{"id":767,"date":"2019-12-11T17:05:36","date_gmt":"2019-12-11T17:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/morph.surrey.ac.uk\/?p=767"},"modified":"2019-12-20T13:58:28","modified_gmt":"2019-12-20T13:58:28","slug":"lost-in-translation-the-morph-teams-top-10-untranslatable-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/morph.surrey.ac.uk\/index.php\/2019\/12\/11\/lost-in-translation-the-morph-teams-top-10-untranslatable-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Lost in Translation\u02d0 the Morph team’s top 10 untranslatable words"},"content":{"rendered":"

To celebrate the end of UNESCOs International Year of Indigenous Languages<\/a> we thought we would take a look at some of the Indigenous languages that we are researching and present some of our favourite words. Now these words just aren\u2019t any old words, they are words that can\u2019t be directly translated into English using a single word and must be translated using a rather long-winded explanation. Each of these words offer unique cultural insights into the speakers of these languages. We will be skipping across the continents to all the exciting places where we conduct our research\u2026<\/p>\n

South Sudan and Ethiopia<\/big><\/strong>
\nOur first stop on our world tour of untranslatable words is to South Sudan and Ethiopia where two closely related West Nilotic languages are spoken \u2013 Nuer and Reel. The Nuer tribe is one of the largest ethnic groups in South Sudan with around a million or so speakers. Whereas Reel is spoken by around 50,000 speakers from the Atwot tribe.<\/p>\n

The Nuer and Atwot peoples are traditionally pastoralists. Cattle play an important role in every aspect of the traditional life. The Nuer and Atwot also rely to some extent on horticulture for their living. They lead a semi-nomadic life style determined by the availability of pasture grounds.<\/p>\n

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Speakers of Reel in Juba, South Sudan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1.\tt\u025b\u0301\u025bt<\/em> \u2018to claim something back that was previously given out for good\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nuer verb t\u025b\u0301\u025bt<\/em> roughly translates as \u2018to claim something back that was previously given out for good\u2019. It is used in the situations when an item has been given to someone for good but then later the item is being recalled back. For example, it is customary to give cattle to the parents of a bride. If, for some reason, the couple wants to separate, the cattle have to be returned before the woman can go back to her parents.<\/p>\n

2.\twe\u0324\u0301eer<\/em> \u2018search by parting something\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n

The next word comes from Nuer\u2019s neighbours \u2013 The Reel speaking Atwot tribe. The verb we\u0324\u0301eer<\/em> translates as \u2018search by parting something\u2019. This word is used when the searching involves moving apart items that sit together densely as, for example, maize or bushes. <\/p>\n

