Never lost for words
WE all know the phrase ‘the French have a word for it’ when we grapple with a concept that cannot easily be expressed in English. For years writer Adam Jacot de Boinod has tracked down words in the world’s languages which describe actions, objects, tastes and noises which we all recognise but for which there is no word in English. Here we publish a selection of his favourites from his best-selling books now contained in one volume.
achakiy (Quechuan, Andes) to say one thing and do another
apagavelas (Caribbean Spanish) the last person to leave a party
ataoso (Spanish, Central America) one who sees problems with everything
bakku-shan (Japanese) a girl who appears pretty when seen from behind but not from the front
bamp (Scots) to harp on the same topic constantly, to nag about the same thing
begadang (Indonesian) to stay up all night talking
blyazh (Russian) a beach where girls can be picked up
bol (Mayan, Mexico) foolish in-laws
castigar (Latin American Spanish, Peru, Mexico) purposely to ignore your boyfriend or girlfriend in order to heighten their yearning for you
chokuegambo (Japanese) the wish that there were more designer-brand shops on a given street, the desire to buy things at luxury brand shops
daoshu (Chinese) to count backwards
dokidoki (Japanese) rapid pounding heartbeats caused by worry or surprise
dorremifassolar (Portuguese) to play scales on the piano
dugnad (Norwegian) working together in everyone’s interest without getting paid (ie moving into a house, painting, building a cabin etc), also for parents coming together to paint a kindergarten or everyone in an apartment
gargalacar (Portuguese) to drink from the bottle
Geisterfahrer (German) a person driving on the wrong side of the road
gezellig (Dutch) an atmosphere of cosiness, of being with good friends and spending time together laughing and having fun, the kind of moments that create memories
hakoiri-musume (Japanese) a young woman who has always been protected from the harsh realities of life by doting parents (literally, daughter in a box)
hangjongeren (Dutch) groups of teenagers with nothing to do but hang around in groups, making strange grunting noises at passers-by (literally, hanging youth)
hira hira (Japanese) the feeling you get when you walk into a dark decrepit old house in the middle of the night
hustrulon (Swedish) a wife’s salary
jalishgar (Persian) to be addicted to sexual intercourse
kaelling (Danish) a woman who stands on the steps of her house yelling obscenities at her kids
kam·ki (Greek) the young local guys strolling up and down beaches hunting for female tourists (literally, harpoons)
karoshi (Japanese) death from overwork
komvya (Mambwe, Zambia) to feed a child with one’s finger
kontal-kontil (Malay) the swinging of long earrings or the swishing of a dress as one walks
krawattenmuffel (German) one who doesn’t like wearing ties
lledorweddle (Welsh) to lie down while propping yourself up with one elbow
mamihlapinatapei (Fuegian, Chile) that shared look of longing where both parties know the score yet neither is willing to make the first move.
mammismo (Italian) maternal control and interference that continues into adulthood
minekokon (Japanese) a woman who gives up a high-powered job in the city for a dull life in the country with a quiet husband
morgenfrisk (Danish) fresh from a good night’s sleep
nakinaki (Mandinka, West Africa) to go here and there pretending to be busy in order to avoid work
ngloyor (Indonesian) to go without saying goodbye
nochnoe (Russian) late night studying as before exams
ntingitihomu (Tsonga, South Africa) a girl that nobody wishes to marry
nudnyi (Russian) someone who when asked how they are tells you in detail
Ohrwurm (German) a catchy tune that gets stuck in the brain or a tune that rapidly obsesses an entire population (literally, an ear worm)
okuri-okami (Japanese) a man who feigns thoughtfulness by offering to see a girl home only to try and molest her once he gets in the door (literally, a see-you-home wolf)
pagad (Manobo, Philippines) to be considerate of a slow-walking person by walking slowly also so he can keep up
parebos (Ancient Greek) being past one’s prime
pelinti (Buli, Ghana) to move very hot food around inside one’s mouth in order to avoid too close a contact
pikun (Kapampangan, Philippines) one who cannot take a joke
puangi (Cook Islands Maori) the sensation of the stomach dropping away (as in the sudden surge of a lift, plane, swing or a tossed boat)
puiyarpo (Inuit) to show your head above water
pulir hebillas (Spanish, Central America) to polish belt buckles (to dance very closely)
razbliuto (Russian) the feeling for someone once but no longer loved
resfeber (Swedish) to be jittery before a journey
sekaseka (Bemba, Congo and Zambia) to laugh without reason
shatoka (Lozi, Niger-Congo) to jump from one stone or log to another
smirikin (Scots) a stolen kiss
sokaiya (Japanese) a blackmailer who has a few shares in a large number of companies and tries to extort money by threatening to cause trouble at the shareholders’ annual general meetings
somad (Sherpa, Nepal) cheese that is old and smelly
splerg (Scots) to walk splashing in mud
sunasorpok (Inuit) to eat others’ leftovers
Torschlusspanik (German) the fear of diminishing opportunities as one gets older.
tuman (Indonesian) to find some- thing enjoyable and want it again
tsitlama (Setswana, Botswana) to make a wry face after eating or drinking something nasty
un petit cinq-a-sept (French) a quick five to seven o’clock (an afternoon quickie with your lover) wamadat (Persian) the intense heat of a still, sultry night
waphaka (South African) to eat faster than the rest
wo-mba (Bakweri, Cameroon) the smiling in sleep by children
yakmoez (Turkish) effect of moonlight sparkling on water
yum (Nicobarese) to sleep with someone in one’s arms
Zechpreller (German) someone who leaves without paying the bill
l To order I Never Knew There Was A Word For It by Adam Jacot de Boinod (Penguin Books), £12.99, send a cheque/PO to Express Bookshop to: Word Offer, PO Box 200, Falmouth TR11 4WJ or tel 0871 988 8367 or online at www.expressbookshop.com. UK delivery is free. Calls 10p per minute from UK landlines.