There are billions of words in the world, but there are an infinite number of situations and experiences to be had. Some experiences are so rare, we never think to name them. Others are similar to things we already have a name for, so we file them away under that category. However, each culture is unique, and other countries have words for things we’d never think of.
10 Backpfeifengesicht
From the people who brought you schadenfreude (happiness at the misfortune of others) and gluckschmerz (unhappiness at the good fortune of others), we have backpfeifengesicht. This is a German word that roughly translates to “a face badly in need of a fist.” The exact circumstances surrounding the creation of such a word are unknown. However, before we decide to run off and call our bosses backpfeifengesichts, it is interesting to note that it is the face that is said to be in need of punching and not necessarily the person it’s attached to. That is to say, this need not be just another synonym for people we really don’t like.
Amazon.com $50 Gift Ca...
Buy New $50.00
(as of 11:05 UTC - Details)
The idea that some faces are just more punchable than others is not unheard of and has even been supported by science. Scientists believe that in the early days of humanity, when the main weapon of war was a strong right hook, humans evolved faces that could take a punch. This applied mostly to males, since they tended to fight over women. The nose, jaw, cheekbones, and eye sockets evolved to be stronger, since these are a fist’s main targets. Over the years, our faces have become more delicate, but some faces have retained more “punchable traits” than others. So a backpfeifengesicht may just be a 125-kilogram (250 lb) guy with an iron chin jutting out, daring whoever’s brave enough to take their best shot.
9 Pisan Zapra
The Malaysian word for the time it takes to eat a banana is pisan zapra. Before clocks became widespread, this word was used as a way to give a rough estimate of time. To say that someone would arrive in pisan zapra meant that they could be expected to show up in about two minutes. The Finnish word poronkusema (the distance equal to how far a reindeer can travel without taking a comfort break) works in a similar vein.
Against the State: An ...
Best Price: $5.02
Buy New $5.52
(as of 11:35 UTC - Details)
Pisan zapra is comparable to doing something in a jiffy or a moment. It sounds like an odd way to measure time, but that’s pretty much how all measurements started. Also, a “moment” is not just a vague measurement. In the medieval ages, it was defined as being 90 seconds. A “jiffy” is actually a real unit of time as well. Scientist Gilbert Newton Lewis coined the phrase in the early 1900s. The amount of time it takes light to travel 1 centimeter (0.4 in) is a jiffy (which is about one-hundredth of a second). Just something to think about the next time we take a moment to eat a Jiffy peanut butter and banana sandwich.
8 Nakhur
In the Persian language, a nakhur is a “camel that won’t give milk until her nostrils are tickled.” As odd as it may sound, it comes as no surprise that farmers would be willing to try anything to make the camel milking process easier. As it turns out, camels are notoriously difficult animals to milk. Unlike cows and other animals, a camel’s udders are very sensitive and ticklish. Also, a camel only gives milk when prompted by her calf. Dairy farmers stand by and milk the mother while the baby feeds. Even then, camels only produce milk 90 seconds at a time and need about a 10-minute break before they make more. This makes it virtually impossible to separate a mother camel from her calf and milk her by machine. Incidentally, camel milk is extraordinarily healthy. Studies have shown that it can even be used to treat symptoms of diabetes and Crohn’s disease.
