Thread: Interesting Word/Concepts from Languages other than English

Interesting, just read that the Chinese Hanzi for "crisis" contains two symbols, one means, "danger" and the other means, "opportunity".

It's fascinating how other languages, in this case Chinese, can so readily capture some profound concept that takes several words or sentences to explain in English. To recognize that when a crisis occurs, also occur's "opportunity" - how true.

We have many members here whose first or only language is not English, what other word/concepts can other members offer that don't have an English word equivalent?

Interesting idea, let's see what comes up.

A standard word that doesn't have an English word equivalent is the Danish word "skadefro". You may have heard the German word "schadenfreude" which means the same.
A person is "skadefro"/"schadenfreude" if they enjoy when other people suffer pain or loss. You could translate it to "the joy of other's displeasure" or "enjoying other's displeasure".

With many languages the issue is the translation. When you do not think in the language translations sometimes simply can't express certain concepts so you wind up with an awkward jumble of words that don't correspond to what you mean. Also, you have idiomatic expressions that simple don't translate well or at all.

Spanish for instance has a subjunctive mode which does not exist in english. You can memorize when to use it but there is no translation for it. if you are a native speaker it's use express specific thoughts but to those learning the language or not fluent it's just another conjugation you have learn and it means nothing.

Originally Posted by Peterlh

A standard word that doesn't have an English word equivalent is the Danish word "skadefro". You may have heard the German word "schadenfreude" which means the same.
A person is "skadefro"/"schadenfreude" if they enjoy when other people suffer pain or loss. You could translate it to "the joy of other's displeasure" or "enjoying other's displeasure".

I think the closest English word for this is "SADISTIC" !!although the term is tossed around as someone gaining pleasure or excitement from others mishaps both physical and mentally and is also related to sexual pleasure while inflicting emotional or physical pain "bondage , whips ect".. so kinda a loose term in the States (please edit if I crossed forum boundaries with terms used}

when I was younger I never had the interest in things that I have now , other then history I didn't want to learn anything !! now I cant learn enough and regret not learning another language as my argument (being a hard headed punk kid) back then was I wkill take a F in Spanish class cause I would not be forced to learn another language

I read that in a book called "Dirt" by bicycling on and off road champ John Howard. So, like any normal person, I thought about getting it tattooed ...... if I could find some bare skin ....... and I went to my friend google to double check the facts.

That is an urban myth, the kanji doesn't mean 'danger' and 'opportunity'.

Chinese word for "crisis" - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

danger + opportunity â‰* crisis

Slightly different but Turkish has many got ya words for english speakers: first Peach, as in the fruit, is a huge insult. Sick, is basically a part of male anatomy. You learn to say I'm ill not Im Sick, very quickly. The actually Turkish word for Cucumber is an insult, and do not use um as a vocal pause, that is a part of the female anatomy.
I actually asked a sales clerk if her's was made of gold once. I couldn't remember the word for gold, straight away and inserted the offending vocal pause. For turkish speakers, I said: Bu um altin var. She took it the wrong way, sorta like I said it, and was furious, my turkish friend was in hysterics and I stood red faced for about 10 minutes until he stopped laughing long enough to explain to us what happened.

Originally Posted by Peterlh

A standard word that doesn't have an English word equivalent is the Danish word "skadefro". You may have heard the German word "schadenfreude" which means the same.
A person is "skadefro"/"schadenfreude" if they enjoy when other people suffer pain or loss. You could translate it to "the joy of other's displeasure" or "enjoying other's displeasure".

There is an English colloquial word that describes that person but forum rules forbid me to use it. Most people have worked for them at one time or another, they are miserable PRs.

Bob

Originally Posted by gooser

I think the closest English word for this is "SADISTIC" !!although the term is tossed around as someone gaining pleasure or excitement from others mishaps both physical and mentally and is also related to sexual pleasure while inflicting emotional or physical pain "bondage , whips ect".. so kinda a loose term in the States (please edit if I crossed forum boundaries with terms used}

when I was younger I never had the interest in things that I have now , other then history I didn't want to learn anything !! now I cant learn enough and regret not learning another language as my argument (being a hard headed punk kid) back then was I wkill take a F in Spanish class cause I would not be forced to learn another language

I think sadism and schadenfreude are slightly different (to my understanding anyway).
sadism comes from the marquis De sade and revolves more around gaining pleasure through tormenting others sexually, whereas schadenfreude is more about driving pleasure/eentertainment through another's misfortune.

Originally Posted by Peterlh

A standard word that doesn't have an English word equivalent is the Danish word "skadefro". You may have heard the German word "schadenfreude" which means the same.
A person is "skadefro"/"schadenfreude" if they enjoy when other people suffer pain or loss. You could translate it to "the joy of other's displeasure" or "enjoying other's displeasure".

I think the English equivalent would be Sadism?