StatCounter

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

My Kind of Fun.

Think English has it all covered? Well, apparently not. Surprise! (Not.) Here's a little list of words (that have various spellings, depending on where you look) that have very familiar meanings (generally), but no English equivalents. I expect all of you to use these words in the next week. At least one, anyway. Preferably this first one...

Gheegle: (Filipino) The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.

(Don't deny it. You KNOW this urge.)

Cualacino: (Italian) The mark left on a table by a cold glass.

(See, everyone knows this happens. Hence the coasters/stacks of outdated magazines on wooden coffee tables. But did you ever wonder what this occurence is called? I have to admit, I never cared. Until now.)

Sgriob: (Gaelic) The itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whiskey.

(Besides the fact that I've never experienced the effects of whiskey in general, I have to tell you that this makes no sense to me. Is an itchy upper lip before a sip of whiskey the equivalent to a watering mouth before Thanksgiving dinner?)

L’esprit de escalier: (French) The feeling you get after leaving a conversation, when you think of all the things you should have said. Translated it means “the spirit of the staircase.”

(Dear God, thank you for the French. I now know that I'm not the only one who has this feeling. Comebacks always pop up in one's mind three hours after they're required. I'm glad the French and I are of like mind. Sorry I was bored in bible study today. Amen.)

Pari-pari and Saku-saku: (Japanese) Hard-crispy verses Soft-crispy, i.e. a rice cracker versus fried chicken

(This is sheer beauty. Putting crispiness on a scale. I cannot say any more words to encompass this perfection.)

Stam: (Hebrew) An agreement out of amusement and frustration that something doesn’t have a satisfactory answer among those talking.

(This one sounds effective even just echoing in my head.)

Forelsket: (Norwegian) The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.

(I'm not familiar with this feeling either. Wa waaaaa.)

Pena ajena: (Mexican Spanish) The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation.

(Dear God, thanks again. I thought I was the only one who got stressed out watching people having their days ruined. Someone's coffee spills and I tear my fingernails apart. A grocery bag tears and I break out in a cold sweat. I should probably become a hermit so as to lessen the physical damage of watching people have bad days. Please give me a sign if this is a correct assumption. Amen.)


Okay, so there are a ton more words that I could describe, but...there's a lot to do. I just wanted to let you know...that...THE BLOG LIVES. In case anyone still reads this.

With loads of like,
Me. Who else?

P.S. Anonymous commenter, I know. Arthur won the Spelling Bee with the word "preparation," after Prunella got it wrong. When Principal Haney told her it was incorrect, she did a freaky double-take and stalked off stage. Why are her socks always bunchy? More importantly, why is Arthur on PBS exactly during marching band practice?

3 comments:

  1. fyi: the annonymous commenter that told you the word was "preparation" was not me! so... this means you at least have 2 avid reader/commenters! ;D (yes that was meant to be a wink!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. fyi: Arthur happens to be at the same time as marching band for exactly the same reason Dinosaur Train is now on exactly when sectionals happen. God works in mysterious ways... But you know what? If they show the episode of Dinosaur Train where they go underwater again, it will probably be on a marching night.
    And previous Commenter, I know who you are!!! ;D (Yes that was meant to be a wink! Igotchu!)
    Anonymous Commentee

    ReplyDelete