Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Love Words That Have No English Translation
By Katy Hall - HuffPost Books
Last year, the Oxford Dictionary Online added a bunch of popular words including lolz, ridic and vajazzle, but there are still some feelings and experiences no English word can quite describe. Here are some foreign words that might help you convey all the nuances of your love or frightening obsession this Valentine's Day.
Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego) — This is the most succinct word, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and it describes a look shared by two people who are both waiting for each other to make the next move. As long as no one caves, it can be an endless source of sexual tension.
The mamihlapinatapai between Jim and Pam was an enjoyably frustrating storyline of early seasons of "The Office."
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