What Is Your Favorite Word? (INTERNATIONAL EDITION!)

[emmaki]

I was just messing about with some Greek grammar and I wondered what your favorite word was in your language.

I quite like “to besmirch”, a verb (“you besmirched me!”) that means harm/damage. So, maybe next time you issue a complaint about a lying crappy buyer/seller, you could say “I was besmirched, besmirched, I tell you!”

So I want to hear weird words in other languages with examples of contemporary usage (and English translations I guess).

The world gets a little smaller when we share 🙂

[emmaki]

I will also accept interesting dialectical phrases. Basically, show me the weird and wonderful phrases of your language (and if no direct translation, literal is good!)

[writer99025]

There are plenty I know in Hindi and Kannada (my language) which I will share later when I am free.

[emmaki]

I’m going offline for my daily beauty sleep soon eyelash flutter, but please do! I read recently that India 100 years ago was incredibly diverse when it came to languages, but many have died out. I can’t post the link as it was just something I read and I can’t remember where it was, but the link also didn’t source this claim. So if you can shed light on that, that would be awesome too.

[fonthaunt]

One of my favorite words is “Gazebo.” What it means is okay and all, but I just like the way it sounds. I was delighted when someone showed me this video after I told them I loved the word. I can’t remember if this video is entirely “safe for work” but it’s very funny and about words. Edit (I just re-watched it and it’s pretty safe.):

A favorite phrase used in my region which is certainly not grammatically correct is “I’m fixin to.” I love it and use it a lot. Literally it’s still just “I’m fixing to” although no one here says it like that. “Fixin” rhymes with vixen. (That’s a fun word too!) When you say it, though, it means “I am about to do that” as in, “quit asking, I’m fixin to take out the trash!”

[fitrigwrites4u]

There is this saying in Hungarian: ˝Kinek nem inge ne vegye magára˝. If it is translated word by word (literally) means if it is not your shirt don´t put it on. But it actually means if it is not about you, don´t take it personal (don´t make it as your problem). So whatever people say about you, if it is not true then just don´t bother.

[misscrystal]

I like the word “rural” because I almost can’t pronounce it. I like the British phrase “bloody h***”. Also vis a vis.

[theratypist]

I’m fascinated by the word “Merde” – It’s French! 😉

[zeus777]

I like the word " ichigeki hissatsu" in Japanese which means something like
"to kill in one blow."
I guess back then it was used when the samurais made sure to end their enemies’ lives in one blow, but nowadays it’s more like “give it your best shot.” or “knock 'em dead.” 😛

[markp]

schadenfreude…

[emmaki]

Speaking of German, we should have a “longest word” competition. No scientific/chemical words allowed.

Antidisestablishmentarianism? Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?

Here’s a nice German one I just found:

Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz
(Cattle marking and beef labeling supervision duties delegation law–sexy!)

[eoinfinnegan]

My favorite word while I was growing up was “Focal” (Irish/Gaelic) which means “word”.
The fun was in the pronunciation, fuk-al.

[emmaki]

Another subcategory! Funny place names. There’s just too many in the UK for me to recount here, so here’s a Google image search. Some fruity language included.

https://www.google.gr/search?q=funny+uk+place+names&newwindow=1&espv=2&rlz=1C1CAFA_enGR619GR619&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj4mKijucjLAhXMuBoKHcCqAwgQsAQIKg&biw=1600&bih=799

[misscrystal]

Funny town names in USA:
Intercourse Pennsylvania
Boring Oregon
Truth or Consequences New Mexico
Hell Michigan
Cool California
Uncertain Texas
Carefree ARizona
Last Chance Idaho
Accident Maryland
Normal Illinois

[theratypist]

Haha, Mads. “Uncertain Texas” @fonthaunt

[writer99025]

These are for real? LOL

[fonthaunt]

I haven’t been there, but I’ve been to Truth and Consequences, NM!

I’ve also been to these Texas towns:

Muleshoe
Happy
Runaway Bay
Farmersville
Megargle

🙂

[fonthaunt]

Oh. My parents went to Hell for a day trip during a cruise. It wasn’t Hell, Michigan, though. It was in Mexico I think. They made it back to the ship fine after sending me a postcard from Hell.

[fonthaunt]

@writer99025 Yes! After you visit those, get directions from our UK friends and go check out the place in Wales called:
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
Yes, it’s a real location too!

[coder2]

“greek”

[misscrystal]

Uncertain Texas got it’s name when the new town applied for town status from the State of Texas and since they had not yet decided on a name for the town, in the application where it said Name Of Town they put “uncertain”.