Sep

Voilà! The Poetry of Untranslatable Words

by Meredith Mullins on September 28, 2020

Linguistic trivia says that the Inuits have 50 words for snow. But how, in languages,
do you find the one perfect word to describe something—le mot juste?
© Meredith Mullins

Wordplay with Meaning

We live in challenging times. We have had to become super-adaptable beings, asking ourselves every day how to cope with the multitude of new normals.

What changes emerge?

Have you, like most of the world, savored hyggelig and gezelligheid?

Have you searched for moments of beauty in komorebi, mångata, and psithurism?

Have you had the urge to commit to jijivisha and to integrate firgun and merak into life rhythms?

Wait a minute, you’re saying to yourself. What language are we speaking here? We’re not that adaptable. What do these cryptic words mean?

Has OIC Moments lapsed into a world of jabberwocky—wordplay with nonsense words that have no meaning? No . . . we are just taking a moment to appreciate the elegance of untranslatable words.

How many untranslatable words about reindeer are there in Finnish?
Read on for the best one.
© iStock/Artpilot

Tales of the Untranslatable

This “Oh, I see” moment is about words in different languages that have no direct translation in English.

Almost all of the 7000+ languages in the world have words that cannot be succinctly translated. They are such a perfect poetic reflection of the people and lifestyle of their own culture that it takes several English words to convey their meaning. More often than not, the translations fall short of the more insightful meaning that has evolved within the culture.

There’s No Place Like Home

Many of the untranslatable words describe feelings of home.

Hyggelig (Danish/Norwegian)

The Danish/Norwegian hyggelig conjures a picture of contentment and coziness. You feel warm just hearing the word.

It’s about friendship, comfort, security, good times, and all the important things in life. A translation of “nice” doesn’t begin to describe what this word means to these cultures, although the entymological similarity to the English word “hug” provides some hint to the underlying meaning.

The Dutch word gezelligheid and the German word gemütlichkeit also allude to this kind of comfortable feeling.

We could all use a little hyggelig in our life.
© iStock/Solovyova

Depaysement (French)

The French word depaysement means feeling apart from your world of origin. It can occur when you are in another country and you sense that you don’t quite belong. This unfamiliar feeling might cause a longing for your home country or general unease at being away.

As cultures integrate, most visitors find a way to connect—to avoid depaysement.
© Meredith Mullins

Hiraeth (Welsh)

The Welsh word hiraeth also refers to a longing for the homeland, but includes a sadness for anything that has been lost. It is a wistfulness for lost friends and a regret that the past is the past and cannot be relived. It could be translated into an interweaving of three words: yearning, nostalgia, and homesickness.

The wistful longing of hiraeth or saudade
© Meredith Mullins

Saudade (Portuguese)

Saudade in Portuguese is similar to hiraeth. It is a longing for something or someone that is lost. The love still burns strong for this missing link.

A Search for Beauty

Moving on from the words that linger on nostalgia and yearning, we find solace in the beauty and peace of nature.

In search of beauty . . . komorebi meets the challenge.
© iStock/Thekopmylife

Komorebi (Japanese)

The Japanese word komorebi invokes an image of sunlight filtering through trees. The translation includes “tree,” “escape,” and “light,” but what arrives in the imagination far exceeds the words. The scene that comes to mind includes rays of sunlight that take on a spiritual quality when finding their way through a silent forest.

Mångata (Swedish)

Mångata is a visual story. This Swedish word describes the reflection of the moon on water as it seems to create a shimmering path. Yakamoz in Turkish has a similar meaning. These cultures clearly have romantic reverence for the moon . . . and a single lyrical word to honor its magic.

A mangata that captures the beauty of the universe
© iStock/jakkapan21

Psithurism (Greek)

Why shouldn’t a language have a word for the sound of leaves rustling in the wind? The word psithurism is adapted from the ancient Greek word meaning “whisper” and offers yet another sensory path to connect with nature.

