| Languages develop, evolve and change according to | | | | The German word Backpfeifengesicht is used to |
| the culture and society that they are designed to | | | | describe a face that is just asking to be slapped or |
| describe, such evolution being reflected in the | | | | punched. |
| vocabulary. For example, the original language of a | | | | The Koreans use the word Nunchi to describe an |
| land-locked country may have had no word for 'sea' | | | | innate ability to avoid becoming a Backpfeifengesicht. |
| or 'beach', subsequently "borrowing" suitable words | | | | People without nunchi are those that find it impossible |
| from other tongues. | | | | to sense and thus avoid completely inappropriate |
| As cultures have become better travelled and ever | | | | things to say in social situations. |
| more cosmopolitan, the vocabularies of most | | | | Shlimazl is a Yiddish word that many of us would find |
| languages are, generally speaking, comprehensive | | | | useful to have in the English language. It is used to |
| enough to cover most situations. However, there are, | | | | describe someone who experiences endless bad luck. |
| nevertheless, many foreign words of which there is no | | | | The Japanese words Tatemae and Honne relate to |
| English equivalent and in many cases from which we | | | | each other, the former referring to that which |
| would almost certainly benefit in adding them to the | | | | someone pretends to believe, and the latter referring |
| English vocabulary. | | | | to that which someone actually believes. These are |
| An example of a word that the English language has | | | | particularly useful words, since so much of the tension |
| "borrowed" in recent times is that of the German word | | | | in society arises from the difference between the two. |
| Schadenfreude, which describes taking pleasure from | | | | A word to which everyone can almost certainly relate |
| another's misfortune or pain. Ten further potential loan | | | | is Sgiomlaireachd, a Scottish Gaelic term referring to |
| words and expressions are explained below. | | | | being interrupted at meal times. This describes |
| Bakku-shan is a Japanese word, used to describe a | | | | precisely the situation in which you have just sat down |
| girl that is beautiful only from behind! When that tall, slim | | | | to begin a delicious meal, only to be interrupted by an |
| girl with amazing hair and a perfect figure turns around | | | | infuriating knock at the door or a phone call. |
| to reveal a far from bearable face, this is apparently | | | | Another hatred-inducing event is described by the |
| the word to use. | | | | Pascuense word, Tingo. This means to borrow things |
| The French expression Espirit d'escalier literally means | | | | from your friend until they have absolutely nothing left. |
| "the wit of the staircase", and describes the frustrating | | | | This originates from the fascinating location of Easter |
| moment when you come up with the perfect | | | | Island. |
| comeback but far too late, i.e. when walking down the | | | | Finally, the Portuguese word Desenrascanco would be |
| stairs after you have been shamefully insulted. | | | | particularly helpful if integrated into the English language, |
| Mamihlapinatapai is a Yaghan word, meaning a look | | | | notably in a business context. It describes the art of |
| shared between two people suggesting an unspoken | | | | coming up with a solution or plan at the last possible |
| desire. It may be used to describe the look of longing | | | | minute, without any resources. It literally means |
| shared between two people who are both too shy to | | | | "disentangling" oneself out of a tricky situation. |
| act upon their feelings. | | | | |