Hard to translate emotions

During these trying times, support from others is always greatly appreciated. Following is a selection from what Psychology Today’s September/October issue called “gifts of insight into what it means to be human”. (Found as a sidebar to the article “A World of Emotions” by Dr. Marianna Pogosyan, lecturer in cultural psychology at the University of Amsterdam’s Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics college in The Netherlands, “The Untranslatables”.)

These expressions are paraphrased, modified somewhat by the undersigned, not the translation but in meaning, with thanks for their publication, respecting copyright, acknowledging where they first appeared. Quotation marks denote direct translation, as provided in the original.

• From Armenian: Tsavd tanem “Let me take away your pain”. Said to show that one cares about the other.

• From Dutch: Gezellig adj. A shared intimate experience, somewhat like mõnus in Estonian, which is an enjoyable, pleasurable feeling in common.

• From Zulu: Ubuntu noun. Kindness due to a common humanity.

• From Norwegian: Hygge noun; also hyggelig adjective. Deep friendship, contentment and warmth.

• From Danish: Arbejsglæde noun. “Work gladness”, a deep satisfaction from something well done.

• From Thai: Kreng-jai noun. “Deferential heart”. The desire to not trouble others, considering their feelings and not wishing to burden them with one’s own.

• From German Waldeinsamkeit adj. The feeling endgendered by a solitary walk in the woods.

From personal experience, being able to utter such words to others in their native language is of great use in forming bonds and indicating that necessary quality of understanding our shared predicament. Especially so when words in a shared language (English) sometimes are insufficient.

TÕNU NAELAPEA