I wish English had a word for this!

The best topics from Languages & Linguistics, kept on a permanent basis.
User avatar
Herr Dunkel
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: In this multiverse or another

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Herr Dunkel »

I'd say that "and" and "so" would be of a more apt connotation.
sano wrote:
To my dearest Darkgamma,
http://www.dazzlejunction.com/greetings/thanks/thank-you-bear.gif
Sincerely,
sano

Astraios
Sumerul
Sumerul
Posts: 2974
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:38 am
Location: Israel

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Astraios »

You think that only because they use a more similar intonation pattern to na und (i.e. rising). So what doesn't use that intonation all the time, but it certainly can, and even when it doesn't, it's still perfectly interchangeable with and and so.

User avatar
Herr Dunkel
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: In this multiverse or another

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Herr Dunkel »

That much I agree with.
sano wrote:
To my dearest Darkgamma,
http://www.dazzlejunction.com/greetings/thanks/thank-you-bear.gif
Sincerely,
sano

Astraios
Sumerul
Sumerul
Posts: 2974
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:38 am
Location: Israel

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Astraios »

So you agree that na und = so what. Good.

User avatar
Herr Dunkel
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: In this multiverse or another

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Herr Dunkel »

Astraios wrote:So you agree that na und = so what. Good.
Good =/= desireable
sano wrote:
To my dearest Darkgamma,
http://www.dazzlejunction.com/greetings/thanks/thank-you-bear.gif
Sincerely,
sano

User avatar
Jipí
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1128
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2003 1:48 pm
Location: Litareng, Keynami
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Jipí »

"So what?" is a perfectly suitable translation for "Na und?" It's commonly used in the same contexts in the same way.

(I say this as a native speaker of German, which you definitely aren't, DG. Not even of Upper Bavarian.)

User avatar
Herr Dunkel
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1088
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: In this multiverse or another

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Herr Dunkel »

Jipí wrote:"So what?" is a perfectly suitable translation for "Na und?" It's commonly used in the same contexts in the same way.

(I say this as a native speaker of German, which you definitely aren't, DG. Not even of Upper Bavarian.)
And, what, you're going to say I'm Saxon or something now?
sano wrote:
To my dearest Darkgamma,
http://www.dazzlejunction.com/greetings/thanks/thank-you-bear.gif
Sincerely,
sano

User avatar
brandrinn
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 575
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:59 pm
Location: Seoul
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by brandrinn »

FYI: L&L Museum does not get pruned. Please do not fill it with useless posts.
[quote="Nortaneous"]Is South Africa better off now than it was a few decades ago?[/quote]

hoelzro
Niš
Niš
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:44 pm

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by hoelzro »

I'm a native speaker of English, but I often lament the absence of the word "doch" in the language. I also wish English had single words for "the day before yesterday" and "the day after tomorrow" like German and Dutch do.

I feel like there should be a "Concepts/Words Not In English" category on Wikipedia...

User avatar
Jipí
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1128
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2003 1:48 pm
Location: Litareng, Keynami
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Jipí »

hoelzro wrote:I also wish English had single words for "the day before yesterday" and "the day after tomorrow" like German and Dutch do.
Ereyester and overmorrow … ~

BTW, does Hindi expand its 'today ± 1' + FUT/PST for 'tomorrow/yesterday' resp. to the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday, too?

User avatar
ná'oolkiłí
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 188
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 5:23 pm

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by ná'oolkiłí »

In Georgian there's:
გუშინწინ / gušinc̣in / the day before yesterday
გუშინ / gušin / yesterday
დღეს / dğes / today
ხვალ / xval / tomorrow
ზეგ / zeg / the day after tomorrow
მაზეგ / mazeg / the day after the day after tomorrow

User avatar
installer_swan
Sanci
Sanci
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 10:47 am
Location: Hic
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by installer_swan »

Jipí wrote:
hoelzro wrote:I also wish English had single words for "the day before yesterday" and "the day after tomorrow" like German and Dutch do.
Ereyester and overmorrow … ~

BTW, does Hindi expand its 'today ± 1' + FUT/PST for 'tomorrow/yesterday' resp. to the day after tomorrow and the day before yesterday, too?
Yes. परसों = +/- 2 days. Not just that, we also have नरसों = +/- 3 days.
..- ... ..- --.- .. .-. --- -..-

User avatar
Torco
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 2372
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:45 pm
Location: Santiago de Chile

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Torco »

hoelzro wrote:I'm a native speaker of English, but I often lament the absence of the word "doch" in the language. I also wish English had single words for "the day before yesterday" and "the day after tomorrow" like German and Dutch do.

