Heart and Smiles
posted by Greg @ 4:09 AM
Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.
-Benjamin Lee Whorf
If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
A different language is a different vision of life.
-Federico Fellini
In the evolution of language, cultures have created words and phrases that are uniquely their own. The following are a few of my favorites, and they range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some were found on the web, some in books, and I particularly acknowledge Howard Rheingold's "They Have a Word for It," and C. J. Moore's "In Other Words."
Kummerspeck (German): Literally, it means 'grief bacon.' It is the word which describes excess weight gained from emotion-related eating.
Yugen (Japanese): An awareness of the world that creates emotions too vast for words.
Vitwaaien (Dutch): Walking in windy weather for fun.
Mbuki-mvuki (Bantu): To spontaneously disrobe and begin dancing.
Tartle (Scottish): To hesitate in recognizing a person or a thing.
Koro (Chinese): The belief that one's penis is shrinking.
L'appel du vide (French): The urge to jump from high places, into a canyon,etc. Literally, 'The call of the void.
'Istories me arkoudes (Greek): Phrase meaning, 'stories with bears,' to refer to narrated events that are so wild and crazy it seems they can't possibly be true.
There are many more of these words and phrases, which are sometimes refered to as 'the untranslatables.' But for now I would like to focus on the Thai language, and the culture in which I currently live.
You may have heard of the numerous words for 'snow' in the Eskimo dialects. That particular example is not quite true but, falsehood notwithstanding, it illustrates the point that a language contains the words that are important to its speakers. For example, in early Polynesia there were 24 words to describe the different maturation levels of the coconut.
Thailand is known, among other sobriquets, as 'The Land of Smiles.' However a farang (Westerner) would be well advised not to mistake this as a sign of a mono-emotional people. While it is true that smiling is an inherent part of the Thai culture, it is also true that there are different types of smiles for different occasions. And while a foreigner may not pick up on the subtle differences, they are easily discerned by a Thai.
A European, while driving his recent model BMW sedan on a Bangkok street, pulled up behind a brand new Mercedes which was stopping at a red light. Behind the wheel of the Mercedes, as it happened, was a well-to-do Thai who had driven his new car only once or twice; he was therefore apparently not familiar with his new transmission. As the light turned green, the Thai, intending to go ahead, mistakenly shifted into reverse, backing directly into the grillwork of the stunned European behind him.The Thai was quick to get out to take a look at the damage done to both cars (so was the European!) From a distance, I could hear only a few words of the exchange between the two drivers, but I could clearly see their faces.The Thai faced the foreigner with a certain smile.This particular smile is what other Thais would instantly recognize as yim yae (the 'let's-not- cry-over-spilt-milk I am ready to compromise' smile. But for the European, this was no time to smile. The story did not have a happy ending.-"Working with the Thais," by Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy.
From my readings and in talking with Thai professors, I have found 13 different types of smiles. Here are three:
Yim thak thaii: The polite smile for someone you barely know.
Yim soo: The 'smile-in-the-face-of-an-impossible-struggle' smile.
Yim thak thaan: The 'I disagree-with-you' smile.
Also noteworthy in the Thai lexicon are the 'heart-words,' and THERE ARE MORE THAN 700 OF THEM!!! They refer to the mental, emotional or spiritual state of the subject or his actions. Again, here is a sample of three:
Jai dii: Good Heart. To be called this by a Thai is a high compliment indeed.
Khen jai: Suffering Heart. This refers to someone undergoing serious mental and/or physical struggles. It is associated with misery and hopelessness.
Jai Yen: Cool Heart. This is a highly desired state in the Thai culture. It denotes a person who stays calm in the face of confrontation and emotional stress.
The following is not an 'untranslatable;' it has counterparts in 'no worries mate,' and no problemo.' It is the Thai phrase mai pen rai, and if you have ever visited this country you are likely to be familiar with it. It's the phrase you use when someone accidentally bumps into you, or causes you some minor inconvenience.
But more than just a phrase, mai pen rai (like smile and heart-words) shines a light on the psyche of Thailand. The following quote is from "A Killing Smile," by Christopher G. Moore:
"You learn that kreng jai is one room in the house. But if you want to understand the foundation, what's underneath, there's another Thai expression - Mai pen rai. Which means never mind. It's okay. No problem. Forget about it. Don't mention it. Your husband was killed on Rama IV in a motorcycle accident? Mai pen rai. Your father was fired from his job? Mai pen rai. Your brother's been sent to prison for smuggling drugs? Mai pen rai. Your husband's abandoned you for another woman? Mai pen rai. Your school folding for lack of funds? Mai pen rai. Your daughter back on the streets? Mai pen rai."There is no disappointment or tragedy larger than that phrase. It's a zen state of acceptance. Whatever happens you've earned from your behavior in a past life. You never allow the bad to pull you down. You have no other choice. Whatever happens or doesn't happen, it comes from inside of you. The Thai language is strucured to accept pain; tolerate suffering. Our language seeks the cure, the solution, the answer. English is the language of change. Of the future you can make your own. That's why the farang and Thai can't find a language to communicate with each other."
Now, to close on a more upbeat jai, here is one more untranslatable, this one from Thailand:
Sabsung: To slake an emotional or spiritual thirst. To be revitalized.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes
Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.
