Interesting Words from Around the World
Adam Jacot de Boinod wrote a book called The Meaning Of Tingo, "a collection of words and phrases from around the world."
Here are some of the words in the book (from a BBC article) katahara itai: the action of laughing so much that one side of your abdomen hurts. (Japanese)
gigi rongak: the space between the teeth. (Malaysian)
bakku-shan: a girl who appears pretty from behind but not from the front. (Japanese)
nakkele: a man who licks whatever the food has been served on (Tulu).
Putzfimmel: a mania for cleaning. (German)
Backpfeifengesicht: a face that cries out for a fist in it. (German)
uitwaaien: walking in windy weather for fun. (Dutch)
igunaujannguaq (literally meaning frozen walrus carcass): The game involves the person in the centre of a ring trying to remain stiff as he is passed around the ring, hand over hand. (Inuit) BBC link
Here are some of the words in the book (from a BBC article) katahara itai: the action of laughing so much that one side of your abdomen hurts. (Japanese)
gigi rongak: the space between the teeth. (Malaysian)
bakku-shan: a girl who appears pretty from behind but not from the front. (Japanese)
nakkele: a man who licks whatever the food has been served on (Tulu).
Putzfimmel: a mania for cleaning. (German)
Backpfeifengesicht: a face that cries out for a fist in it. (German)
uitwaaien: walking in windy weather for fun. (Dutch)
igunaujannguaq (literally meaning frozen walrus carcass): The game involves the person in the centre of a ring trying to remain stiff as he is passed around the ring, hand over hand. (Inuit) BBC link
posted by EThunk at 2:44 PM
5 Comments:
I like all of those words very much. I just wish I could pronounce them.
Especially the German one that means a face that cries out for a fist in it. Any Germans in the house? How the heck do you pronounce Backpfeifengesicht?
I don't know how to pronounce it...but lookin' at Owl...I understand what it means.
Ethunk: say "Bok-feéfen-gay-sickt"
Skogg: Say "calm-down-now-smoochie"
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