When it all goes horribly wrong...

That sinking feeling, puangi puangi (Cook Islands Maori), the sensation of the stomach dropping away (as in the sudden surge of a lift, plane, swing or a tossed boat), is something we know all too well, as are: (Cook Islands Maori), the sensation of the stomach dropping away (as in the sudden surge of a lift, plane, swing or a tossed boat), is something we know all too well, as are: dokidoki (j.a.panese) rapid pounding heartbeats caused by worry or surprise (j.a.panese) rapid pounding heartbeats caused by worry or surprisea'anu (Cook Islands Maori) to sit huddled up, looking pinched and miserable (Cook Islands Maori) to sit huddled up, looking pinched and miserablenggregeli (Indonesian) to drop something due to nerves (Indonesian) to drop something due to nervesbingildamak (Turkish) to quiver like jelly (Turkish) to quiver like jelly

... scarper baotou shucuon (Chinese) to cover one's head with both hands and run away like a coward (Chinese) to cover one's head with both hands and run away like a cowardachaplina.r.s.e (Spanish, Central America) to hesitate and then run away in the manner of Charlie Chaplin (Spanish, Central America) to hesitate and then run away in the manner of Charlie Chaplin

Learning to relax In some parts of the world relaxation doesn't necessarily mean putting your feet up: ongkang-ongkang (Indonesian) to sit with one leg dangling down (Indonesian) to sit with one leg dangling downnaganaga (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) to squat without resting your b.u.t.tocks on your heels (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) to squat without resting your b.u.t.tocks on your heelslledorweddle (Welsh) to lie down while propping yourself up with one elbow (Welsh) to lie down while propping yourself up with one elbowkarvat (Hindi) the side of the body on which one rests (Hindi) the side of the body on which one rests

Dropping off Once we start relaxing, snoozing becomes an increasingly strong possibility. Both Danish, with raevesvn raevesvn, and Russian, with vpolglaza vpolglaza, have a word to describe sleeping with one eye open, while other languages describe other similar states of weariness: aiguttoa (Votic, Estonia) to yawn repeatedly (Votic, Estonia) to yawn repeatedlyteklak-tekluk (Indonesian) the head bobbing up and down with drowsiness (Indonesian) the head bobbing up and down with drowsinessutsura-utsura (j.a.panese) to fluctuate between wakefulness and being half asleep (j.a.panese) to fluctuate between wakefulness and being half asleeputouto (j.a.panese) to fall into a light sleep without realizing it (j.a.panese) to fall into a light sleep without realizing ittengkurap (Indonesian) to lie or sleep with the face downwards (Indonesian) to lie or sleep with the face downwardskulubut (Kapampangan, Philippines) to go under the blanket (Kapampangan, Philippines) to go under the blanket

Out for the count Having achieved the state the j.a.panese describe as guuguu guuguu, 'the sound of someone in a deep sleep accompanied by snoring', we can either have a good night...

bilita mpash (Bantu, Zaire) blissful dreams (Bantu, Zaire) blissful dreamsaltjiranga mitjina (Aranda, Australia) the timeless dimensions of dreams (Aranda, Australia) the timeless dimensions of dreamsngarong (Dyak, Borneo) an adviser who appears in a dream and clarifies a problem (Dyak, Borneo) an adviser who appears in a dream and clarifies a problemreve a deux (French) a mutual dream, a shared hallucination (French) a mutual dream, a shared hallucinationmorgenfrisk (Danish) fresh from a good night's sleep... (Danish) fresh from a good night's sleep...

or a bad one: menceracan (Malay) to cry in one's sleep (Malay) to cry in one's sleepkekau (Indonesian) to wake up from a nightmare (Indonesian) to wake up from a nightmareigau (Malay) to talk while trapped in a nightmare (Malay) to talk while trapped in a nightmarekerinan (Indonesian) to oversleep until the sun is up (Indonesian) to oversleep until the sun is upOn reflection

