Some people like costumes. Some people like to read. Some people like music. Some people like aliens. Some people like winter. Some people like Mardi Gras parades.
As for me, (sung to the tune of “Baby Got Back,” written by Anthony Ray):
I like big words, and I cannot lie
We writers can’t deny
That when we learn a word, it’s not a waste
It’s something we embrace
Years ago, I was watching Jeopardy!, and a young woman on the show mentioned that her grandfather had advised her to learn three, new things every day (3NTED). I admire that immensely, but apparently, I have not been inspired enough to actually take the time to reach the 3NTED goal for myself.
I do love learning new words, though. That’s something I will never get over. Words need to be used properly, of course.
Apparently, there are more than 6500 languages spoken on Plant Earth. Once, there was a man from Pakistan in my Spanish class. He already spoke five different languages (Urdu, English, Hindi, Punjabi, and French). Overachiever! He mentioned how there were often no exact translations between languages for certain words.
Recently, I learned the Japanese word “kuchisabishii.” This word has been translated in English to mean “eating not because you are hungry, but because your mouth is lonely.” Perhaps, the most equivalent English word would be overeating? Overindulging? Things I am often guilty of doing?
Another great Japanese word is “shouganai.” Loosely, that translates to English as “it can’t be helped, so forget about it.” In one word, the Japanese have covered the first line of the Serenity Prayer (whose source is often attributed to American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr):
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
(The serenity prayer is also good advice to keep in mind when reading a judge’s critique on one of your entries in a writing contest. In the words from the song, “The Gambler,” written by Don Schlitz, “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” May God grant us all the discernment to know when to keep our writing as is despite a judge’s comments or when to rewrite in accordance with a judge’s comments).
“Shouganai” reminds me of 2 Cornithians 5:17:
The old is gone, the new is here.
Also, shouganai reminds me of Matthew 6:25:
Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"
There’s also a quote from artist Mary Englebreit which reflects shouganai :
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.
Sometimes, clear translations exist from other languages, even when a word for what is being described may not exist in the English language. Sanpaku is a Japanese word for eyes which have white space above or below the irises. Specifically, yang sanpaku applies to white above the iris, while yin sanpaku refers to white below the irises.
Famous people who have (or had) yin sanpaku eyes are John F. Kennedy, Paul McCartney, Lady Diana, and Abraham Lincoln.
I don’t want to overcomplicate this, but I have not found any examples of yang sangpuka eyes. If you know anyone with those type of eyes, please let me know. Better yet, show me a picture. I want to see what they look like!
Would I ever use the words kuchisabishii, shouganai, or sanpaku in a story I’m writing? That is doubtful, as I write in English, not Japanese. There’s no reason for us to ever overpopulate our craft with such words. Although I would love to visit Japan, I never have, and I do not speak Japanese. Have you been to Japan?
Even so, words from other languages can be fun to learn, especially those words that are unique. There are awesome words from German, Hebrew, Greek, French, and various other languages. Perhaps I will discuss these in future columns. Or am I overestimating other people’s interest in such words?
Do you ever practice learning 3NTED? BTW, overall, acronyms are just as much fun as words from other languages, yes? TTFN.
I’m stuck on the donut bar
I have not been to Japan. However, I was interested in the idea of words not being translatable into another language as I one other language, attempted to learn two more. Good translators are vastly underrated group.