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Do You Have A Favourite Word, Increase Our Vocabulary? (Any Language.)

+3 votes
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One of my (currently) favourite words is this one from the German language, it is KUMMERSPECK. English has NO direct equivalent, it means the weight you gain because you overeat when you are sad, bored, or depressed. Kummerspeck is actually a compound word, direct translation grief bacon!

4 Answers

+3 votes
by

How about Backpfeifengesicht ?

That's a cheeky face that you just want to slap... hard.  :D

by

Lol, T(h)ink, that reminds much of

"tête à claques" (synonym: tête à gifles)

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/t%C3%AAte_%C3%A0_claques

and a synonym for "Backpfeifengesicht" is "Ohrfeigengesicht"

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Backpfeifengesicht

https://de.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ohrfeigengesicht

:):D

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Well O'Tink :D, you and Marianne are valiant advocates for the depth, subtlety and expressiveness of the English language...but really now ;), what kind of language could English be with NO parallel expression for Backpfeifengesicht ???

I even had fun playing with the pronunciation a few times...now all I need to do is work it into daily conversation somehow, yes my vocabulary is DEFINITELY improved with such words as Backpfeifengesicht !!!

by

Lol, Virginia, and you can find "Backpfeifengesicht" in the Urban Dictionary:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Backpfeifengesicht

:D

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Oh no, Marianne!!! My computer has ALWAYS been able to open the Urban Dictionary, but it seems the Urban Dictionary has modernized and upgraded now because I could not open this link....:angry:  :blink:  :(  <3...horrors!  :O  What will I do now, if the great UD is no longer accessible (sniff) ?

by

Oh, that is too bad, did you try with another word, just to make sure that you have really no access?

Maybe that Dan and Rooster can help.


I am trying this one:

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Urban%20Dictionary%20Mug

by

Yes Marianne, I tried a few 'back doors' to see if I could get into Urban Dictionary; same result, a gray screen comes with the message that "Safari is unable to establish a secure connection with the server." 

That is the same message that often comes up with other sites, so I am quite certain it is caused by my old, outdated browser....and unable to update.

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Virginia, that is really too bad, still, it might be useful to ask Dan and Rooster for advice.

+3 votes
by

May I propose two words:


Esperluette (l'esperluette, n. m.) : ampersand

image


Hirondelle (l'hirondelle, n. f.) : swallow

image

by

Oh yes Marianne, I am just fainting away here with delight...definitely in love with esperluette (even though ampersand has its own beauty), and the whole field of ornithology ratchets up a few notches when the beauty of swallows is rendered into HIRONDELLE .... lovely!

by

Lol, Virginia, each language has its poetic and funny words.

For face ("mug"), a funny synonym is "margoulette" or "bouille"

http://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/margoulette

https://en.bab.la/dictionary/french-english/bouille

and that leads to slight, often easily confusing similar "words" with other meanings, like

brouille (adding an r to bouille)

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/brouille

or

bouillon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouillon_(broth)

brouillon - http://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/brouillon

further:

bouillie - http://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/bouillie

brouillard - http://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/brouillard


And that reminds of the formerly mentioned System D (débrouille, débrouiller, débrouillardise, ...)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_D

:):)

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Marianne, the Google translate gives 'margoulette,' as DROOL !!!

As I know you more, I am finding that not only are you a wonderful polyglot, you truly enjoy all the nuances of the various languages...:P  ;)  <3

by

Lol, Virginia, I have still a lot to learn or to refresh.

"Margoulette" is based on ancient words, but was probably coined during the XVIIIth century.

It refers to face, jaw, muzzle, figure, etc. - and I don't remember that it was or is considered as drool (in the sense of lubricious) - unless you refer to muzzle, and even then, it is more related to fights (in which it gets injured), eating, looks, etc.; I am afraid that these automatic on-line translations are not so perfect; you'd better refer to the known on-line dictionaries and compare their definitions.

:)<3:)

+3 votes
by

Lepotica

beautiful woman on Serbian language 

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Oh Kninjanin, that is a WONDERFUL word, I am so glad to know about it!

Lepotica reminds me of English/Latin LEPIDOPTERA, which is a word for butterfly...<3

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Lol, Virginia - me too. Besides the beauty of Lepidoptera, the butterfly family, there is also the cuteness of shy Leporidae (family of rabbits and hares).

:)<3

Kninjanin: an interesting, charming word, which reflects, somehow, the charming Slavic people.

https://en.pons.com/translate/slovenian-english/lepotica

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Oh Marianne yes! Fascinating...I loved Lepotica as soon as I saw it ...I agree, the charm of the Slavic people...

Kninjanin, I love your word this is SO much fun...

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Lol, Virginia, I have flooded you with a series of words, and I enjoy sharing impressions with my friends ...

:)<3

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Yay for beautiful words, and Yay for beautiful online friends!

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I can't but agree, Virginia.

<3<3<3

+2 votes
by

Think maybe I best stay out of this one. Most of the foreign words I learned were slang at best! LOL. So I'll just go with FUBAR for right now.

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Oh Rooster, I am laughing with delight at FUBAR...I love it, it's been one of my favourites ever since I learned it AND I learned it from you!

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