Back as forth Whatever their length, words have provided excellent material for games from the earliest times. One of the more pleasing arrangements is the palindrome, which is spelt the same backwards as forwards, and can create some bizarre meanings:neulo taas niin saat oluen (Finnish) knit again, so that you will get a beer (Finnish) knit again, so that you will get a beerNie fragt sie: ist gefegt? Sie ist gar fein (German) she never asks: has the sweeping been done? She is very refined (German) she never asks: has the sweeping been done? She is very refinedin girum imus nocte et consumimur igni (Latin) we enter the circle after dark and are consumed by fire (Latin) we enter the circle after dark and are consumed by firenipson anomemata me monan opsin (Ancient Greek) wash (off) my sins, not only my face (written on the edge of a well in Constantinople: NB the 'ps' is a transcription of the Greek letter ) (Ancient Greek) wash (off) my sins, not only my face (written on the edge of a well in Constantinople: NB the 'ps' is a transcription of the Greek letter )The Finns have three of the world's longest palindromic words:saippuakivikauppias a soapstone seller a soapstone sellersaippuakuppinippukauppias a soap-cup trader a soap-cup tradersolutomaattimittaamotulos the result from a measurement laboratory for tomatoes the result from a measurement laboratory for tomatoes

Getting Around

dalu tongtian, ge zou yi bian (Chinese)the highway comes out of one's mouth

Thumbing it Some rides are free: fara a puttanu (Icelandic) to hitchhike (literally, to travel on the thumb) (Icelandic) to hitchhike (literally, to travel on the thumb)usqar (Khakas, Siberia) to take someone on the back of one's horse (Khakas, Siberia) to take someone on the back of one's horseradif (Persian) one who rides behind another on the same horse (Persian) one who rides behind another on the same hors.e.m.e.nggonceng (Indonesian) to have a free ride usually on a friend's bike (Indonesian) to have a free ride usually on a friend's bikeplomo (Spanish, Central America) a bus pa.s.senger who is just on for the free ride (literally, a lead weight) (Spanish, Central America) a bus pa.s.senger who is just on for the free ride (literally, a lead weight) Others involve money...

ngetem (Indonesian) to stop (of a bus) longer than necessary at unauthorized points along the route to the terminus to look for more paying pa.s.sengers (Indonesian) to stop (of a bus) longer than necessary at unauthorized points along the route to the terminus to look for more paying pa.s.sengersngojek (Indonesian) to earn money by carrying a paying pa.s.senger on the rear seat of one's motorbike (Indonesian) to earn money by carrying a paying pa.s.senger on the rear seat of one's motorbike ... or getting your own transport: essoreuse (French) a noisy motorbike (literally, spindryer) (French) a noisy motorbike (literally, spindryer)Warmwa.s.sergeige (German) a souped-up motorcycle (literally, warm-water violin) (German) a souped-up motorcycle (literally, warm-water violin)teplushka (Russian) a heated goods van used for carrying people (Russian) a heated goods van used for carrying peoplebottom-bottom wata wata (African Creole) a submarine (African Creole) a submarinegung gung chi chuh (Chinese) a bus (Chinese) a busvokzal (Russian) a railway station (named after Vauxhall in London) (Russian) a railway station (named after Vauxhall in London)voiture-balai (French) the last train or bus (literally, broom-vehicle as it sweeps up the latecomers) (French) the last train or bus (literally, broom-vehicle as it sweeps up the latecomers)

Set of wheels One particular form of transport is pre-eminent in the modern world: whether normal, or convertible (spider in Italian), or vintage ( in Italian), or vintage (oldtimer in German). What lets most cars down, however, are the people driving them, be it the in German). What lets most cars down, however, are the people driving them, be it the viande paraguero viande paraguero (Caribbean Spanish), the Sunday driver (literally, an umbrella stand); or the (Caribbean Spanish), the Sunday driver (literally, an umbrella stand); or the Gurtm.u.f.fel Gurtm.u.f.fel (German), someone who doesn't wear a seat belt. Then, of course, there's the way people drive: (German), someone who doesn't wear a seat belt. Then, of course, there's the way people drive: sgasata (Italian) a sudden and violent acceleration (Italian) a sudden and violent accelerationappuyer sur le champignon (French) to put one's foot down (literally, to stamp on the mushroom) (French) to put one's foot down (literally, to stamp on the mushroom)Geisterfahrer (German), a person driving on the wrong side of the road (German), a person driving on the wrong side of the road

Road rage Hazards are all too common, whether in the car...

