Serendipity is one of the 10 hardest words to translate from English. Why serendipty? What are the others?

Posted 6 months ago

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edgargeorge

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Thanks, koy! You just sent me on an hour long google search of words that are hard to translate! :) lol!

Very interesting, though...it seems one thing that they might have in common is almost a culturally prescribed emotion or feeling that requires several sentences worth of explanation. Serendipity would be one of those words -- meaning the accidental stumbling upon some situation that brings surprising joy, like finding your one true love in the line for drivers license renewals.

But some of the other words -- like whimsy? I know what that means, surely, but defining it would take some serious thought...and the funniest word on the list was new to me -- "bumf" -- meaning senseless paperwork one must read that is boring, originating from the English word bumfuzzled, or as one source suggested "bumfodder," i.e. toilet paper.

Posted 6 months ago

Other 5 Answers to Serendipity is one of the 10 hardest words to translate from English. Why serendipty? What are the others?

june1999	Posted Jul 12th, 2009 at 7:41AM Serendipity describes a lot of things that my language at least, need about five or six words to translate. I also find difficulties trying to translate subtlety simply because my language has no one word for it. Grace and dignity are the same case, no one word. Rated: +2Vote for this!
mzdivine	Posted Jul 12th, 2009 at 6:28PM S U P E R I C A L I F R A G I S T I C E X P I A L I D O C I O S Rated: +1Vote for this!
OMGMeToo	Posted Jul 12th, 2009 at 8:51AM Let it be noted how often one language will "borrow" a word from another lauguage....because it has a meaning and connotation like no other. Rated: +1Vote for this!
everton13	Posted Jul 12th, 2009 at 5:27AM I just love this word sorry can't help you on the rest of your question. Rated: +1Vote for this!
FredTrellis	Posted Jul 12th, 2009 at 6:40AM Floccinaucinihilipilification. The act or habit of describing or regarding something as worthless. 1741: William Shenstone, Letters, I loved him for nothing so much as his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money. 1970: Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander, There is a systematic flocci-nauci-nihili-pilification of all other aspects of existence that angers me. Rated: +1Vote for this!

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