the same fabric. The term entered the English language around the 12th century[1]

[talsor]

I have one in Kurdish : çavbelek, A nightmare when you want to translate a romantic poetry : Beautiful dark eyes in which black and white make a contrast as on black and white cow !

Toile ?
black toiled eyes or dark toiled eyes [/quote

]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toile

Toile is a fabric, from the French word meaning "linen cloth" or "canvas", particularly cloth or canvas for painting on. The word "toile" can refer to the fabric itself, a test garment (generally) sewn from the same material, or a type of repeated surface decoration (traditionally) printed on the same fabric. The term entered the English language around the 12th century[1]

but I thought Toile also refers to repeated two colors in a pattern .

[Piling]

No, toile is only a kind of fabric, whatever the color. In fact we have a French word to call a bicolored horse or cow : pie. But if you tell to a french brunette that she has 'de si beaux yeux pie' you can forgot all your romantic project

[Anthea]

If I saw the word "Toile" I would just think the writer had forgotten to put a "t" on the end of it

[Piling]

Now since yesterday I am seeking for an English word impossible to translate.

[Anthea]

Now since yesterday I am seeking for an English word impossible to translate.

My friend's great-grandfather invented this word "Floccinaucinihilipilification"

My old favourite word is "Antidisestablishmentarianism"

I will have to think of some shorter words to catch you out

[Piling]

I collect other untranslatable or very specific words words :

Japanese : bakku-shan means a woman that seems beautiful if you are behind her and not so pretty when you see her face.

Portuguese : saudade which is a special nostalgic feeling for something that we miss.Fado music is full of saudade.

Tartle : in English, when you present someone and hesitate because you forgot his name.

Finnish : jaksaa, when you are not in the mood to make something, or a bit lazy. In Kurdish I know 'Us nabe'.

Dutch : Voorpret, an anticipated pleasure, for example when you are going to see a movie, or expect a party or prepare yourself for a trip ; the pleasure before the pleasure.

German : Schadenfreude (Devil's joy) ; the bad satisfaction you feel when someone you don't like have trouble

Swiss : S’encoubler : when someone fells because his feet are entangled in something, strip, or rope, etc.

Italian : Gattara : an old lonely woman devoted to cats (myself after 30 years )

Slovenia : Vedriti : the action to shelter from rain.

Latvia : Kaapshljmurslis : the uncomfortable feeling when you have to travel in a metro or a train or a bus full of people and you feel you need space.

Romania : Dor is a nostalgic feeling for someone you love and miss a lot. Not like saudade, it is only for a person.

Ungaria : Házisárkány, someone who has a dragon inside, a person with a bad temper, not nice. In French we call that a dragon also (most for women).