Descriptive Words From Other Languages

[brahmburgers]

All cultures have their particular colorful expressions and slang, but here are some colorful others:

Kummerspeck (Germany): "Grief bacon" - the weight that you gain by overeating when you’re worried about something.

Attaccabottoni (Italy): A "buttonholer" - someone who corners casual acquaintances or even complete strangers for the purpose of telling them their miserable life stories.

Modré Pondeli (Czech): "Blue Monday" - When you skip coming in to work to give yourself a three-day weekend.

Razbliuto (Russia): The feeling you have for a person you used to love, but don’t anymore.

Shitta (Iran): Leftover dinner that’s eaten for breakfast.

Tartle (Scotland): To momentarily forget the name of the person you’re talking to. The word helps reduce the social embarrassment of such situations: "I’m sorry, I tartled there for a moment."

Pana po’o (Hawaii): To scratch your head in an attempt to remember something you’ve forgotten.

Ngaobera (Easter Island): A sore throat caused by too much screaming.

Backpfeifengesicht (Germany): A face that’s just begging for somebody to put their fist in it.

Papierkrieg (Germany): "Paper war" - bureaucratic paperwork whose only purpose is to block you from getting the refund, insurance payment, or other benefit that you have coming.

Rujuk (Indonesia): To remarry your ex-wife.

Mokita (New Guinea): The truth that everyone knows, but no one will speak about.

Gorrero (Spain, Central America): Someone who never picks up the check.

Fucha (Poland): Using your employer’s time and resources for your own purposes. (Uncle John had never heard of such a thing and wanted to ask around the office if anyone else had, but everyone is still out to lunch.)

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reprinted from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader: World of Odd.

taken from http://www.neatorama.com/2007/11/19/why-do...-word-for-that/

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Brahmburger adds:

Tap sap (Thailand): a word from another language that's become embedded in one's own language.

Butterfly (Thai bar talk): a person who flits from lover to lover.

Hello massad (Thailand): would you like to have a massage (not necessarily addressed to a person named 'Massad').

You wan bee-ah (Thai bar talk): Would you like to spend some money and consider indulging in the forbidden epicurian delights that you've been fantasizing for months about in your home country?