Language and the power of words.
Whilst the English language has over a quarter of million words, some emotions can’t be expressed as aptly as they can be compared to foreign languages.
How about if you are feeling lazy on the weekend and lethargic but nothing is wrong with you apart from feeling disinterested in doing anything? That’s Viitsima in Estonian, you just can’t be bothered.
Or what about that feeling of melancholy, a sense of incompleteness and yearning for something more. That’s Saudade in Portuguese.
Ever feel like the world in on your shoulders? The Germans call that Weltschermz.
Cultures have a unique take on language, mandarin has five different expression for surprise, helping differ what kind of surprise it is.
This helps explain why some people have frustration in expressing their emotions in foreign languages, sometimes there just isn’t the word for it.
It’s an interesting way to understand different cultures, what words do they have that yours don’t that aptly and succinctly explain something we all feel.