Untranslatable Words which have no precise English equivalents
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?


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