UNTRANSLATABLE

12 Foreign Words That Will Blow Your Mind

Image: Valeria Reverdo

There is an old adage among translators that says traduttore traditore, which is Italian for "the translator is a traitor". This is because, when something is translated into another language, many subtleties and cultural associations are inevitably lost in the process - meaning that the original sense of a word or phrase can change radically.

Although most languages have millions of words, no single language can cover the entirety of human experience with the words you can find in their dictionaries. So, translators usually have terrible headaches trying to translate certain words whose meaning is incredibly difficult to convey in another language.

Here at Dictionary Scoop, we chose 10 foreign words or concepts that come into this category and cannot be easily translated without at least some context and an explanation. Feel free to use them afterward! It can be a refreshing way to think about different cultures and a great topic for conversation (perhaps during a sobremesa).

Image: Ilnur Kalimullin

I wish English had a word for this. This Spanish noun refers to the small talk or conversations that happen after a meal when everyone is still seated.

Image: Vince Gx

A very useful one. This is Vietnamese for "the day after tomorrow".

Image: Surface

For mean people… or anyone who likes to watch videos of funny accidents (not so funny if they happen to you, certainly). This is a German word that refers to getting joy from the misfortune of others.

Image: Jordane Mathieu

This is a Swedish word that means something like "not too much and not too little, just the right amount". Why do people from northern Europe seem to have such concise words for almost philosophical concepts?

Image: bruce mars

A Dutch word that means to act convincingly as if you are doing something important, while actually doing nothing useful at all. Sort of sums up most office work.

Image: Erik van Dijk

Japanese is a beautiful language full of deeply insightful metaphors or poetic images. This word is no exception, referring specifically to the sunlight that filters through forest trees.

Image: NONRESIDENT

A fun one. This baffling Spanish adverb can mean anything from "right now" to "maybe later", or "maybe never". So if you ask someone to do you a favor and they say ahorita, don’t wait around.

Image: Patrick Slade

Often translated as päntsdrunk, this delightful Finnish word refers to the habit of drinking home alone in your underwear. The fact that this intriguing habit got its own word might have something to do with the fact that many Finns stay mostly isolated at home during Finland’s long and brutal winters. Self-isolation of people everywhere in recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic created a global trend for this drinking habit, with many people embracing the kalsarikännit tradition.

Image: Al Elmes

A very wholesome word. Fargin is a Yiddish verb that means to "wholeheartedly appreciate the success of others". Kind of an antagonist to schadenfreude if you think about it.

Image: Nandhu Kumar

A German verb that literally means "to make something worse while trying to improve it". Most of us have probably been guilty of verschlimmbessern-ing some situations. Ever tried fixing a bad haircut yourself? Well, there you go.

Image: Priscilla Du Preez

I'm guilty of this myself. This Japanese expression refers to "leaving a book unread after buying it, usually piled together along with many other unread books". Book hoarders, don’t let this word apply to you.

Image: James Hose Jr

A personal favorite. This is a Portuguese word that conveys a feeling of nostalgia and bitter-sweet melancholy for something that is irretrievable, lost in time, or maybe even non-existent. Other languages have similar words, like the German word sehnsucht, or the Touareg assouf. Although English has technically no equivalent to saudade, some people say that the African-American concept of the blues can approximate the same feelings of yearning and nostalgia.

Image: JESHOOTS.COM

Languages are a complex thing, and their particular idiosyncrasies can result in baffling or even poetic misunderstandings. Sometimes these confusions can be due to a bad translation, but many times words carry over such a large burden of cultural wisdom, that it ends up rendering any translation efforts almost impossible without delving into the singular philosophies behind the words.

If you liked our selection of weird, funny, and inspiring untranslatable words from all over the world, stay around! We will keep uploading content like this.

WILD WEST JARGON

Yeehaw! Speak Like A Cowboy With These 10 Words From The Old West

Image: Taylor Brandon

Saddle up, partner! The language of the Old West used to be as rich and colorful as the sunsets on the prairie. Cowboys communicated with a unique lexicon that reflected their rugged lifestyle, diverse backgrounds, and the challenges of frontier living.

Whether you own a time machine and are looking to blend in with the inhabitants of the Wild West, or are just feeling curious, these 10 words will paint a vivid picture of the old American frontier and its challenges.

Image: Emilio Labrador, CC BY 2.0

A quintessential piece of cowboy attire, chaps were worn to protect the legs from brush, thorns, and other hazards encountered while riding through the harsh and unforgiving landscapes of the American West.

Made from thick leather, chaps were designed to provide both protection and freedom of movement for cowboys during long days in the saddle. The word itself was derived from the Spanish word "chaparreras," which referred to the same item of clothing.

Image: Matt Lee

In the Old West, the wrangler was the ranch hand responsible for managing and caring for horses and livestock on the ranch. From breaking in wild mustangs to leading cattle drives, wranglers played a crucial role in the daily operations of a ranch and were often highly skilled cowboys.

The word "wrangler" was derived from the Low German word "wrangeln," which means "to wrestle," an appropriate word given the nature of the wrangler’s challenging task.

Image: JosephHershMedia

Also known as a lariat or riata, a lasso is a looped rope used by cowboys to catch and restrain livestock. Mastering the art of throwing a lasso was essential for cowboys, as it allowed them to safely capture cattle and other animals without causing harm.

The technique was adopted from Mexican and South American ranch hands, who made extensive use of it for centuries. North American cowboys borrowed both the tool and the word, which originates from the Spanish word "lazo", which means "noose" or "snare", and derives in turn from the Latin "laqueus," of the same meaning.

Image: Michelle @Shelly Captures It

In cowboy jargon, "overland trout" was a cheeky term used to refer to bacon, often enjoyed by cowboys during their travels across the open range. While real trout might have been a rare delicacy on the trail, bacon provided a hearty and satisfying alternative for hungry travelers in the Old West.

In a similar lighthearted spirit, cowboys humorously dubbed eggs as "cackleberries." While nowadays, casually ordering a plate of "cackleberries and overland trout" might raise a few eyebrows and elicit a chuckle, back then, it was just another part of the colorful tapestry of cowboy life.

Image: Lee Pigott

A popular phrase used by cowboys and horseback riders in the Old West generally to urge their horses to move faster, "giddy-up" is a contraction of the phrase "get ye up." Whether racing across the open range or chasing down stray cattle, cowboys relied on this command to spur their steeds into action.

Over time, as cowboys went from humble rural workers to legendary figures, portrayed in films and various media, this term transcended its origins, seamlessly integrating into everyday English vernacular.

Image: Birmingham Museums Trust

Bet you didn’t know the origin of this one! The term dude was originally used to refer to city dwellers or inexperienced individuals unfamiliar with the ways of the West, who were often regarded as untrustworthy among rural folk.

Eventually, the term evolved to describe any male person, a meaning that consolidated into mainstream American slang in the 70s.

Image: Dominique Hicks

In the colorful lexicon of the Old West, "ballyhoo" was a term used to describe exaggerated or sensationalized advertising or promotion. From traveling shows to frontier saloons, ballyhoo was a common tactic used to attract customers and generate excitement.

Whether promising the "best darn whiskey west of the Mississippi" or boasting of a miraculous elixir that could cure all ailments, the word hints at the justified distrust cowboys and Old West folk held towards snake oil salesmen and the such.

Image: John Kakuk

An alteration of the Spanish word "vaquero," which can be literally translated as cowboy or cattle driver, "buckaroo" was an alternative word commonly used in the American West to refer to a skilled ranch hand, that is, a cowboy.

Curiously, likely due to the economic importance of cattle management at the time, there was no shortage of words to refer to the job of the cowboy, and alternatives like cowhand, cowman, cowpoke, and even cowpuncher were commonplace.

Image: Soroush Alavi

The term "bone orchard" was popular slang for a cemetery in the Old West. The grim metaphor evokes the vivid image of bleached bones scattered across the landscape, just like fallen fruit in an orchard.

Often, the term carried the connotation of an abandoned or ill-maintained cemetery or ossuary, or it could be quite literally describing a place full of scattered human bones, like an old battlefield.

Image: Jacob Bentzinger

A lively social gathering featuring music, dancing, and general revelry, a hoedown was the most popular form of entertainment in frontier towns. The term's earliest documented usage dates back to 1841, and it likely derives from the resemblance of dance moves to the rhythmic motion of digging the ground with a hoe.

So, the next time you receive an invitation to a hoedown, don’t turn down the offer! You are certainly in for a jolly good time!