The Greeks had a word for it. ...

<http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/books/features/article315207.ece>
Published: 26 September 2005

"Weird and wonderful vocabulary from around the world
How come only German has a word for 'a person who leaves without paying the bill' (Zechpreller) or that Albanians need 27 words for moustache? A compelling new book uncovers the globe's most weird, wonderful - and meaningful - words. John Walsh picks his favourites


"The Greeks had a word for it," we used to say, when stumped for the precise way to describe something. Now, thanks to Adam Jacot de Boinod and his collection of bizarre foreign words, we discover that the Malays, Hawaiians and Sumatrans had, and still have, words for it too. There is a word for the fold of skin under your chin (alang - it's Nicaraguan). There is a word for the ring you put in the nose of a calf in order to stop it suckling its mother (oorxax, and, as you know, it's from the Khakas region of Siberia). There is, thank God, a word that sums up that annoying thing you do when your taxi is 20 minutes late and you're too restless to wait for the doorbell to ring. It's iktsuarpok - "to go outside often to see if someone is coming."

[more ...]

KOSHATNIK Russian
A dealer in stolen cats.

GRILAGEM Brazilian Portuguese
The practice of putting a live cricket into a box of newly faked documents, until the insect's excrement makes the paper look convincingly old.

GULUGULU Tulu, India
The sound of a pitcher filling with water.

MATA EGO Rapa Nui, Easter Island
Eyes that reveal that someone has been crying.

[more ...]

Extracted from 'The Meaning of Tingo' by Adam Jacot de Boinod, published by Penguin Press (www.penguin.co.uk)

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Sal

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Greeks had a word for it. ...
    ... > How come only German has a word for 'a person who leaves without paying ... thanks to Adam Jacot de Boinod ... There is a word for the ring you put in the nose of a calf ...
    (misc.writing)
  • meaning of tingo
    ... I just finished browsing through a book entitled "The Meaaning of Tingo ... and other extraordinary words from around the world'' by Adam Jacot de ... Boinod and was immediately struck by some errors he has committed. ...
    (sci.lang)
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