desgoma.r.s.e (Caribbean Spanish) to have bad tyres (Caribbean Spanish) to have bad tyresulykkesbilen (Danish) an ill-fated car (Danish) an ill-fated carBlechlawine (German) a huge traffic jam (literally, a sheet-metal avalanche) (German) a huge traffic jam (literally, a sheet-metal avalanche)matadero (Spanish, Central America) a car sc.r.a.pheap (literally, a slaughterhouse) (Spanish, Central America) a car sc.r.a.pheap (literally, a slaughterhouse) ... or out of it. The French have the most evocative expressions to describe both the reckless pedestrian viande a pneux viande a pneux, meat for tyres, and the knock suffered by a cyclist l'homme au marteau l'homme au marteau, literally, the man with the hammer.

Apache cars The Apache people of the USA name the parts of cars to correspond to parts of the body. The front b.u.mper is daw daw, the chin or jaw; the front fender is wos wos, the shoulder; the rear fender is gun gun, the arm and hand; the cha.s.sis is chun chun, the back; the rear wheel is ke ke, the foot. The mouth is ze ze, the petrol-pipe opening. The nose is chee chee, the bonnet. The eyes are inda inda, the headlights. The forehead is ta ta, the roof.

The metaphorical naming continues inside. The car's electrical wiring is tsaws tsaws, the veins. The battery is zik zik, the liver. The petrol tank is pit pit, the stomach. The radiator is jisoleh jisoleh, the lung; and its hose, chih chih, the intestine. The distributor is jih jih, the heart.

False friends punk (j.a.panese) flat tyre (j.a.panese) flat tyrechariot (French) trolley (French) trolleyrower (Polish) bicycle (Polish) bicyclefly (Danish) aeroplane (Danish) aeroplaneescape (Portuguese) car exhaust or gas leak (Portuguese) car exhaust or gas leakarrear (Spanish) to drive on (Spanish) to drive onjam (Mongolian) road (Mongolian) road

Running on time The j.a.panese have some fine vocabulary for trains: gaton gaton gaton gaton is an electric train; is an electric train; gotongoton gotongoton describes trains rattling along; describes trains rattling along; shoo shoo po po shoo shoo po po is the sound of a steam train; while is the sound of a steam train; while kang kang kang kang kang kang is the noise of the level crossing. is the noise of the level crossing. Kakekomi-josha Kakekomi-josha describes all too vividly rushing onto a train to beat the closing doors, a common sight on Tokyo's underground. describes all too vividly rushing onto a train to beat the closing doors, a common sight on Tokyo's underground.

On reflection

Separatist Many of the languages around the world are interrelated (for example, Spanish, French and Italian are all Latin languages), but by contrast, 'isolate languages' are those that do not appear to be related to any other at all. Some languages became isolate in historical times, after all their known relatives became extinct; the Piraha language, for example, spoken along a tributary of the Amazon, is the last surviving member of the Mura family of languages. Similar isolates include Burushaski, which is spoken in two Himalayan valleys; the Gilyak and Ket languages of Siberia; and Nivkh, a Mongolian language.The Basque language Euskara is perplexing. It bears no resemblance at all to the languages of its surrounding countries. Some similarities with Georgian have made linguists think it could be related to languages from the Caucasus. Others have tried to relate it to non-Arabic languages from the north of Africa. A more likely hypothesis argues that Euskara developed where it is still spoken and has always been the language of the Basques, who were gradually surrounded by people speaking other unrelated languages.

It Takes All Sorts

gading yang tak retak (Indonesian)there is no ivory that isn't cracked

Tolerant When it comes to personality, some people seem to have been put on the planet to make life easier for everyone else: cooperar (Spanish, Central America) to go along willingly with someone else to one's own disadvantage (Spanish, Central America) to go along willingly with someone else to one's own disadvantageabbozzare (Italian) to accept meekly a far from satisfactory situation (Italian) to accept meekly a far from satisfactory situationilunga (Tshiluba, Congo) someone who is ready to forgive any abuse the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time (Tshiluba, Congo) someone who is ready to forgive any abuse the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time

Flattering Others take things too far: vaseliner (French) to flatter (literally, to apply vaseline) (French) to flatter (literally, to apply vaseline)happobijin (j.a.panese) a beauty to all eight directions (a sycophant) (j.a.panese) a beauty to all eight directions (a sycophant)Radfahrer (German) one who flatters superiors and browbeats subordinates (literally, a cyclist) (German) one who flatters superiors and browbeats subordinates (literally, a cyclist)

Fawning The j.a.panese have the most vivid description for hangers-on: kingyo no funi kingyo no funi. It literally means 'goldfish c.r.a.p' a reference to the way that a fish that has defecated often trails excrement behind it for some time.

