Skip to content

Untranslatable Words which have no precise English equivalents

September 4, 2013

I was amused by this list of 11 Untranslatable [sic] Words From Other Cultures, although more so by the illustrated version that someone posted at GraphJam, where I originally encountered it.

My favorite was the Inuit word iktsuarpok:

The feeling of anticipation that leads you to go outside and check if anyone is coming, and probably also indicates an element of impatience.

because I surely recognize a cyberspace variant,

a feeling of anticipation that leads you to press reload or get messages to check if anyone has posted/tweeted/emailed to you

And I’m intrigued by the Urdu word goya,

a contemplative ‘as-if’ that nonetheless feels like reality, and describes the suspension of disbelief that can occur, often through good storytelling.

Narrative reality?

Leave a comment