\r\ne\u0300-we\u0324\u0301eer\t\t\t\tdu\u0324\u0302t\r\nDECL-search.by.parting.3SG\told.grass.PL\r\n\u2018S\/he is searching by parting old grass.\u2019\r\n<\/pre>\n
Kazakhstan<\/big><\/strong>
\nMoving on to Central Asia and to the largest landlocked country in the world. Kazakh is the national language of Kazakhstan, though also spoken in Xinjiang province of China and in parts of Mongolia.<\/p>\n
3.\tTusau Keser<\/em> \u2018the cutting of the tether\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n
One of the first Kazakh rituals that a child goes through is Tusau Keser<\/em><\/a> (\u0422\u04b1\u0441\u0430\u0443 \u043a\u0435\u0441\u0435\u0440) \u2013 which means \u2019the cutting of the tether\u2019. When a young Kazakh starts to walk, their parents organize a party and the child’s legs are tied together with colourful threads. This colourful tether is then cut to welcome the child to the next stage of their life.<\/p>\n
It is believed that if the Tusau Keser ceremony is not performed, the child will be unlucky or have problems walking in their adulthood. In some parts of Kazakhstan they tie the legs with the fatty intestines of a horse, which \u2013 in case you were wondering \u2013 represents wealth! <\/p>\n
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The Tusau Keser ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The beginnings of this ceremony lie in the pastoral culture of the Kazakhs.  The legs of young horses and sheep are tethered in order to tame them and only cut when they are old enough not to wonder away from the rest of the animals. Therefore, the day an animal\u2019s tusau<\/em> ‘tether’ is cut is meant to be the beginning of a new life stage.<\/p>\n
4. S\u00fcyinshi<\/em> \u2019be happy\u2019\t<\/big><\/strong>
\nS\u00fcyinshi<\/em> (\u0441\u04af\u0439\u0456\u043d\u0448\u0456) literally means \u2019be happy\u2019, but this word is used only in one specific situation. If something really great has happened to someone and they want to share the good news with their friends, they have to shout s\u00fcyinshi<\/em> before telling everyone the news. What\u2019s great about this word is that when someone shouts s\u00fcyinshi<\/em>, the friends get to ask for any kind of present they want from the person shouting s\u00fcyinshi<\/em>. Normally this mini ritual starts with friends asking for houses, cars or livestock, and then ends up in the pub where the vodka is bought for the friends instead.<\/p>\n
Dagestan<\/big><\/strong>
\nOn the other side of the Caspian Sea in the Caucuses lies Dagestan where one of the SMG\u2019s favourite languages lies \u2013 Archi<\/a>. With only around 1300 speakers, Archi is considered an endangered language.<\/p>\n
5.\tbi\u010dn\u00ed<\/em> \u2018lower corner of a sack or bag\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n
Not only are the Archi people famous for their lamb due to proximity of lush alpine pastures, but they also make rather beautiful bags called tus:\u0259ra. The lower corners of these handmade bags have a special term \u2013 bi\u010dn\u00ed<\/em>. The corners of larger sacks, used for carrying grain, were the best place to hold on to upend and pour out the contents. The corners of the smaller bags are also embellished with rather beautiful tassles. What\u2019s even more interesting about these corners is that one corner is called bi\u010dn\u00ed<\/em>, but two corners are called bo\u0292do<\/em>. Archi uses a different word form (known as a suppletive form) for the plural. This goes against the claim that suppletives are only used for frequently occurring words, with the lower corner of a bag probably not cropping up in many everyday conversations.<\/p>\n
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one bi\u010dn\u00ed<\/em>, two bo\u0292do<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
These beautiful bags were originally used in everyday life, but nowadays they are reserved for traditional ceremonies. At wakes these bags are filled with traditional foods such as sweetmeats.<\/p>\n
Vanuatu<\/big><\/strong>
\nSkipping across to the South Pacific and to most linguistically dense place in the world \u2013 the archipelago of Vanuatu. The Oceanic language of North Ambrym, with around 5000 speakers, not only has interesting possessive classifiers<\/a> but also a whole host of culturally specific and directly untranslatable words. The Ni-Vanuatu (people from Vanuatu) are self-sufficient farmers with plenty of land to grow yams, manioc, bananas and raise pigs.<\/p>\n
6.\tfafar<\/em> \u2018to wipe your bottom on a tree trunk\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n
By far this is my favourite word from North Ambrym. if there are no suitable leaves around after doing your business in the bush it makes sense to use a tree trunk. Of course, not every tree trunk can be used for this sort of thing. Please avoid large and knobbly trunks \u2013 slender smooth trunks are advisable!<\/p>\n
7.\tyangyangne<\/em> \u2018to shoot an arrow to follow its course in order to find a lost arrow\u2019<\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n
Not paying attention when you were off shooting wild birds in the jungle with your arrows? Well shoot another one with the same power and in the same direction and make sure you pay attention this time and you may find your lost arrow. Bad golfers could probably use this trick to find their lost balls in the rough!<\/p>\n
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A bow and arrow from northern Ambrym<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Siberia<\/big><\/strong>
\nNow off to eastern Siberia and to the Tungisic language of Negidal which sadly only has a handful of speakers left.<\/p>\n
8. \tun\u2019i<\/em>  \u2018be upset, get ill because someone ate in your presence  and did not offer to share the food\u2019 <\/big><\/strong><\/p>\n