Re: untranslatable words

[Lucio Agra]

When submitting, please include:

1) the native language the word (or phrase) appears in

Saudade (portuguese)

2) the target language(s) into which it is known to be untranslatable

English

3) as much explanation as you feel is necessary to communicate the

   full meaning of the word, possibly using a standard dictionary

   attempt which fails miserably as a starting point (or not, as you

   see fit)

It turned to be a cliché, but everybody says "saudade" is untranslatable. Sometimes in English it turns to a verbal form - to miss (something or someone). The problem is that to have saudade is to miss someone or something that can be not lost at all. There is a word reputed to be a fair translation in German - "sennsucht" - but it involves the meaning fild of search for something whereas "miss" may mean something that was lost. It is the kind of melancholy you feel when you are far from a place or person you like. But, eventually, you may come back to him/her/it;

On 2/20/06, Dan Waber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

I would like collect examples of words that are untranslatable and
provide a web-based publishing outlet for them to be found.

I am most interested in single words (lacuna) which require phrases,
paragraphs, or pages of explanation to try and give a reasonable
approximation of their full meaning, but am open to considering
anything at all (really, try me) that fits (or answers to, or responds
to) the notion of untranslatability.

When submitting, please include:

1) the native language the word (or phrase) appears in

2) the target language(s) into which it is known to be untranslatable

3) as much explanation as you feel is necessary to communicate the
   full meaning of the word, possibly using a standard dictionary
   attempt which fails miserably as a starting point (or not, as you
   see fit)

or, for submissions that don't fit this idealized set of guidelines, a
brief note explaining your submission's connection to the concept of
untranslatability.

Submissions can be as casual or scholarly as your experience dictates,
the format I'm planning will allow multiple approaches to the same
translation challenge.

Please address submissions to your favorite word, whatever that may
be, at logolalia.com.

When I have a few solid examples to launch with, I'll announce that
it's ready for viewing. When that times comes, the URL will be (but is
not yet) http://www.logolalia.com/untranslatable/

Please circulate this call as widely as possible, to anyone in any
country or field of endeavor who might have examples to share. This is
an open an ongoing call. I will attempt to accommodate all native and
target languages to the best of my abilities.

Regards,
Dan