Waldeinsamkeit (German)

The German word waldeinsamkeit describes the feeling of being connected to nature when you’re alone in the woods. The literal translation includes “wald” which means forest, and “einsamkeit,” which means loneliness or solitude.

Finding solitude in the forest—looking outward and inward (and upward)
© Meredith Mullins

For Germans, the word is more than a description. It is a philosophy that focuses on finding the beauty of nature in a quiet setting and looking both outward and inward. Several poets, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, have used this word in their poetry.

Another German word, waldbaden, has a similar meaning. It translates to bathing in the forest—opening your senses while in the woods and letting nature flow over and in you.

Waldeinsamkeit and waldbaren—a connection to nature
© Meredith Mullins

Gökotta (Swedish)

This word inspires a life change that seems to bring happiness to those who embrace it (although you have to be a morning person). It means to rise at dawn to go outside and listen to the birds’ first songs of the day.

Gluggaveður (Icelandic)

Not all interaction with nature is so intimate and meditative. The word gluggaveður in Icelandic is a prime example of needing to have a front row, warm, indoor seat to observe nature. It translates to “windowweather.”

Sometimes the best way to enjoy the beauty of inclement weather is through the window,
a nod to gluggaveður in Icelandic.
© iStock/Sveti

More Practical Than Poetic

There are also untranslatable words that are practical, referring to the mundane tasks and challenges of daily life, especially the elements that are specific to the culture.

Tsundoku (Japanese)

The Japanese word tsundoku means to buy a book and leave it unread, piling it with the other unread books in your home. (How many of us need to add this word to our vocabulary?)

Schilderwald (German)

This word brings a smile as it means a maze or jungle of traffic signs—a street crowded with so many road signs that you can’t find your way out. The more literal translation is “a forest of signs.”

Lost in schilderwald—a forest of street signs.
© iStock/Ginton

Gigil (Tagalog)

The Filipinos have a word that captures the irresistible urge to hug or pinch something cute.

Pana po’o (Hawaiian)

The Hawaiians have a special word to describe the act of scratching your head to try to remember something—pana po’o.

Are you scratching your head trying to remember what hyggelig means?
© iStock/Shironosov

Poronkusema (Finnish)

Finland has introduced a unit of measure that all can understand. Poronkusema means the distance a reindeer can comfortably travel before taking a break.

Pisanzapra (Malaysian)

Malaysia uses some specific measures of time. The pinsanzapra equals the minutes needed to eat a banana.

The next time you have the irresistible urge to hug something cute,
there IS a word for it (in Tagalog)—gigil.
© iStock/BichoRaro

Life Resolutions

The wordplay that we find in untranslatable words tells us much about the cultures of the world. As we think about which of these words we would like to incorporate into our own life, we find out more about ourselves.

I have embraced all these words (yes, even reindeer distance). There are hundreds more worthy of study. But I add to the vocabulary three additional words that shouldn’t be missed.

The Hindi word jijivisha means a strong wish to live life intensely. Add to that the Serbian word merak and the Hebrew word firgun and there can be purpose in these challenging times.

A merak kind of day—enjoying the simplest of pleasures
© Meredith Mullins

Merak translates to happiness and a feeling of connection to the universe with the simplest of pleasures.

Firgun tells the story of unselfish joy for someone or something and a true generosity of spirit.

Words to live by.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 8 Comments

Language & Culture/Wordplay/Worldwide Sites

Sep

WFH? Employ Proverbs from Around the World!

by Joyce McGreevy on September 21, 2020

A mom trying to work from home prompts a WFH writer to find new wisdom about work in old proverbs from around the world. (Image by © doble-d/ iStock)

It’s “Take Your Kids to Work Day”! Every . . . single . . . day.
© doble-d/ iStock

Old Sayings for New Work Habits

Coined in 2000, it’s trending again—WFH, “working from home.” For years, Big Business has replaced leisurely language with speed-talking code. As in “FYI, the CEO wants the YTD P&L ASAP!” Now, as many offices remain closed, the busyness of business-speak has followed us home.