I feel like there should be a "Concepts/Words Not In English" category on Wikipedia...
we have anteayer and pasado respectively... maybe it's possible to import the latter into English ? [p@s@4oU] ?

User avatar
Rui
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 541
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:14 pm
Location: Beiʒing 拆那

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Rui »

installer_swan wrote: Yes. परसों = +/- 2 days. Not just that, we also have नरसों = +/- 3 days.
Yep, German also has vorvorgestern and überübermorgen if you really need them. I think it's productive, too. Though undoubtedly very rare, at that point more general time phrases would be used.

User avatar
Jipí
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1128
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2003 1:48 pm
Location: Litareng, Keynami
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Jipí »

Chibi wrote:
installer_swan wrote: Yes. परसों = +/- 2 days. Not just that, we also have नरसों = +/- 3 days.
Yep, German also has vorvorgestern and überübermorgen if you really need them. I think it's productive, too. Though undoubtedly very rare, at that point more general time phrases would be used.
That's right, but they're basically restricted to spoken language and formed by analogy from normal vorgestern (before-yesterday) and übermorgen (over-tomorrow).

How do par(a?)soṃ and nar(a?)soṃ break down, though, since they've got the -soṃ element in common?

User avatar
Whimemsz
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 690
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 4:56 pm
Location: Gimaamaa onibaaganing

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Whimemsz »

Torco wrote:
hoelzro wrote:I'm a native speaker of English, but I often lament the absence of the word "doch" in the language. I also wish English had single words for "the day before yesterday" and "the day after tomorrow" like German and Dutch do.

I feel like there should be a "Concepts/Words Not In English" category on Wikipedia...
we have anteayer and pasado respectively... maybe it's possible to import the latter into English ? [p@s@4oU] ?
It would have to be something more like /pəˈsɑdoʊ/ = [pʰəˈsɑːɾoʊ] (for GA)

User avatar
Zontas
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 189
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Menulis, Miestas, Pragaras

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Zontas »

Mosquito "repellant" isn't actually repelling you from them. It actually hides you from them by blocking out their senses. We need a word for this phenomenon, if there isn't one already.

Also, pronouns that distinguish between direct object and indirect object, tertiary indicative distinction, plural second person pronouns reinstated into the language, exclusive "we", a term for unknown gender (pronoun), and some it object form(s); if no one has mentioned these already.
Hey there.

User avatar
Gulliver
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 433
Joined: Mon May 05, 2003 2:58 pm
Location: The West Country
Contact:

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Gulliver »

Helios wrote:Mosquito "repellant" isn't actually repelling you from them. It actually hides you from them by blocking out their senses. We need a word for this phenomenon, if there isn't one already.
Masquito or mosquerade. No, the latter sounds like you're setting up sham mosques.

Wattmann
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 352
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2012 4:50 am

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Wattmann »

Sehnsucht is a neat non-English word, for which plenty papers've been written.
Alternative: second meal of the day, taken during the night (it's silly to call it lunch, and it's def not a dinner!)
Warning: Recovering bilingual, attempting trilinguaility. Knowledge of French left behind in childhood. Currently repairing bilinguality. Repair stalled. Above content may be a touch off.

User avatar
Zontas
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 189
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Menulis, Miestas, Pragaras

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Zontas »

Wattmann wrote:Sehnsucht is a neat non-English word, for which plenty papers've been written.
Alternative: second meal of the day, taken during the night (it's silly to call it lunch, and it's def not a dinner!)
Linner? Dunch??

Also, how about a word cognate (with derivatives akin to "know") to German wissen? Maybe we can just modify "wit", because that's the closest I could come working backward with German and English sound changes.
Hey there.

