It’s been far too long since we’ve done a WOTD. So, without further ado, here are 38 of them, of a type I especially adore: Words from other languages that take a whole paragraph – or at least a full sentence – to explain in English.
My favorites, in no particular order…
Kummerspeck (German)
Excess weight gained from emotional overeating. Literally, “grief bacon.”
Backpfeifengesicht (German)
A face badly in need of a fist.
Alright, enough with the German. Let’s try some other languages…
Seigneur-terraces (French)
Coffee shop dwellers who sit at tables a long time but spend little money.
L’esprit de l’escalier (French)
Literally, “stairwell wit, ” a too-late retort thought of only after departure.
Cafune (Brazilian/Portuguese)
Leave it to the Brazilians to come up with the perfect word.
Ya’arburnee (Arabic)
This word is the hopeful declaration that you will die before someone you love deeply, because you cannot stand to live without them. Literally, may you bury me.
<I don’t have a picture for this one, but, Holy Cow! Those Arabs really aren’t kidding around!>
OK, I take it back. The perfect words are both Yiddish.
Schlemiel and schlimazel (Yiddish)
There are two types of klutzes, both prone to bad luck: The schlemiel is the traditional maladroit who spills their coffee. The schlimazel is the one on whom it is spilled. Together, they make a perfect pair.
Or has it been too long?
My favorite German word is
Quarkblattereigkleingeback.
A wonderful tasty dessert my mother would make. I think Rachel made it recently.