Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Now I want a list of exclusively English words

Thirteen words not found in the English language, which is not really an accurate title as virtually all foreign words are not part of the English language; it's a list of concepts for which there is no easy English translation. Some of my favorites:
1. Waldeinsamkeit (German): the feeling of being alone in the woods

3. Taarradhin (Arabic): a way of resolving a problem without anyone losing face (not the same as our concept of a compromise - everyone wins)

4. Litost (Czech): a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery

5. Esprit de l’escalier (French): a witty remark that occurs to you too late, literally on the way down the stairs…

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