Did you know that the word “drunk” has 120 synonyms in the English language? Still, there are at least eleven words from other cultures with no existing English equivalent. That’s according to this list created by Maptia, a blog that claims to be a “storytelling platform on a mission to build the most inspirational map in the world”. They have taken a handful of whimsical words that cannot be directly translated into English without a sentence or so and paired them up with lovely illustrations.
These aren’t just a few new phrases to shine at a party. They provide us with beautiful and telling insights into often unknown aspects of other cultures. But my top reason to like this project is that it provides us with words for feelings we all have but can sometimes have difficulty describing. No longer will I have to explain myself when feeling waldeinsamskeit-ish.
Source: maptia.com
German: Waldeinsamkeit
The feeling of being alone in the woods.
Italian: Culaccino
The mark left on a table by a cold glass
Inuit: Iktsuarpok
The feeling of anticipation that leads you to keep looking outside to see if anyone is coming.
Japanese: Komorebi
Sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees.
Russian: Pochemuchka
A person who asks a lot of questions.
Spanish: Sobremesa
The time spent after lunch or dinner, talking to the people you shared the meal with.
Indonesian: Jayus
A joke told to poorly and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh.
Hawaiian: Pana Po’o
The act of scratching your head in order to help you remember something you have forgotten.
French: Dépaysement
The feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country.
Urdu: Goya
The transporting suspension of disbelief that can occur, often through good storytelling.
Swedish: Mångata
The roadlike reflection of the moon on the water.