Can you translate the untranslatable?
by Mari Lopez ·
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The linguists among us are likely to be lost for words when asked to translate certain phrases into English. This is because there are so many that are simply impossible to translate. Let’s test your knowledge, or guessing skills, to see if you can work out the meaning of these untranslatable foreign words and from where they originate.
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You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0) You might want to buy yourself a dictionary! You need to fine tune those guessing skills a little bit more! Felicidades! You guessed more than half right! Now learn them and put them into practice! Wow! You’re either a linguistics expert or one hell of a guesser! Either way, you’re awesome! This word comes from Indonesia and can be used as follows: “Jamie told a jayus the other day”. Can you guess the meaning? Good job! Now you know what to call those unfunny jokes your friends love to tell! Sorry! The correct answer is a joke that has been poorly told and so unfunny that you cannot help but laugh. This word means “a mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement”. Can you guess the word? Good job! This word is commonly used in Japan. Sorry! The correct answer is kyoikumama and it is commonly used in Japan. Can you guess which country the word prozvonit comes from? You’re right! Prozvonit means to call a mobile phone and let it ring once so the person will call you back. Wrong! It is used in the Czech Republic. Prozvonit means to call a mobile phone and let it ring once so the person will call you back. In Brazil the word cafuné is used commonly and can be used as “I love it when my boyfriend cafunés me.” Can you guess what it means? Correct! Most girls will say they love it when their boyfriends cafuné their hair! Sorry! The correct answer is the act of lovingly running your fingers through someone’s hair. Schadenfreude is a feeling we all get from time to time but we have no word in English for it. Can you guess which country it originated in? Correct! Schadenfreude is the feeling of pleasure you get by seeing someone else’s misfortunes. The correct answer is Germany! Schadenfreude is the feeling of pleasure you get by seeing someone else’s misfortunes. In Western Sahara, where they speak arabic, they use the word ya’aburnee when they speak to people they love. Any idea as to what it means? Correct! The actual translation is “I hope you bury me”, but it is said to mean that they cannot bear the thought of living without them so they hope they die first. The correct answer is I hope to die before you because I cannot live without you. The actual translation is “I hope you bury me”, but it is said to mean that they cannot bear the thought of living without them so they hope they die first. Tartle originated in an English-speaking country and is still used to date. It is used to describe the feeling of panic when introducing someone whose name you cannot remember. Can you guess where this word is used? Correct! It can be used as “This is uhh….Steve! Sorry, I tartled there for a moment”. Sorry, the correct answer is Scotland! It can be used as “This is uhh….Steve! Sorry, I tartled there for a moment”. Can you guess which word from the Philippines is used to describe the urge to pinch or squeeze something or someone because they are unbearably cute? Correct! It can be used as “That bunny is adorable, I can feel Gigil coming!” The right answer is gigil! It can be used as “That bunny is adorable, I can feel Gigil coming!” Tingo means to gradually steal all of someone’s possessions by borrowing them and never returning them. Can you guess where this word is used? Correct! If your friends keep asking to borrow things you can now answer by saying “Stop trying to tingo all my stuff!” The correct answer is Polynesia! If your friends keep asking to borrow things you can now answer by saying “Stop trying to tingo all my stuff!” Latin American countries use this word to describe people sensitive to cold temperatures. Can you guess which one it is? Correct, it’s friolento – as in “Turn the AC down because I am very friolento”. Sorry, the answer is friolento – as in “Turn the AC down because I am very friolento”. In which country do the people give 3 kisses on the cheek to say hello? Kissing etiquette is a complex one for expats! The Dutch give 3 kisses on the cheek, the Belgians 1, while the French and Spanish give 2. Kissing etiquette is a complex one for expats! The Dutch give 3 kisses on the cheek, the Belgians 1, while the French and Spanish give 2. Which country is famous for its meatballs? Who hasn’t seen those famous Swedish meatballs in Ikea… Who hasn’t seen those famous Swedish meatballs in Ikea… “Injera” is a type of bread, but which country does it come from? This is actually the bread eaten with most meals in Ethiopia. This is actually the bread eaten with most meals in Ethiopia.Quiz-summary
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