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Welcome to Free Word. Interested in exploring the political and cultural power of words? Join us at an upcoming event or read about the themes we explore.
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Gigil (Filipino) – The irresistible urge to pinch or squeeze something cute.
Neidbau (German) – A building constructed with the sole purpose of inconveniencing a neighbour in some way.
Oppholdsvær (Norwegian) – The weather when it's not raining; a dry spell.
Qualunquismo (Italian) – Apathy and indifference towards politics.
Tartle (Scottish) – The act of hesitating on forgetting someone’s name.
Uitwaaien (Dutch) – Literally ‘to walk in the wind’: to take a brief break outside to clear one’s head.
Sehnsucht (German) – A sense of longing. A nostalgia for something that can still happen – (a concept loved by German Idealist philosophers).
Zhaghzhagh (Persian) – Chattering of the teeth.
Waldeinsamkeit (German) – The feeling of being peacefully alone in the woods.
Kummerspeck (German) – “Grief Bacon”, or the weight you put on from comfort eating.
с легким паром / s legkim parom – (Russian) “With a light steam”: a friendly remark made to someone who's just come from the bath.
Hiraeth (Welsh) – Homesickness for a place you can never return to, or that never was.
风韵 / fengyun (Chinese) – “Wind sound”, or (a woman's) charm.
Like these? See more of our favourite untranslatable words.
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We’re always looking for more words to add to our collection: beautiful words, sad words, untranslatable words, words that make you angry and words that make you smile – tweet your favourites to @freewordcentre and we'll help them spread.
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If you missed any part of International Translation Day 2017, then you can find recordings and some notes from many of the day's sessions here.
How translated works push the boundaries with language and form | The Impossible Fairy Tale by Han Yujoo | Translated by Janet Hong | Reviewed by Alex Duffy, English Literature Work Placement
Acclaimed poet, editor and translator, Stephen Watts, shares his views on the art and power of co-translation.