Words not easily translated.............

[infamous]

As a youth in the military, I spent over two years stationed in West Germany. I soon became aware of the fact that there are many words in the German language which are not easily translated into English using a single word. Take for example the word 'lustigkeit', in simple terms this word means; merry, gay, and mirth. However, if you were to ask a German, none of these words does complete justice to the German word; lustigkeit. This peculiarity of differences in the languages caused me to wonder, how many emotions and inferences are left on the table when translating one language into another? And just how well do we really understand other countries intentions, because of these inconsistentcies, when dialog between various parties is presented at the UN................Infy

[InfiniteNow]

It seems there are a number from German that have such a quality. I am very interested to explore words with this character from all languages!

 

Gestalt, basically referencing a concept of form, or pattern, but just much more robust. It's like the term "gestalt" has a certain breadth and depth of application that other words describing similar do not.

 

 

Boerseun/Chacmool... bring in the Swahili!

[InfiniteNow]

This peculiarity of differences in the languages caused me to wonder, how many emotions and inferences are left on the table when translating one language into another? And just how well do we really understand other countries intentions, because of these inconsistentcies...

Here are two more:

 

Ciesta

 

and

 

Ciao!

[Janus]

Another is the Finnish word Sisu.

[pgrmdave]

How would you best define that, Janus?

[Ganoderma]

this is where the use of descrpitiopns comes in handy. inconvenients but sometimes needed. My wife speaks english as her third language and i only speak english. we find ourselves describing words and meanings half of the day :)

[Qfwfq]

Lustigkeit is AFAIK quite literally "lustiness" which, of course, can also have the sense of merriness, mirth and gaiety.

 

Ciao! I know that one well, it can really translate into "Hi!", in the sense that it's an informal greeting, but the origin is quite odd. It is a slight contraction of the Venetian for 'slave', dating back since the use of saying "your slave" had spread in Venice as a greeting to a close friend. As the abbreviation spread to the rest of Italy, it was initially much frowned upon and came to be suitable toward people one doesn't need to be formal to.

[Janus]

How would you best define that, Janus?

 

Sisu:

Tenacity of purpose; The refusal to yield in the face of adversity; It's the philosophy of what needs to be done will be done, and also the drive and will of force needed to do it.

 

Examples would include that climber who amputated his own arm with a pocket knife to free himself, or my own mother, who refused to give up on having children even after nine miscarriages (I was born on the tenth try). Both could be said to have sisu.

[infamous]

Sisu:

Tenacity of purpose;

True grit..........................

[Janus]

True grit..........................

 

Not really. While there can be an aspect of "indomitable spirit" to sisu, there is a wider meaning to it. It is not only that which allows you to do a thing, but it is also the drive that makes you do it.

[infamous]

Not really. While there can be an aspect of "indomitable spirit" to sisu, there is a wider meaning to it. It is not only that which allows you to do a thing, but it is also the drive that makes you do it.

Interesting, so sisu involves not only the necessity that requires an act, but also the adventurous drive behind the performance of it..........?

[Janus]

Interesting, so sisu involves not only the necessity that requires an act, but also the adventurous drive behind the performance of it..........?

 

It can.

 

This is what Paavo Nurmi (A Finnish Olympic athlete in the 1920's) had to say about sisu.

 

" Every Finn has his own pet definition. To me, sisu means patience without passion. But there are many varieties of sisu. Sisu can be a sudden outburst or it be the kind that lasts. A man can have both kinds. It is outside reason. It is something in the soul. It comes from oneself. For instance, it makes soldier do things because he himself must, not because he has been told to."

[Chacmool]

Boerseun/Chacmool... bring in the Swahili!

We have 11 official languages in South Africa... none of which is Swahili! :)

[InfiniteNow]

We have 11 official languages in South Africa... none of which is Swahili! :D

:doh:

 

 

Afrikaans then? :)

 

 

:wink: