The following article was written by Jessica Kane, a professional blogger who writes for Bureau Translations—a leading company that provides translation services for businesses. If you read my last post, you’ll know why I love this piece. Enjoy.
Awesome Non-English Words Needed In the English Language
The beauty of studying foreign languages is that you will always find this “one cool word” that has zero translation to English. Here are five cool words that would rock in the English language:
Treppenwitz (trep-pen-vitz)
This word is German genius at its best. It actually embodies an expression that we have all said at one point in our lives: “I wish I had said it”. Its actual definition is “the wit under the stairs”. The word describes that frustrating emotion we feel when we come up with a super awesome comeback– hours after it was needed.
Sentence use: “I know I should have said that, but I completely treppenwitzed!
Disparate (dees-pah-RAT-eh)
Although it seems approachable enough to pronounce, this Spanish word is used to describe something so wrongly made, said, or done, that there is no way to define it English.
The closest definition in American English would be “a hot scary mess”. The Brits come a little closer with the descriptor “shambolic”, of Gordon Ramsey fame. Yet, “disparate” is all of that, times ten.
Sentence use: “Don’t you dare say that disparate in front of my boss or she’ll think I am friends with an ignoramus.” Yes, it is a very strong word, but it is not a vulgarism.
Mysa (mee-sah)
Swedish is such a rich language system that it possesses several single words that carry deep, elaborate meaning. Therefore, they do not need as many adjectives as with words in other languages. “Mysa” has no English equivalent. Its meaning is tantamount to “curling up or cozying up”. If used in English, it would be a great fit for situations where one wants to go home and crawl under the blankets.
Sentence use: “I’ll go home and mysa until this horrible weather clears up.”
?? (Sh?n zhài or shon-chai)
This Chinese word stands for several different things, but it is jargon for “fake”, “knock-off”, or “bootleg”. All over the world people have a particular way to refer to items, people, or places that attempt to look like (or flat out copy) their more famous counterparts. Teenagers, who love to call out fakes, have a plethora of other words (some not very nice) to classify them. Therefore, a perfect (and nicer) use of this word in a sentence would be: “Check out Martha! She is the one wearing the Sh?n zhài pair of Manolos.”
Tartle (pronounced as read)
This interesting Scottish word, while sounds simple enough, has no real definition in American English. It stands for that moment you intend to introduce two people, but then you stall when you realize that you forgot one, or both, of their names. Think feeling “startled”. Therefore, a good way to use this word in a sentence may be: “She pretended to know her but tartled away when she tried to introduce us.” Another way to use it is “She pulled a tartle last night at the meeting”.
Fun words can be found in every language. The more you know, the more fun you can add to your daily conversations. Start learning a new language today!
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