The “Untranslatable” Emotions You Didn’t Know You Had

20 words from across the globe that finally and perfectly describe that feeling you’ve always had

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

“Although people speak many different languages … we share so many concepts in common. Each tongue with its own version of the same idea.” (Tim Lomas, PhD), TEDx

This quote is part of the opening statement of Dr. Tim Lomas’ intriguing TEDx talk which he gave in Zurich in November 2018.

I recently stumbled across this TEDx Talk and immediately fell in love with his amazing research.

Lomas continues his talk by proposing that despite the many shared concepts some ideas are not shared in common. Languages can sometimes possess terms for which we lack an exact equivalent in our own tongue.

We might agree on calling these words “untranslatable”.

“If words label and even create our world — what does it mean to lack a particular word in our own language? Are we not missing out on some vital parts of existence?“ (Tim Lomas, PhD), TEDx

I wholeheartedly agree with this. Do you?

Dr. Lomas has been working on his project titled “The positive lexicography” since 2015.