-Benjamin Lee Whorf
If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
A different language is a different vision of life.
-Federico Fellini
In the evolution of language, cultures have created words and phrases that are uniquely their own. The following are a few of my favorites, and they range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Some were found on the web, some in books, and I particularly acknowledge Howard Rheingold's "They Have a Word for It," and C. J. Moore's "In Other Words."
Kummerspeck (German): Literally, it means 'grief bacon.' It is the word which describes excess weight gained from emotion-related eating.
Yugen (Japanese): An awareness of the world that creates emotions too vast for words.
Vitwaaien (Dutch): Walking in windy weather for fun.
Mbuki-mvuki (Bantu): To spontaneously disrobe and begin dancing.
Tartle (Scottish): To hesitate in recognizing a person or a thing.
Koro (Chinese): The belief that one's penis is shrinking.
L'appel du vide (French): The urge to jump from high places, into a canyon,etc. Literally, 'The call of the void.
'Istories me arkoudes (Greek): Phrase meaning, 'stories with bears,' to refer to narrated events that are so wild and crazy it seems they can't possibly be true.
There are many more of these words and phrases, which are sometimes refered to as 'the untranslatables.' But for now I would like to focus on the Thai language, and the culture in which I currently live.
You may have heard of the numerous words for 'snow' in the Eskimo dialects. That particular example is not quite true but, falsehood notwithstanding, it illustrates the point that a language contains the words that are important to its speakers. For example, in early Polynesia there were 24 words to describe the different maturation levels of the coconut.
Thailand is known, among other sobriquets, as 'The Land of Smiles.' However a farang (Westerner) would be well advised not to mistake this as a sign of a mono-emotional people. While it is true that smiling is an inherent part of the Thai culture, it is also true that there are different types of smiles for different occasions. And while a foreigner may not pick up on the subtle differences, they are easily discerned by a Thai.
A European, while driving his recent model BMW sedan on a Bangkok street, pulled up behind a brand new Mercedes which was stopping at a red light. Behind the wheel of the Mercedes, as it happened, was a well-to-do Thai who had driven his new car only once or twice; he was therefore apparently not familiar with his new transmission. As the light turned green, the Thai, intending to go ahead, mistakenly shifted into reverse, backing directly into the grillwork of the stunned European behind him.The Thai was quick to get out to take a look at the damage done to both cars (so was the European!) From a distance, I could hear only a few words of the exchange between the two drivers, but I could clearly see their faces.The Thai faced the foreigner with a certain smile.This particular smile is what other Thais would instantly recognize as yim yae (the 'let's-not- cry-over-spilt-milk I am ready to compromise' smile. But for the European, this was no time to smile. The story did not have a happy ending.-"Working with the Thais," by Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy.
From my readings and in talking with Thai professors, I have found 13 different types of smiles. Here are three:
Yim thak thaii: The polite smile for someone you barely know.
Yim soo: The 'smile-in-the-face-of-an-impossible-struggle' smile.
Yim thak thaan: The 'I disagree-with-you' smile.
Also noteworthy in the Thai lexicon are the 'heart-words,' and THERE ARE MORE THAN 700 OF THEM!!! They refer to the mental, emotional or spiritual state of the subject or his actions. Again, here is a sample of three:
Jai dii: Good Heart. To be called this by a Thai is a high compliment indeed.
Khen jai: Suffering Heart. This refers to someone undergoing serious mental and/or physical struggles. It is associated with misery and hopelessness.
Jai Yen: Cool Heart. This is a highly desired state in the Thai culture. It denotes a person who stays calm in the face of confrontation and emotional stress.
The following is not an 'untranslatable;' it has counterparts in 'no worries mate,' and no problemo.' It is the Thai phrase mai pen rai, and if you have ever visited this country you are likely to be familiar with it. It's the phrase you use when someone accidentally bumps into you, or causes you some minor inconvenience.
But more than just a phrase, mai pen rai (like smile and heart-words) shines a light on the psyche of Thailand. The following quote is from "A Killing Smile," by Christopher G. Moore:
"You learn that kreng jai is one room in the house. But if you want to understand the foundation, what's underneath, there's another Thai expression - Mai pen rai. Which means never mind. It's okay. No problem. Forget about it. Don't mention it. Your husband was killed on Rama IV in a motorcycle accident? Mai pen rai. Your father was fired from his job? Mai pen rai. Your brother's been sent to prison for smuggling drugs? Mai pen rai. Your husband's abandoned you for another woman? Mai pen rai. Your school folding for lack of funds? Mai pen rai. Your daughter back on the streets? Mai pen rai."There is no disappointment or tragedy larger than that phrase. It's a zen state of acceptance. Whatever happens you've earned from your behavior in a past life. You never allow the bad to pull you down. You have no other choice. Whatever happens or doesn't happen, it comes from inside of you. The Thai language is strucured to accept pain; tolerate suffering. Our language seeks the cure, the solution, the answer. English is the language of change. Of the future you can make your own. That's why the farang and Thai can't find a language to communicate with each other."
Now, to close on a more upbeat jai, here is one more untranslatable, this one from Thailand:
Sabsung: To slake an emotional or spiritual thirst. To be revitalized.
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