In Other Words
A Language Lover's Guide to the Most Intriguing Words Around the World
What sums up a nation or gives us an insight into the cultural differences between us and our neighbours? Where better to start than with language?
Take a linguistic trip around the world with In Other Words and unlock the meaning of some of the most insightful, intriguing, and satisfying expressions on the planet - for which there are no English equivalents.
C.J.Moore defines these so-called 'untranslatables', opening a window into the culture of each language, explaining words and phrases that in literal terms may boggle the mind.
Drachenfutter [drach-ern-foot-er]
(noun)
Meaning 'dragon fodder', this is the offering German husbands make to their wives - breathing raging fire at the cave entrance - when they've stayed out late or they have otherwise engaged in some kind of inappropriate behaviour. A nice box of chocolates, or some flowers, perhaps to mask the beer fumes.
fora do pinico, mijar [four-er doo pi-nee-koo, mee-jahr] (idiom)
Brazilian Portuguese is colourful in its giria or slang. The late Carlos Lacerda, a journalist and former governor, noted that, 'Brazil is the only country in the world where practically every word is a cussword - even mother'. Literally meaning 'to pee outside the pisspot', in English this means 'to miss the target' or 'to say the wrong thing'.
lagom [lag-ohm] (adverb, adjective, noun)
The Swedish culture could be summarised in the word lagom. It refers to an undefined state between extremes, such as 'not too much, not too little', or 'just right'. It can refer to the temperature of a warm bath, or the correct fit of a jacket. But these translations do not fully capture the true meaning of the word. Swedish commentator Dr Bengt Gustavsson argued that the lagom mentality can be seen as the trait that gives Swedish society its characteristic stability and yet an openness to external influences.The word alludes subconsciously to the avoidance of both conspicuous success and humiliating failure, which is deeply ingrained in the Swedish psyche. It is the inclination among Swedes to shun ostentation, accept modest rewards, be good team players - to fly beneath the radar.
nunchi (Korean) [noon-chee] (noun)
This word is bound up in the social niceties and customs of interaction that are second nature to the people of Asia. Nunchi refers to a sort of 'sixth sense', an intrinsic understanding of the person with whom you are interacting, and is essential for evaluating another person's hidden feelings and staying one step ahead of offending them.
hai [hye] (adverb)
The smallest words can cause the greatest misunderstandings. Hai is a constant source of problems in East-West relations. The closest we have to it is an encouraging 'ummm' combined with a sympathetic nod of the head. It means, 'Yes, I am listening to you and I understand what you are saying.' What it certainly doesn't mean is, 'Yes, I agree with you.' There lies the rub.