Egotists Sweet-talking others is one thing; ma.s.saging your own ego can be another altogether: echa.r.s.e flores (Spanish) to blow your own trumpet (literally, to throw flowers to yourself) (Spanish) to blow your own trumpet (literally, to throw flowers to yourself)il ne se mouche pas du pied (French) he has airs above his station (literally, he doesn't wipe his nose with his foot) (French) he has airs above his station (literally, he doesn't wipe his nose with his foot)yi luan tou shi (Chinese) courting disaster by immoderately overestimating one's own strength (literally, to throw an egg against a rock) (Chinese) courting disaster by immoderately overestimating one's own strength (literally, to throw an egg against a rock)tirer la couverture a soi (French) to take the lion's share, all the credit (literally, to pull the blanket towards oneself) (French) to take the lion's share, all the credit (literally, to pull the blanket towards oneself)

The awkward squad But there are worse horrors than the merely conceited: ataoso (Spanish, Central America) one who sees problems with everything (Spanish, Central America) one who sees problems with everythingkibitzer (Yiddish) one who interferes with unwanted advice (Yiddish) one who interferes with unwanted advicenedovtipa (Czech) one who finds it difficult to take a hint (Czech) one who finds it difficult to take a hintneko-neko (Indonesian) to have a creative idea which only makes things worse (Indonesian) to have a creative idea which only makes things worsemukzib (Persian) one who eggs on or compels another to tell a lie (Persian) one who eggs on or compels another to tell a lieiant (Serbian) an att.i.tude of proud defiance, stubbornness and self-preservation, sometimes to the detriment of everyone else or even oneself (Serbian) an att.i.tude of proud defiance, stubbornness and self-preservation, sometimes to the detriment of everyone else or even oneselfer gibt seinen Senf dazu (German) one who always has something to say even if no one else cares (literally, he brings his mustard along) (German) one who always has something to say even if no one else cares (literally, he brings his mustard along)

Pariah Some people are able to tough it out whatever happens, imposing their faults on others till the day they die. Others are more sensitive: scrostarsi (Italian) to remove oneself as if one were a scab (to move or go away because one's presence is not desired) (Italian) to remove oneself as if one were a scab (to move or go away because one's presence is not desired)ulaia (Hawaiian) to live as a hermit because of disappointment (Hawaiian) to live as a hermit because of disappointmentpanaphelika (Ancient Greek) to be deprived of all playmates (Ancient Greek) to be deprived of all playmates

Lazybones Others like to spend time alone for altogether different reasons: kopuhia (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) someone who disappears instead of dedicating himself to his work (Rapa Nui, Easter Island) someone who disappears instead of dedicating himself to his worklinti (Persian) someone who idles his day away lying under a tree (Persian) someone who idles his day away lying under a treenubie yam (Waali, Ghana) a farmer who points to his farm but does little more (literally, finger farm) (Waali, Ghana) a farmer who points to his farm but does little more (literally, finger farm)gober les mouches (French) to stand by idly (literally, to gulp down flies) (French) to stand by idly (literally, to gulp down flies)zamzama (Arabic) to waft along in a relaxed style (Arabic) to waft along in a relaxed stylegoyang kaki (Indonesian) relaxing and enjoying oneself as problems are sorted out by others (literally, to swing one's legs) (Indonesian) relaxing and enjoying oneself as problems are sorted out by others (literally, to swing one's legs)kalincak-kelinc.o.k (Balinese, Indonesia) the back and forth, here and there or up and down of genuine drifting (Balinese, Indonesia) the back and forth, here and there or up and down of genuine drifting

Otherwise engaged Some take idleness to another level: luftmensch (Yiddish) an impractical dreamer having no definite business or income (Yiddish) an impractical dreamer having no definite business or incomeviajou na maionese (Portuguese) to live in a dream world (literally, to travel in the mayonnaise) (Portuguese) to live in a dream world (literally, to travel in the mayonnaise)nglayap (Indonesian) to wander far from home with no particular purpose (Indonesian) to wander far from home with no particular purposeumudrovat se (Czech) to philosophize oneself into the madhouse (Czech) to philosophize oneself into the madhouse

