1. Toska
Russian – Vladmir Nabokov describes it best: “No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom.”
2. Mamihlapinatapei
Yagan (indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego) – “the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start” (Altalang.com)
3. Jayus
Indonesian – “A joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh” (Altalang.com)
4. Iktsuarpok
Inuit – “To go outside to check if anyone is coming.” (Altalang.com)
5. Litost
Czech – Milan Kundera, author ofThe Unbearable Lightness of Being, remarked that “As for the meaning of this word, I have looked in vain in other languages for an equivalent, though I find it difficult to imagine how anyone can understand the human soul without it.” The closest definition is a state of agony and torment created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery.
6. Kyoikumama
Japanese – “A mother who relentlessly pushes her children toward academic achievement” (Altalang.com)
7. Tartle
Scottish – The act of hestitating while introducing someone because you’ve forgotten their name. (Altalang.com)
8. Ilunga
Tshiluba (Southwest Congo) – A word famous for its untranslatability, most professional translators pinpoint it as the stature of a person “who is ready to forgive and forget any first abuse, tolerate it the second time, but never forgive nor tolerate on the third offense.” (Altalang.com)
9. Prozvonit
Czech – This word means to call a mobile phone and let it ring once so that the other person will call back, saving the first caller money. In Spanish, the phrase for this is “Dar un toque,” or, “To give a touch.” (Altalang.com)
10. Cafuné
Brazilian Portuguese – “The act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair.” (Altalang.com)
11. Schadenfreude
German – Quite famous for its meaning that somehow other languages neglected to recognize, this refers to the feeling of pleasure derived by seeing another’s misfortune. I guess “America’s Funniest Moments of Schadenfreude” just didn’t have the same ring to it.
12. Torschlusspanik
German – Translated literally, this word means “gate-closing panic,” but its contextual meaning refers to “the fear of diminishing opportunities as one ages.” (Altalang.com)
13. Wabi-Sabi
Japanese – Much has been written on this Japanese concept, but in a sentence, one might be able to understand it as “a way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully the natural cycle of growth and decay.” (Altalang.com)
14. Dépaysement
French – The feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country.
15. Tingo
Pascuense (Easter Island) – Hopefully this isn’t a word you’d need often: “the act of taking objects one desires from the house of a friend by gradually borrowing all of them.” (Altalang.com)
16. Hyggelig
Danish – Its “literal” translation into English gives connotations of a warm, friendly, cozy demeanor, but it’s unlikely that these words truly capture the essence of a hyggelig; it’s likely something that must be experienced to be known. I think of good friends, cold beer, and a warm fire. (Altalang.com)
17. L’appel du vide
French – “The call of the void” is this French expression’s literal translation, but more significantly it’s used to describe the instinctive urge to jump from high places.
18. Ya’aburnee
Arabic – Both morbid and beautiful at once, this incantatory word means “You bury me,” a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person because of how difficult it would be to live without them.
19. Duende
Spanish – While originally used to describe a mythical, spritelike entity that possesses humans and creates the feeling of awe of one’s surroundings in nature, its meaning has transitioned into referring to “the mysterious power that a work of art has to deeply move a person.” There’s actually a nightclub in the town of La Linea de la Concepcion, where I teach, named after this word. (Altalang.com)
20. Saudade
Portuguese – One of the most beautiful of all words, translatable or not, this word “refers to the feeling of longing for something or someone that you love and which is lost.” Fado music, a type of mournful singing, relates to saudade. (Altalang.com)
[Source]
May 2012
Miss VanSlyk, I am happy to let you out on one condition: whatever it is you may catch will stay outside.
Ples opened the door and let the black cat out.
Matthew, same conditions apply if you want to go in the garden.
Mrrrr… *pads out after Eni*
Enigma had changed her mind about going out. Ples watched her with indifference; that was a cat’s nature. Would Matthew come back in…?
*stands halfway in the doorway to watch Matt*
*looks confused, then pads back after her*
…Y-you are both welcome to stay, but…I’m n-not sure what you need from me.
Ples decided to leave it at that; both Enigma and Matt were adults and since they were cats for the time being, he was sure that they would show up if they needed something. He went back to his office upstairs to complete more paperwork, ticking happily, knowing that there were a few other people in the house.
Abel had contacted him. So had Casimiro.
Ples didn’t realize that making new friends also meant making enemies with friends of a friend. Abel had been much friendlier than Casimiro, but it was obvious what he was trying to do.
The ticking man decided to lay low; if he was causing trouble to Avery and Odette, somehow upsetting their pre-existing relationships then…well, he really didn’t have a place in things, did he?
It wasn’t a new sensation. But…the part where it felt like he might never feel it again had felt new.
He sat down in the big chair next to Sage and ticked.
