Blending Foreign Words with English

Translation is at best an echo. – George Burrows

Kiortame pivdluaritlo (Eskimo). Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! (Welsh). Sawadee Pee Mai (Thai). Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho (Urdu). Kenourios Chronos (Greek). Or as we say in America, Happy New Year! Thanks to TheHolidaySpot.com, I discovered New Year wishes were easily translatable into many languages.

Even though I can only use the terms around my husband, I’ve added a few expressions to my vocabulary from the various international places I’ve lived. It’s fun and sometimes foreign words or phrases express a concept or feeling better than the English equivalent, if there is one.

Pronunciation could be a problem, but recently I ran across more foreign words that I’d like to add to my personal use list. I found them in an article titled “20 Awesomely Untranslatable Words from Around the World” by Jason Wire. This article led me to “20 More Awesomely Untranslatable Words from Around the World.” Since the author did come up with definitions, I am assuming by untranslatable he meant that there is no comparable English word.

I liked all he words he listed, but I only selected five of my favorites. I think these words would be good additions to our English language.

Mamihlapinatapei - Yagan (indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego) – the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start.

Tartle -Scottish – The act of hesitating while introducing someone because you’ve forgotten their name.

Wabi-Sabi -Japanese –a way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully the natural cycle of growth and decay.

Cafuné- Brazilian Portuguese – The act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair.

Jayus -Indonesian – a joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh.

Do you ever add foreign words to your conversations? Do you have a favorite foreign word or phrase?

I hope everyone’s New Year got off to a great start that only gets better with each passing day. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to see you again next week.

Tags: George Burrows, New Year, untranslatable words, foreign words and phrases ,

New Year Superstitions Revisited

“There is superstition in avoiding superstitions.” – Francis Bacon

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I certainly did. Due to the fact I am still in the holiday frame of mind, I decided to resurrect and slightly modify a previous (2008) post.

January 1st officially became the first day of a new year in 46 B.C. when Julius Caesar established the Julian calendar. This has allowed ample time for celebration traditions to develop and perhaps explains why so many are based on superstitions.

A German New Year tradition is to attempt to tell the future by dropping molten lead into cold water. A heart or ring shape indicates a wedding; a ship means a journey; and a pig is a sign of plenty of food in the year ahead. Another tradition, to ensure a well-stocked pantry for the upcoming year, is to leave a bit of every food eaten on New Year’s Eve on your plate until after midnight.

In England, the practice of "first-footing" is important. To ensure good luck for the inhabitants of a house, the first person to enter on New Year's Day should be a young, healthy and good-looking male with dark-hair. He should carry a small piece of coal, money, bread and salt, symbolizing wealth. Women and people with blonde or red hair are considered unlucky "first-footers."

In Spain people eat twelve grapes from a bunch just as the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Eve to ensure twelve happy months in the coming year.

In Scandinavian rice pudding is considered a lucky dish. It is usually prepared with a hidden almond placed in the serving bowl. Who ever ends up with the almond in his or her serving is believed to be doubly blessed with good fortune in the coming year.

Here in the U.S, we incorporate many of the traditions from around the world plus adding a few of our own in the observance of New Year. Kissing a loved one at midnight ensures another happy year with that person. Eating black eye peas on New Years brings luck. Horns and noise makers at midnight chase evil spirits away. Opening a door or window at midnight allows the old year to escape unimpeded.

I read that for authors to have a successful year they should write one chapter of a book on New Years Day. However, working or writing too much can be bad omen, so don’t over do it.

Last year Sondra left this fun comment (thank you, Sondra) about an interesting Irish tradition. I thought I’d share it.

"We did the 12 grapes when we lived in Spain. 1 grape for each chime of the clock at midnight...it was hysterical! Very hard to do too especially by about the 6th chime! :)

My husbands Irish family's tradition is, right before midnight everyone goes outside (leaving the front door open) and stands in the front yard, Happy New year and kisses all around and then the man of the house goes around the house and opens all the outside doors. Everyone joins with him when he makes it back to the front door and as a group travel around the house and close all the open doors then re-enter through the front door together."

My husband and I start the year off with a steak dinner. Our line of reasoning is that if things go badly downhill during the year, we’ll at least have had one really good meal.

What are your New Year traditions?

However you celebrate, I hope 2010 brings you good health, happiness and prosperity.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tags: Francis Bacon, New Yearl, superstition, Julius Caesar, Julian Calendar, New Year traditions,

New Year Resolutions

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other –Anonymous

Since it’s that time of year to make resolutions I thought I’d share some of the funnier ones I found at http://www.newyearfestival.com/funny-new-year resolutions.html

Just for today, I will not sit in my living room all day in my nightdress. Instead, I will move my computer into the bedroom.

I will no longer waste my time relieving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future.

I resolve to work with neglected children -- my own.

From http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=361872

So many men, so little time. Make more time.

I will remember that life is not about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

I will remember the Universe is infinite...so when I lose my keys...NOT a surprise!!

I will try to drive past a gym at least once a week.

I will buy lottery tickets at a luckier store.

If your resolution is to quit procrastinating and act now, I want to remind you that there is still time to enter the “when will The Ride be released” contest. Simply be the first to guess the date nearest to the actual release date and win a personalized signed copy of The Ride. See http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/2007/12/exciting-new-contest.html for more details.

Do you make resolutions? Do you usually keep the ones you’ve made? Or, do you have some other funny ones you’d like to share? I’d love to hear your comments.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.”

Thanks for stopping by. See you next week.

Jane Kennedy Sutton
Author of The Ride (to be released by ArcheBooks Publishing)
janekennedysutton@gmail.com
http://janekennedysutton.googlepages.com/
http://www.authorsden.com/janesutton


Tags: The Ride, Archebooks, contest, New Year resolutions, resolutions, Oprah