i meant now. *throws pie* if we're gonna get that technical, i'm sure i can find some old english word for most of the things that are being posted. *sticks tongue out*
nope, we have that word, it's called a Chimera :) nope, we have kindergartens and call them such. this is what happens when your country is composed of all immigrants. every child attends kindergarten here. :)

dude, our language in general is loaned from almost every other language (western), especially if you are from the US. We steal from Latin, Greek, German, Scandinavia (Vikings) French and many others. we have a mutt language.

I know that, but the OP was asking for words/phrases that exist in other languages that don't exist in English. I think a word we liked enough to steal doesn't really count per the OP's intent. Someone else mentioned "Brotzeit" (sorry, my keyboard is umlaut-less) as a Bavarian word for a mid-morning snack, literally meaning "bread-time". The Brits use "elevenses", but I can't think of an equivalent American phrase. "Coffee break" isn't specific to mornings.

Not in, but a cool idea for a thread!

One that comes to mind from urdu (language of Pakistan) is "halka". Halka is a generalised word for "low intensity". So you can use it for sound ("Put the volume halka"), for easygoing people ("He's a halka guy"), pressure ("Press it down halka") and so on. I can't think of an equivalent english word that covers all uses of it.

In for Chrome-Specforce

My word would be raison d' etre

which in French language means "the most important reason or purpose for someone or something's existence."

Example- "an institution whose raison d'être is public service broadcasting"

*giggles*

Bavarian (a German dialect) offers a few words that can't even be translated into regular German. For example: fei. It's a filler with different meanings, depending on the context of the sentence it is used in. Could be interpreted as "by the way" or "be aware of/that". It's usually used as an intensifier and changes the tone of the whole sentence.

"Es is zwoa." - "It's two o'clock."
"Es is fei zwoa." - "Be aware that it's already two o'clock."

"Du host an Batz im G'sicht." - "You have crap on your face."
"Du host fei an Batz im G'sicht." - "By the way, you have some crap on your face."

Not in for the GA but +1.

Nachad kanst no mehra Boarisch als wia I, des sog I dir fei scho aa, geh? :-)

Except that it doesn't refer to the famous and fabulous Bavarian animal Maxvorstadt mentioned. ;-P


You thievin' bastards! ;-P


The Turkish word bacanak/[i][/i] is used to describe the relationship between the husbands of sisters.
The Greek word for this relationship is σύγαμπρος, though the loanword from Turkish, μπατζανάκης, is also used. And the Greek word for the relationship between the wives of brothers is συνυφάδα.
I believe that the English language does not have words for these.

In for Vampre: The Masquerade!

I want to contribute with a Sicilian word: assuppaviddanu. An assuppaviddanu is that very very thin rain, that seems harmles so you go out without an umbrella for a couple of minutes but... you realize too late that within 30 seconds you're already soaked! We sicilian people fall in this trap every damn winter (Oh come on, who needs an umbrella? Where are we, in Milan?)

In for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (Assuming that's what you mean :P )

As for words, well, here are a couple that I've had to wrap my head around...

Coup de foudre

Well, perhaps this isn't exactly untranslatable, but it sure is ridiculously poetic compared to the English version, which is "love at first sight".

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll or Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch

The longer version was actually created for promotional purposes, but it roughly means "St. Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near to the Rapid Whirlpool of St. Tisilio of the Red Cave."

I'm not actually sure if it's much easier to write in Welsh...

I could probably come up with more, and I might just come back to do that, but I'll leave this here for now...

And some languages even have a dual form, which can be used to address two people. And then there are some languages that allow for even more variety. :)

Can't think of many Dutch examples, other than the well-known 'gezellig'. To quote Wikipedia: "Gezelligheid (Dutch pronunciation: [ɣəˈzɛləɣɦɛit]) is a Dutch abstract noun (adjective form gezellig) which, depending on context, can be translated as convivial, cosy, fun, quaint, or nice atmosphere, but can also connote belonging, time spent with loved ones, the fact of seeing a friend after a long absence, or general togetherness that gives a warm feeling."

:)

but i'm saying that there are words that are so integrated into our culture, that we really can't say "borrowed" or whatever anymore. Like the one person that put down "kindergarten". we use that word so much, i forget that it's not english. Since our language is a mutt language, this is bound to happen. now like the one about bread-time, obviously that counts, we don't use that word regularly or have an english/mutt equivalent.

I'm saying kitsch is so commonly used, people forget it's Yiddish. like the word "putz". although that's a weird example b/c the meanings changed.
yeah, but then that's like saying another country doesn't have a word for "big foot". :| and oh man we do have something SO close called a jackalope. lol no wings though.

Everything said in this thread about Japanese (and a lot more) applies to Turkish as well, bet nobody would have guessed :) They were once both considered Altaic languages and that was my explanation for the uncanny similarity between the two, but now the existence of the entire Altaic languages family is disputed. Go figure.

A very common sort-of-greeting from Turkish, used everyday everywhere: "Kolay gelsin". Means something close to "may (whatever you are doing) come easy", you say it to people who are working or doing other laborious stuff. Haven't seen an equivalent in any language. This is one of the first phrases Turkish folks ask me to translate when they visit the US. There is nothing even close.

EDIT: Not in :)