*follows Matthew off Ples’ lap and gallops down the stairs, tail swishing*
Once everyone made it downstairs, Ples went into the kitchen and refilled the two bowls.
J-just…let me know if you want to go outside.
*plops down to drink the cream*
*sits in front of the door, tail swishing and looking back at Ples to be let out*
Miss VanSlyk, I am happy to let you out on one condition: whatever it is you may catch will stay outside.
Ples opened the door and let the black cat out.
Matthew, same conditions apply if you want to go in the garden.
Mrrrr… *pads out after Eni*
Enigma had changed her mind about going out. Ples watched her with indifference; that was a cat’s nature. Would Matthew come back in…?
*follows Matthew off Ples’ lap and gallops down the stairs, tail swishing*
Once everyone made it downstairs, Ples went into the kitchen and refilled the two bowls.
J-just…let me know if you want to go outside.
*plops down to drink the cream*
*sits in front of the door, tail swishing and looking back at Ples to be let out*
Miss VanSlyk, I am happy to let you out on one condition: whatever it is you may catch will stay outside.
Ples opened the door and let the black cat out.
Matthew, same conditions apply if you want to go in the garden.
- Veser: PLES. LIFE DECISIONS. HELP ME MAKE THEM.
- Ples Tibenoch: OBVIOUSLY, I MAKE GOOD LIFE DECISIONS.
*purrs, content to eat later and get scratches now*
Ples, thoroughly confused at what to do, decided to give an ultimatum:
All right, I am going to stand up. You are both free to either A) Get off my lap and walk about or B) Hop up on to my shoulder and hitch a ride (no claws, please). I am going downstairs. Those who wish to either drink or go outside to hunt should follow me.
Ples gingerly stood up and carefully made his way downstairs.
*starts to slide down Ples’ legs and lands with a plop on the ground before mewing and weaving around the ticking man’s legs*
*follows Matthew off Ples’ lap and gallops down the stairs, tail swishing*
Once everyone made it downstairs, Ples went into the kitchen and refilled the two bowls.
J-just…let me know if you want to go outside.
I-I’m w-well, Mister Fleischer-Jareds. A-and yourself?
Tiben cackled.
So, you’re the leader for this one? Fine. Let’s play.
He didn’t mind playing second fiddle to a nine year old kid; he knew Larry wasn’t really nine. Or a kid. The other man looked around for something that he could use to bludgeon someone over the head with, but decided that maybe he would do it barehanded - like he used to. He was 37, after all. Not old.
Larry grinned and along laughed with him, “‘Course, you got to lead last time, its only fair if I get to pick the game this time” he skipped happily into the park but as they got further in he got a little more serious, his steps a little more even and quieter, the only thing that didn’t get a little softer was his grin, as the end of the park was in sight he pointed off to a dark street, “Go hide there~ I’ll go find us a seeker, do you need a branch for the pinata or can you use your hands?” the aching was getting worse but he kept ignoring it
The other man silently walked alongside the enthusiastic little boy, slightly disappointed that hand-holding was not part of this outing. At Larry’s query, he smiled and wiggled his fingers.
There’s life in these hands yet. I can do it; it will just take a few blows to the back of the head.
He walked off to the other end of the street; constantly aware of his surroundings.
Hand holding was an activity for after they succeeded in their game, a reward for winning the game. A game that seemed to be getting even harder to follow along to, the pain in his head got worse and worse the closer he got to his goal, but it didn’t stop him, he’d spotted his playmate, for now he was ready to move.
Twisting his leg as if having trouble walking, (the more pathetic he looked the easier this was), he limped over to a part of the park where he heard footsteps and held his eyes open until tears started coming out like a good little actor. The owner of the footsteps was a jogger taking advantage of the emptiness of the evening who upon seeing the apparently injured frightened little boy stopped and asked what was wrong, with a whimper he reached up and tugged on the man’s sleeve, leading him to where Ples was hiding without a hitch.
But that would be a lie
“what are you doing stop, this is wrong and you know it”Larry’s eye twitched at the sudden intrusion in his mind but he didn’t stop, still keeping up his pathetic little boy act as he lead the man to his doom
“Why do you think that’s going to make me stop?”
“I don’t… I think this will”there was a high pitched noise in his head that made the ache even worse, it felt as if his ears were going to explode, damnit, it was he same trick he pulled on Luce when he wouldn’t listen, he had almost forgotten the third occupant was even fucking there, when had he been paying attention long enough to learn that? It didn’t matter, he was still going to play his game.He led the unknowing man into the alley
The other man was nowhere, until he was at the man’s back. Bringing his two hands together, a fist cradled by the other, he struck at the back of the man’s head. Again. And again. And again. He had fallen by now, so Tiben administered some well-placed kicks. The man was well and truly out by now. The other man looked at Larry expectantly.