Soon we’ll be talking about doing WTMW (way too much work) from our HSHO (home, sweet home office). We’ll care for BFMs & APs (beloved family members and adorable pets) while managing the NEHC (never-ending household chores). But before we get to the PONR (point of no return), let’s consider a different kind of WFH—Wisdom From History.

Long ago, every culture “created shareable content” in the form of proverbs. Somehow our pre-Internet ancestors “forwarded” these proverbs around the world. These global memos covered every topic—including work—in witty language that still hits home. And gee, since we’re home anyway, working, it’s only logical that we give their insights on that subject a fresh look.

Oh, I see: Old proverbs from around the world have new relevance for employees who are working from home. Here are some favorites. (And for those of you who miss viewing cute cat pictures at the office, we’ve got you covered.)

Kittens in a box and a watchful cat remind a WFH writer of trading a cubicle for working from home and prompt her to find new wisdom about work in old proverbs around the world. (Image by guvo59/Pixabay)

Ah, to be out of the cubicle, with no supervisor breathing down one’s neck…
guvo59/ Pixabay

Rise ‘n Shine Get Online!

My search for proverbs extolling the benefits of sleeping late prompted a rude awakening: “Opportunity does not wake up those who are asleep” (Senegalese), “The hungry fowl wakes early” (Jamaican), “The world belongs to early risers” (French).

Fortunately, an Italian proverb notes that, “Those with a reputation for rising early may sleep until noon.” Aha! An early example of establishing your brand while building in downtime. My favorite? “Good luck beats early rising,” the traditional Irish equivalent of hitting the snooze alarm in hopes that you’ve won the lottery.

But as the Albanian proverb says, “If your neighbor is an early riser, you too will become one,” a sentiment to which every WFH apartment dweller can relate. So rise, if not shine, and do as the Sicilians do—”Drink coffee while it’s hot enough to swear.”

A sleepy cat beside a cup of coffee reminds a WFH writer of a Sicilian proverb about coffee, and other old sayings from around the world. (Image by quinntheisland/Pixabay)

Historically, work began with tools. For WFH, this means coffee.
quinntheislander/ Pixabay

Business Casual, Fashion Casualty

In France, there’s a saying for when you put a button in the wrong buttonhole: boutonner lundi avec mardi, literally, “to button Monday with Tuesday.” Working from home during a pandemic, many of us mix up our days—Blursday? Whenday? Whyday?—and our office attire, too.

Oh, we still maintain standards. Like dressing up for a Zoom meeting by adding a tailored blazer to a clean (well, cleanish) pajama top. OK, OK, we make “casual Fridays” at the office seem like New York’s fashion gala at the Met.

Clogs with cat faces reflect the new normal of working from home and remind a WFH writer of clothing proverbs from around the world. (Public domain image)

“Do these socks make me look too formal?”

But as the Spanish proverb reminds us, “A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey,” so hey, let’s not confuse looking professional with being professional. On the other hand, “No skunk ever smells its own stink,” said the Thai. While they were probably referring to misdeeds, it’s a useful reminder that taking a shower should occur more frequently than the quarterly reports.

Corner Office, Meet Kitchen Corner

Working from home means adapting. Office equipment? Supply cabinets laden with tempting piles of binder clips? Gone!

Ergonomic seating? Hah! Never have so many dining room chairs caused so much discomfort to so many for so long. Numb Bum Syndrome is no laughing matter, people, so don’t make us the butt of your jokes.

Still, “A good plowman”—or in corporate parlance, Managing Director of Plowable Assets—”can plow even with a goose,” according to Lithuanian folk wisdom. Which is why, come Online Meeting Time, we oh-so-professionally place our laptops on a stack of cookbooks, shove the dirty dishes out of view, and quickly run the nearest salad fork through our hair.

