Ever felt that frustration when you can’t find a word to express quite how you’re feeling? You’re not alone. For all their richness, no one language has all the words we need to describe and communicate all the complexities of the human condition.
But finding a word that fits, even in a different language, can help us explain ourselves to other people and - just as importantly - reassure us that we’re not alone in feeling something that our own language doesn’t quite account for.
This wonderful set of cards from The School of Life showcases some of the most interesting and valuable words from different languages across the world, helping us to bring some of our most important yet under-communicated feelings into focus.
Each definition is combined with a charming vintage image, enhancing the feeling of nostalgia and strange familiarity.
Example cards include:
-
DUENDE (Spanish): A heightened sense of emotion created by a moving piece of art.
-
FORELSKET (Norwegian): The euphoric feeling at the beginning of love. We can’t believe someone so perfect has wandered into our lives. They enhance and complete us. We might report: ‘I was overpowered by forelsket as our fingers interlaced…’
-
YŪGEN (Japanese): Gives a name to a mood in which one feels that the universe as a whole possesses a mysterious and elusive beauty. Moonlight, snow on distant mountains, birds flying very high in the evening sky, and watching the sun rise over the ocean all feed this sensibility.
You can use these cards however you like. Read them by yourself, send them to friends as a memento, or use them as prompts for conversations with a partner.
Whether you’re a language enthusiast or struggle to order 'dos cervezas', you’ll find something meaningful in this enchanting set of cards.
- Box contains 20 double-sided cards
- 159 x 115 x 20mm
