If you like linguistic curiosities and funny expressions, you’ve come to the right place. On her Twitter account, the author Lucie Azema shares little poetic or absurd anecdotes about language and its particularities.
1. Way too cute
Allow me to interrupt your anxiety-inducing scroll with this piece of information: in Persian, “hedgehog” is “joojeh tighi”, which literally means “spicy chick”.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) April 10, 2021
2. Want to use it every day
Allow me to interrupt your anxiety-inducing scroll to inform you that in Breton there is the insult “genoù krampouezh” which literally means “pancake face”.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) October 31, 2022
3. It’s quite logical
Allow me to interrupt your anxiety-inducing scroll to remind you that in Persian “ostrich” is “chotor morgh”, which literally means “camel-chicken”.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) September 28, 2021
4. The happiness we all dream of achieving
Little linguistic pearl: in Persian, to express a deep moment of happiness, there is the expression “ghand too-ye delam âb mishod”, which literally means “sugar has melted in my heart”.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) September 7, 2022
5. We could use it so much in France
In Turkish, we don’t say “what you are doing is really stupid” but “sen akl?n? peynir ekmekle mi yedin”, which means “did you eat your mind with cheese and bread?” and I think it’s beautiful
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) August 28, 2021
6. Why an eggplant?
In Turkish, we don’t say “my needs are as important as yours” but “senin can?n can da benimki patl?can m?”, which means “your life is a life, but is mine a eggplant?” and I think it’s beautiful
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) June 6, 2022
7. Very well represented
Small linguistic pearl: in Persian, “I miss you” is said “delam barât tang shodeh”, and literally translates as “my heart/my stomach tightened for you”
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) April 18, 2021
8. No one has ever done this
Small linguistic pearl: in Swedish, the word “gökotta” means waking up early enough to go and listen to the first song of birds in the woods
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) July 9, 2022
9. Poor Elephant
Small linguistic pearl: in Persian, to say that someone is nostalgic for a place or an era, there is the expression “filesh yâde hendustân karde”, which means “his elephant remembers India”
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) December 3, 2021
10. A bit gross but why not
Small linguistic pearl: in Persian, the word “hamdam” (?????) designates the close friend, the companion, the companion and literally translates as “the one who shares the same breath”
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) August 6, 2021
11. Want to take refuge there
Small linguistic pearl of circumstance: in Finnish, the word “sielunmaisema” (“landscape of the soul”) designates the inner world in which one can take refuge, the one that one carries at all times in one’s heart.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) March 31, 2021
12. Anyone know where this garden is?
Small linguistic pearl: the word “paradise” comes from the Avestan (liturgical language of Zoroastrianism in Iran), via the term “pairi-daeza” which designates an enclosed garden filled with trees and flowers
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) June 7, 2021
13. It makes you want
Allow me to interrupt your anxiety-inducing scroll to remind you that in Persian “popcorn” is “tchos-e fil”, which literally means “elephant fart”. Great day to you too
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) November 10, 2021
14. Still Happy
If you’re feeling sluggish, remember that in Turkish we wish “happy birthday” by saying “?yi ki do?dun”, which can be translated as “it’s a good thing that you were born “
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) September 21, 2021
15. Not Too Similar
Allow me to interrupt your anxiety-inducing scroll to inform you that, in Persian, “woodlouse” is called “khar khâki”, which literally means “earth donkey”.
— Lucie Azema (@lucieazm) March 9, 2022
In the same vein, we also have plenty of rare words to present to you, you’ll love it.
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Thiru Venkatam is the Chief Editor and CEO of www.tipsclear.com, with over two decades of experience in digital publishing. A seasoned writer and editor since 2002, they have built a reputation for delivering high-quality, authoritative content across diverse topics. Their commitment to expertise and trustworthiness strengthens the platform’s credibility and authority in the online space.
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