Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Hi everyone, this is my first attempt at creating a new thread and I hope I am doing it right.  Anyway, the question I wanted to pose is: “Do you have a word or a phrase that embodies the unique history/tradition/identity/character of your native country?  If so, how do you say that word in your native language and what does it mean?”  If this question is unclear or vague, please let me know.

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

For South Korea, there is a word pronounced “hahn” and it simply cannot be translated into any equivalent English word.  The term “hahn” is a deeply emotional word that conjures up feelings of longing, regret, sorrow, pain, nostalgia and desire.

The expression of the word in a context translates that there is  a lot of intertwined entanglements in the heart–whether that be human relationships or past experiences with neighboring countries that include occupation, division, and dominance.  A nation divided is certainly a tragedy.

Traditional folk music called “ta-rhung” and dance often convey these deeply felt emotions and when you hear it you feel the heaviness of heart.  I think, in large part, due to South Korea's history, its people are fiercely nationalistic, independent and resilient.

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

This is beautiful, Lahn, thanks for starting this thread!

If I were to try to capture this “nation's” (Quebec isn't a country but likes to think of itself as one :) ) identity in a phrase, I would choose joie de vivre


There is a Wikipedia entry here that gives a sense of what that means, but it's actually not translatable.

Love,

Nicole

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Lahn, what a lovely & interesting idea to start this thread. And Nicole, I of course understand “Joie de vivre” which is not a phrase that I would use as an identity tag for the French in France (maybe I'll think of one for them later,) but for the Irish and Ireland, the nation's phrase that springs to mind immediately is in Gaelic “Caint, ceol agus craic” meaning  literally “talk, music and fun” which actually means a kind of “Joie de vivre”, the happiness brought about by conversation, music & singing and Fun. As happens in irish pubs around the world

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Its the word Kampf,

Wiki translates it with combat. Just check the German entry and then then the English one.

Through the history of the Germans- maybe starting with Herman the Cherusker who gave the romans a devastating even in Teutoburger Wald roundabout in the year 9 AD. -this word has a special emotional vibration here in Germany. Nowadays often to be seen in football. Espcially during world championship tournaments.

its the compliment to lots of qualties in the term “Land der Dichter und Denker”.
In no way the Germans favor only internal processes. May it has to to something with the fact that Germany was siurounded for centuries with “enemies”. Only since the French -German friendship after WW” and the evolution of EU this feeling is going away.

Already during FIFA 2006 in Germany it could be seen that dynamic, offensive German footbal/soccer was no contradiction to a cheerful and cosmolpolitan atmosphere in the country. With so strongly expressed new we feelings.

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

See also this text from Heinrich Heine:

Rat eines Träumers

I posted it earlier in the ML Pod. A very lucid piece which illuminates lots of the German soul…

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

This is a delightful way to get to know each others' countries!

Hoping to hear from more people,

Nicole

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

Nice, I very much like this topic of discussion.  What's awkward is that I have a very minimal understanding of any language other than English, as spoken in the US.

Just the other day I was listening to one of the hippest radio station in the US and it was mentioned that the new awesome is sweet, and the comments discussing the word sweet, seemed to mock such words and I enjoyed the sense of humor.

The two words that I've identified most, in terms of being misunderstood are; dukka and kamma, of, as I've heard them are concerning the Buddhist language, or Pali, I think.  When I say, “I think”, what's that say about me, or American's.  Anyway.

Generally, my understanding is that American's have not only misinterpreted both words despite the extent that the two words are spoken in the US.

My understanding that the word dukka, is generally misinterpreted as suffering, and thus, “life is suffering”. While I understand a better translation of the word to be, stress, so as to acknowledge experience to include pleasant experiences as well and which I understand to be a more accurate understanding.

Concerning Kamma,  wow, talk about misunderstanding. The word as I understand means, Action, when properly translated, while in the US, people often use the word kamma as a manner of warning or clarification that manners of acting are unethical and that the door is going to hit you on the way out of the room.

Or, basically, the words kamma and dukka, are spoken almost as slang, such as sweet and/or awesome, while juxtapositioning of issues associated with truth and understanding of such words lapses in consideration of communication at a depth of contact where in light of contemporary word usage, the heart-felt implications lack awareness of occurrence of intention as if history were a foundation of forgetfulness as if compassion, love and peace have become less of an experience and to some extent, more of manners of having forgotten what such words might be like if experienced rather than spoken.


Regardless of untranslatable words, the curiosity associated with such terms, for me, includes notions of longing for heart felt connection or a manner of understanding what is meaningful to people of others cultures.  Not so much in terms of present day experience, but a depth of perspective that includes notions of everyone doing their best as individuals when what was tribal or meaningful at the time such words were chosen, that the words were easily understood by people of the contemporary era's of which they were spoken.

Thus, concerning right and wrong, maybe a word might suffice to bridge understanding of absence of understanding in relation to time and culture and Peace on Earth.  How about “amity”?  Or, I feel amity now, as I don't understand while understanding that such things as compassion, love and peace are an understood wanting, or something like that?

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

I'm enjoying this conversation a lot; but so far don't  have a clue which word embodies India. Perhaps someone else will come in with an idea? It is an amazing question!

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

I'm Finnish, and I suppose most everyone already knows the word:

SISU

It's not easy to define - as it is not easy to define a word that is unique to a language in any language… we Finns learn to know the meaning by living it, so I think it's hard to describe it even in Finnish :-D

It's about will, determination, diligence, stiff upper lip, sticking to it against all odds… It's what makes you force yourself through stone. It's what makes you take on an enemy 100 times bigger than you are and to fight until you are dead or you win. It has no element of arrogance or self confidence, but about duty, doing what is right… or what you have taken on to do, whether it is right or wrong… You just MUST do it… Sisu has a taste of blood, sound of clinching teeth and sight of furrowed brows…

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

That's fascinating, Ket, thank you!
Nicole

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

This has been very informative and enlightening!  Thanks to everyone who shared.  I learned a lot.  Recently it occurred to me that the Korean word “hahn” or “han” I described above is the same word meaning “the people of Korea.” 
Anyway, despite our diversity and differences, we are one bound by common humanity…hmmm, I sound corny and kinda like that Michael Jackson song about how we are the world, we are the children…:)

Re: Do you have a word or phrase that embodi

that's wonderful Lahn. And it's ok to get mushy, we're good at that around here! :)

Peace,

Nicole