Astraios
Sumerul
Sumerul
Posts: 2974
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:38 am
Location: Israel

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Astraios »

Wattmann wrote:Alternative: second meal of the day, taken during the night (it's silly to call it lunch, and it's def not a dinner!)
If you're having a meal at night it's either a midnight snack, a midnight feast, or supper. What number meal it is doesn't matter.

User avatar
Melteor
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 229
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 3:26 pm

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Melteor »

Re: Op

Mathematics jargon has a word for this but no one is going to know what you're talking about. Have you ever heard, "To the n-th degree"? 'n-th' is the word you want. It's like whatth, but you can't use it interrogatively, you have to sort of make a Jeopardy statement with it. "You were n-th in line? I mean, like fifth, sixth, etc.?" "I was fifth." "Oh ok."

Or just ask where in in line. Yeah, that.

If its car ownership you could literally ask where he is in line of ownership. Keywords being where and line.

Magb wrote:
linguoboy wrote:So far, slesk is sounding extremely close to the ordinary slang application of English "slick". A slick song, a slick person, a very slick manoeuvre--all have connotations similar to what you're describing in the register I'm most familiar with.
I figured it would sound that way from my description. Well, in my mind there's some crucial difference between the two words, but since I can't put my finger on what it is it's likely that it is, in fact, just in my mind.
It seems like an aesthetic difference because you can usually substitute smooth for slick. Slick is usually a little sarcastic. In Massachusetts the word they use is "wicked" and for people who are suckers, "tools". I think that gets at what you're talking about a little better, and it just reinforces everyone's opinion of Massholes.

Helios wrote:Mosquito "repellant" isn't actually repelling you from them. It actually hides you from them by blocking out their senses. We need a word for this phenomenon, if there isn't one already.

Also, pronouns that distinguish between direct object and indirect object, tertiary indicative distinction, plural second person pronouns reinstated into the language, exclusive "we", a term for unknown gender (pronoun), and some it object form(s); if no one has mentioned these already.
Wait, how exactly does it work? Do they stop seeing infrared because they're poisoned? Is it like a flashbang? Or is it oversaturating or overpowering their noses?

For the exclusive 'we' I like Bislama's pronoun system, it's totally badass and cagey, they can talk about a crowd of people with their pronoun system. I propose 'guys' as the suffix meaning more than three, so for inclusive it would be "You, me, guys" = Youmeguys. The guys would come from addressing a crowd (i.e. Guys, lets go in, get out quick!), in this case it would be extended to just imply there are several people involved to the hearer(s). Pretty awesome huh?

din wrote:
Eccentric Iconoclast wrote:Well, we do have 'uh-uh', which I don't know if it can be considered a word or not, but it exists. :P
But you can't say "He uh-uh did that!" :D
You can use emphasis on the verb 'to do', and negate it for the opposite, but it still isn't quite as good
For negative statements I would usually say something like "Does to!" or "Is to!" ie. "Unicorns aren't real/ don't exist." "Do to!"
If its negative, well, better than Uh-uh have Nuh-uh! For some reason I think of sassy girls saying these...I think 'si' would be a pretty good word for English to absorb, but these 2 syllable "things" work fine enough.

User avatar
Pole, the
Smeric
Smeric
Posts: 1606
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:50 am

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Pole, the »

How is this called: the situation where everything is in the right quantity, not too much, not too little?
The closest approximations would be balance, harmony.
Has English more accurate word for it?
The conlanger formerly known as “the conlanger formerly known as Pole, the”.

If we don't study the mistakes of the future we're doomed to repeat them for the first time.

User avatar
Click
Avisaru
Avisaru
Posts: 620
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:53 am

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Click »

My best guess for the word you've looking for is optimal, but I could be wrong.

User avatar
Zontas
Lebom
Lebom
Posts: 189
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:59 pm
Location: Menulis, Miestas, Pragaras

Re: I wish English had a word for this!

Post by Zontas »

Gulliver wrote:
Helios wrote:Mosquito "repellant" isn't actually repelling you from them. It actually hides you from them by blocking out their senses. We need a word for this phenomenon, if there isn't one already.
Masquito or mosquerade. No, the latter sounds like you're setting up sham mosques.
Nah, both of them relate too specific too mosquitos than the actual sense of the word. You're right about the latter seeming like a sham mosque chain. Sorry for acting like a douche in another thread.
Hey there.

Post Reply