Situation vacant Given that many outsiders think of the j.a.panese as a nation of workaholics, the language has an unusual number of verbs to describe different states of idleness: boketto boketto is to gaze vacantly into s.p.a.ce without thinking or doing anything; is to gaze vacantly into s.p.a.ce without thinking or doing anything; bosabosa bosabosa is to sit around idly not doing what needs to be done; is to sit around idly not doing what needs to be done; gorogoro gorogoro is to spend time doing nothing (including lolling in a rec.u.mbent position); is to spend time doing nothing (including lolling in a rec.u.mbent position); guzuguzu guzuguzu is to vacillate, procrastinate or to stretch out a job; while is to vacillate, procrastinate or to stretch out a job; while bura-bura bura-bura is to wander around aimlessly, looking at the sights with no fixed destination in mind. is to wander around aimlessly, looking at the sights with no fixed destination in mind.

Manic obsessive No one, as far as we know, died of laziness. Frantic activity, however, is another thing...

Putzfimmel (German) a mania for cleaning (German) a mania for cleaningsamlermani (Danish) a mania for collecting (Danish) a mania for collectingGruebelsucht (German) an obsession in which even the simplest facts are compulsively queried (German) an obsession in which even the simplest facts are compulsively queriedmuwaswas (Arabic) to be obsessed with delusions (Arabic) to be obsessed with delusionspotto (j.a.panese) to be so distracted or preoccupied that you don't notice what is happening right in front of you (j.a.panese) to be so distracted or preoccupied that you don't notice what is happening right in front of you ... and can lead to karoshi karoshi (j.a.panese), death from overwork. (j.a.panese), death from overwork.

The German mindset A distinguishing feature of the German language is its creation of evocative concepts by linking different words together, useful for depicting not just characters but states of mind. Most of us know distinguishing feature of the German language is its creation of evocative concepts by linking different words together, useful for depicting not just characters but states of mind. Most of us know Schadenfreude Schadenfreude (literally, damage joy), which describes what we hardly dare express: that feeling of malicious pleasure in someone else's misfortune. But there are numerous others. We've all had a boss who's suffered from (literally, damage joy), which describes what we hardly dare express: that feeling of malicious pleasure in someone else's misfortune. But there are numerous others. We've all had a boss who's suffered from Betriebsblindheit Betriebsblindheit: organizational blindness; and who has not worked alongside someone who is fisselig fisselig: fl.u.s.tered to the point of incompetence? That very same person could be described as a Korinthenkacker Korinthenkacker: one who is overly concerned with trivial details.

False friends fatal (German) annoying (German) annoyinghardnekkig (Dutch) stubborn (Dutch) stubbornlawman (Aukan, Suriname) crazy person (Aukan, Suriname) crazy personestupido (Portuguese) rude (Portuguese) rudemorbido (Italian) soft, tender (Italian) soft, tenderxerox (French) unoriginal or robotic individual (French) unoriginal or robotic individualextravagans (Hungarian) eccentric (Hungarian) eccentrickonsekvent (Swedish) consistent (Swedish) consistent

Fools and rogues There's a rich stream of invective running through the world's languages when it comes to people we regard as less intelligent than ourselves. The Cantonese equivalent to 'you're as thick as two short planks' is the equally graphic nie hochi yat gau faan gam nie hochi yat gau faan gam, 'you look like a clump of cooked rice', while the German equivalent to 'not quite all there' is nicht alle Ta.s.sen im Schrank haben nicht alle Ta.s.sen im Schrank haben, 'not to have all the cups in the cupboard' (not to have all one's marbles).

Meanwhile the Maoris of the Cook Islands have the telling word varevare varevare, which means 'to be very young and still quite hopeless'.

Schlumps and schleppers When it comes to insults, few languages can compete with Yiddish. In this wonderfully evocative language, a fool can be not just a shmutte shmutte or a or a schlump schlump but a but a nar nar, a tam tam, a tipesh tipesh, a bulvan bulvan, a shoyte shoyte, a peysi peysi, a kuni lemel kuni lemel, a lekish lekish, or even a shmenge shmenge.

