I will fully admit that I stole this from Taylor’s tumblr.
So without further ado I present to you 20 awesomely untranslatable words from around the world. Enjoy.
Emily’s Team Pick: 20 Untranslatable Words From Around the World
Emily
Emily Choo started as an intern with Autostraddle when she was 18 years old. She's now 10 years older and lives in Toronto with her partner and cat. The defining moment of her career was when Riese said this about her: " I think Emily Choo is a very bright, 'poetically inclined' girl who pays attention to everything and knows almost everything (the point of stuff, how to read, how beautiful things feel, how scary things feel, etc.) but doesn't believe/accept/realize yet that she knows almost everything." She still doesn't believe she knows anything, so, thank you, Riese, for that.
Emily has written 124 articles for us.
this is awesome!
I <3 the world.
this is great! “Saudade” really is a beautiful word, probably my favourite one in portuguese.
This is amazing. My favourite word (not on the list) is probably 緣份 (yuanfen), which sort of means destiny or fate, but really is so much more than that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuanfen <– go read! It's such a beautiful word.
As a translator, I love it!
My parents spend a lot of time over in Egypt (they’re there right now) and love learning Arabic. Just text them Ya’aburnee. I love languages for this exact reason, there’s so much feeling in a word which I often forget.
Thanks Emily / Taylor!
if you want to say “ya’burnee” directly (You slay/bury me) to yr lady friend if you are a lady, the correct conjugation is ta’bureenee.
<3 this. so much.
“Apartheid” is one of those translatable words too. Really funny said by Texan or any American really.
I thought they just called it the good old days.
Obvs I mean UN-translatable words.
“6. Kyoikumama
Japanese – “A mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement” ”
Oh, we have this one – “Ballet Mother”. :P
I tartle all the time:( One time I even forgot my own name.
me too. it’s awkward for everyone involved.
that was supposed to be in reply to innmari. oops!
is there a word for that?
i’m quite proud to have 2 words on that list (making it 10%) in my language….Portuguese :D
I’ve struggled to find a word in English for the Irish word ‘flaithuileach’ (my spelling might be a bit off!).
Generally means someone being generous with their money, to the point of being a bit silly about it. Someone who’s quick to throw their money away!
I suppose it would be the opposite of a Scrooge, really. Likewise, the first thing I thought of when I read your comment was another literary character: of Henry Sugar, the main guy in a wonderful short story by Roald Dahl.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_Story_of_Henry_Sugar_and_Six_More#The_Wonderful_Story_of_Henry_Sugar
So, perhaps we should hereby coin henrysugarism?
I second that!
I had totally forgotten about that book, until you mentioned it. I used to read those stories over and over. As a kid, it totally convinced me thta I could learn to read through cards, if I just tried hard enough.
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW LONG I STARED AT CANDLE FLAMES FOR.
ahahaha, oh the joys of impressionable childhood.
OMG, candle flames! I still find myself doing that, absentmindedly. Roald Dahls books were fantastic for kids with over-active imaginations!
I’M SO GLAD OTHER LESBIANS WERE SUPER INTO THAT STORY
I read it so many times.
omg you guys we should form a club
THE LESBIAN ROALD DAHL APPRECIATORS’ CLUB.
i am making membership cards as we speak.
As much as I am in favour of the Lesbian Roald Dahl Appreciation Club, I think the word “spendthrift” is pretty close to what you want: via Wikipedia, “A spendthrift (also called profligate) is someone who spends money prodigiously and who is extravagant and recklessly wasteful.”
Aha! You are right there, that’s the word I was looking for. :)
Are we still okay to make badges – I think so ;)