Paperwork prompts a WFH writer to study old proverbs from around the world for insights into working from home. (Image by stevepb/Pixabay)

“Has anyone seen the dining room table? I can’t find it anywhere.”
stevepb/ Pixabay

A Zoom of One’s Own

According to ancient Chinese wisdom, “two tigers cannot share one mountain.” Likewise, two or more family members cannot always share one WiFi. One parent’s in a meeting, the other’s doing a tele-med consult with a patient, the kids are logging on for school, Grandma’s on TikTok, and the dog’s tracking device is updating your app about which part of the yard he’s digging up.

Who knew that one day we’d miss the IT manager, the same grouch who answered every request with, “Are you sure the computer’s plugged in?”

Contrasting images of cats remind a WHF writer of changes in working from home and prompt a search of old proverbs from around the world. (Sleepy cat image by photosforyou/Pixabay; second image public domain)

1990s: WFH conference by phone. (L) 2020: WFH conference on Zoom. (R)
photosforyou/Pixabay

Power Naps and Proverbs

When working from home, staying focused can be challenging. Especially at times when, as German folk wisdom says, “The misery is that you have to ruin your day with work.” Like sunny days. Or rainy, snowy, windy, foggy, or other days. As Anonymous once sighed, “Whoever invented work must not have had anything else to do.”

For procrastinators, “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week” (Spain). You might justify that power nap by reminding your Significant Other that “The pillow is the best advisor” (Sweden). See? You’re not being lazy—you’re seeking council and gaining clarity! Why it’s practically a corporate retreat!

However, your S.O. may counter with an old Turkish saying: “Without effort, there is no food.” Hard to argue with that . . .

A fat cat reminds a writer who works from home of unhealthy WHF habits and prompts a search of relevant proverbs from around the world. (Image by skorchanov/ Pixabay)

. . .especially when you’re the one who ate all the snacks.
skorchanov/ Pixabay

So you might as well get started. Work smarter, not harder, or as the Kashmiri once said, “Try to benefit enormously from small efforts.” Take breaks, but remember, “A person always breaking off from work never finishes anything” (Nigeria). Instead, “Put a stout heart to a stey brae (steep hill),” (Scotland), because “Money grows on the tree of persistence” (Japan).

Don’t rush: “A work ill done must be done twice” (Wales). And if a new task intimidates you, remember: “The work will teach you how to do it” (Estonia).

A cat looking annoyed evokes employees who dislike working from home and reminds a WFH writer of relevant proverbs about work from around the world. (Public domain image)

Also, don’t keep hitting the escape key. I tried it, but I’m still at work.

Our Ancestors Meant Business

In summary, as you adapt to working from home, employ the new wisdom in old proverbs from around the world: Be gracious to WFH colleagues in remote locations, because “Over a distance of a thousand miles, only humanity works, not power” (Chinese). A far-flung but networked team can work wonders. After all, “When spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion” (Ethiopia).

Oh, and one more thing. When working from home, NEVER, EVER confuse your boss’s Zoom Check-In with your buddy’s Zoom Happy Hour. As the old German proverb says, “Schnapps is schnapps, business is business.” Cheers!

A cat with an adult beverage reminds a writer that some work from home habits are unhealthy and prompts a search of proverbs about work from around the world. (Public domain image)

NSFW: Not Suitable For Work (or cats!)

More WFH humor: See BBC News interview an expert working from home, here. Then watch the New Zealand parody, here.

They worked like dogs—the boss conducted their performance review on Zoom! Watch here.

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy 2 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Proverbs & Sayings/Worldwide Sites

Sep

The Paris Pigeon Man

by Meredith Mullins on September 14, 2020

Adding Layers to Traveling Stories

Every city has its celebrity characters, from the naked cowboy in New York’s Times Square to the ragged beggar in Bucharest, who spends his day asking for money and then gives it all to the local church.

Finding these characters, by chance or by design, adds adventure to one’s traveling stories.

Meredith Mullins 7 Comments

Art of Travel/France (Paris)/Life Lessons

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