Not content with these, the language gets more specific. A loser is a schlepper schlepper, a shmugeggeshnorrer shmugeggeshnorrer, a paskudnik paskudnik, a pisher pisher, a yold yold or even a or even a no-goodnik no-goodnik. A klutz klutz is a clumsy, oafish bungler and a is a clumsy, oafish bungler and a lekish ber schlemiel lekish ber schlemiel is a fool without luck. A fool who is not just stupid but inept is a is a fool without luck. A fool who is not just stupid but inept is a schlimazl schlimazl. A farshpiler farshpiler is one who has lost all his money gambling. The saddest of all is perhaps the is one who has lost all his money gambling. The saddest of all is perhaps the nisrof nisrof, the burnt-out fool.

Other fine insults in Yiddish have included: nebbish a n.o.body a n.o.bodynudnick a yakky, aggressively boring person a yakky, aggressively boring personputz a simpleton a simpletonshlub a clumsy and ill-mannered person a clumsy and ill-mannered personshmegegge a foolish person and a sycophant a foolish person and a sycophantshmendrick a timid nonent.i.ty a timid nonent.i.tyshnook a nice but pathetic gullible person a nice but pathetic gullible person

All talk Worse than the fool is one of those people who occur in every organization on the planet: the buchipluma buchipluma (Caribbean Spanish), the person who promises but doesn't deliver. The same language has a useful verb for the way such people behave: (Caribbean Spanish), the person who promises but doesn't deliver. The same language has a useful verb for the way such people behave: culipanear culipanear, which means to look for excuses for not meeting obligations.

Fibbers Even the infuriating buchipluma buchipluma is surely preferable to the out-right liar. And, as j.a.panese vividly shows, from lying to someone ( is surely preferable to the out-right liar. And, as j.a.panese vividly shows, from lying to someone (nimaijita o tsukau, to use two tongues), it's just a small step to duping (hanage o nuku handy, literally, to pull the hair out of their nostrils) or doublecrossing them (negaeri o utsu, literally, to roll them over while sleeping).

Salt of the earth What a shame that we can't all be uncomplicatedly good: for example, when you're acting with meraki meraki (a Greek word) you're doing something with soul, creativity or love, and putting something of yourself into what you're doing: (a Greek word) you're doing something with soul, creativity or love, and putting something of yourself into what you're doing: tubli (Estonian) orderly, strong, capable, hard-working, persistent, productive, setting an example to others, behaving properly or having will power (Estonian) orderly, strong, capable, hard-working, persistent, productive, setting an example to others, behaving properly or having will powerondinnonk (Iroquoian, USA) the soul's innermost benevolent desires or the angelic parts of human nature (Iroquoian, USA) the soul's innermost benevolent desires or the angelic parts of human nature

Indonesian two in one Indonesian has many words that combine two aspects of character or appearance into a single simple word. So you might well know someone who is ricuh ricuh, that is, chaotic and noisy; pandir pandir, stupid, but innocent and honest; mungil mungil, tiny and pretty; merana merana, lonely and miserable; lencir lencir, slim and tall; bangkot bangkot, old and cantankerous; or klimis klimis, smooth and shiny.

Tall poppies Sweden is a country that not only values the concept of a lack of extremes but even has a word for it lagom lagom. In this society, it's generally not thought to be good to stand out too much. Everything and everyone is supposed to be just lagom lagom which is not to say 'boring', so much as 'not too much and not too little', 'not good and not bad', 'okay', 'just right', 'so-so'. which is not to say 'boring', so much as 'not too much and not too little', 'not good and not bad', 'okay', 'just right', 'so-so'.

So so similar The concept of 'so-so' is found in many languages, and often in a similarly repet.i.tive form: it's tako tako tako tako in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, aixi aixi aixi aixi in Catalan, in Catalan, cosi cosi cosi cosi in Italian, in Italian, wale wale wale wale in Chipewyan (Canada), in Chipewyan (Canada), hanter hanter hanter hanter in Cornish, in Cornish, thik thik thik thik in Gujarati (India), in Gujarati (India), hai hao hai hao in Mandarin, in Mandarin, jako tako jako tako in Polish, in Polish, ithin ithin ithin ithin in Sinhala (Sri Lanka), in Sinhala (Sri Lanka), soyle boyle soyle boyle in Turkish, in Turkish, etsi ketsi etsi ketsi in Greek, in Greek, atal atal atal atal in Occitan (France), in Occitan (France), asina asina asina asina in Asturian (Spain), in Asturian (Spain), elae belae elae belae in Azeri (Azerbaijan) and in Azeri (Azerbaijan) and azoy azoy azoy azoy in Yiddish. in Yiddish.

