Language is a beautiful and complex thing. It holds within its grasp the power to connect people, express emotions, convey ideas, and so much more. Yet, with every passing moment, we are learning new expressions, idioms, and words from around the world that are simply untranslatable.
These words embody a language’s culture, history, and context and when combined become a unique and magnificent standalone piece that is exclusive to its language. These untranslatable words hold the key to cultural understanding; they offer us a window into the worldviews, lifestyles, and traditions of different societies.
Let’s start with the Portuguese word ‘saudade’, a word that encapsulates the bittersweet feeling of longing. While ‘longing’ can be translated into many languages, the range of emotions associated with saudade is much broader. It’s a mixture of longing, nostalgia, grief, and hope, and there’s no one single word in English that can capture all of this.
Moving towards Japan, we find the word ‘tsundoku’, a term used to describe a person who collects books but doesn’t read them. Literature is something that the Japanese take very seriously, and they believe that having a vast library filled with books shows intellectual curiosity and a desire to never stop learning.
In Germany, the word ‘schadenfreude’ describes the act of deriving pleasure from someone else’s misfortunes. While there might be an English translation, nothing quite captures the essence of the meaning and the cultural context behind it.
Finally, we end with the Finnish word ‘sisu’. This powerful term represents resilience, determination, strength, and endurance. It’s a word that is often used to describe the Finnish people themselves and the way they conduct their lives – with a quiet, inner strength that never gives up in the face of adversity.
These untranslatable words not only showcase the beauty and intricacy of language but also remind us of the vast diversity that exists across the world and the different ways in which people live. Understanding untranslatable words is an essential part of learning a language and can help us connect with others on a deeper level.
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