Happy talk Good or bad, modest or conceited, hard-working or lazy, all of us experience the highs of emotion: tout baigne dans l'huile (French) hunky-dory (literally, everything is bathing in oil) (French) hunky-dory (literally, everything is bathing in oil)ai bu shishou (Chinese) so delighted with something that one can scarcely take one's eyes off it (Chinese) so delighted with something that one can scarcely take one's eyes off itichigo-ichie (j.a.panese) the practice of treasuring each moment and trying to make it perfect (j.a.panese) the practice of treasuring each moment and trying to make it perfectpulaka (Tulu, India) hair that stands on end with ecstasy (Tulu, India) hair that stands on end with ecstasybas-bhualadh (Scottish Gaelic) clapping one's hands from joy or grief (Scottish Gaelic) clapping one's hands from joy or grieftuman (Indonesian) to find something enjoyable and want to have it again (Indonesian) to find something enjoyable and want to have it againmubshar (Persian) to be exhilarated with good news (Persian) to be exhilarated with good newszhuxing (Chinese) to add to the fun (Chinese) to add to the fun

Side-splitting sekaseka (Bemba, Congo and Zambia) to laugh without reason (Bemba, Congo and Zambia) to laugh without reasontergelak (Malay) laughing unintentionally (Malay) laughing unintentionallykatahara itai (j.a.panese) laughing so much that one side of your abdomen hurts (j.a.panese) laughing so much that one side of your abdomen hurts

Enraptured The j.a.panese have particularly wonderful words for the deep joy that can come as a response to beauty: uttori uttori is to be enraptured by the loveliness of something; is to be enraptured by the loveliness of something; aware aware describes the feelings created by ephemeral beauty; describes the feelings created by ephemeral beauty; yoin yoin is the reverberating sensation after the initial stimulus has ceased; while is the reverberating sensation after the initial stimulus has ceased; while yugen yugen goes further, describing an awareness of the universe that triggers feelings too deep and mysterious for words. goes further, describing an awareness of the universe that triggers feelings too deep and mysterious for words.

Down in the dumps The causes of unhappiness are many, varied and not always easy to put your finger on: termangu-mangu (Indonesian) sad and not sure what to do (Indonesian) sad and not sure what to domono-no-aware (j.a.panese) appreciating the sadness of existence (j.a.panese) appreciating the sadness of existenceavoir le cafard (French) to be down in the dumps (literally, to have the c.o.c.kroach) (French) to be down in the dumps (literally, to have the c.o.c.kroach)litost (Czech) the state of torment created by the sudden realization of one's own misery (Czech) the state of torment created by the sudden realization of one's own miserykusat' sebe lokti (Russian) to cry over spilt milk (literally, to bite one's elbows) (Russian) to cry over spilt milk (literally, to bite one's elbows)emakou (Gilbertese, Kiribati) a secret sorrow (Gilbertese, Kiribati) a secret sorrowbel hevi (Tok Pisin, Papua New Guinea) the heavy sinking feeling that often accompanies extreme sadness (literally, belly heavy) (Tok Pisin, Papua New Guinea) the heavy sinking feeling that often accompanies extreme sadness (literally, belly heavy)

Weltschmerz Weltschmerz is another untranslatable German word. It broadly means world-weariness, but carries with it both a sense of sorrow at the evils of the world and a yearning for something better. Aspects of it can be found in the Welsh is another untranslatable German word. It broadly means world-weariness, but carries with it both a sense of sorrow at the evils of the world and a yearning for something better. Aspects of it can be found in the Welsh hiraeth hiraeth, a mingled feeling of sadness, somewhere between homesickness and nostalgia, and the Portuguese saudade saudade, the longing for things that were or might have been. Nostalgia also lies at the heart of the Brazilian Portuguese word banzo banzo, which describes a slave's profound longing for his African homeland.