25 Handy Words That Just Don't Exist In English (but they should)

I have not verified that all these words actually exist.  However, they should

Via So Bad, So Good: 

25 Handy Words That Just Don't Exist In English:

My favorites:

Arigata-meiwaku (Japanese): An act someone does for you that you didn’t want to have them do and tried to avoid having them do, but they went ahead anyway, determined to do you a favor, and then things went wrong and caused you a lot of trouble, yet in the end social conventions required you to express gratitude 

Desenrascanço (Portuguese): “to disentangle” yourself out of a bad situation (To MacGyver it)

Nunchi (Korean): the subtle art of listening and gauging another’s mood. In Western culture, nunchi could be described as the concept of emotional intelligence. Knowing what to say or do, or what not to say or do, in a given situation. A socially clumsy person can be described as ‘nunchi eoptta’, meaning “absent of nunchi”

Pena ajena (Mexican Spanish): The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation

 

I wonder if there's a technical term for such words?

Go read the whole list, and maybe work a few into your vocabulary

Comments

[Liz Ditz]

More lists: Top 20 words to revive in 2013

http://www.findcatharsis.com/2013/01/top-20-words-revive-2013/

hoosegow: noun – a jail
malarkey: noun – speech or writing designed to obscure, mislead, or impress; bunkum
kerfuffle: noun – disorder; commotion
bequeath: verb – to hand down; pass on
snollygoster: noun - a clever, unscrupulous person
rapscallion: noun – rascal; rogue; scamp
ballyhoo: noun – clamor or outcry
canoodle: verb – caress, fondle, or pet amorously
loquacious: adjective – characterized by excessive talk; wordy
hootenanny: noun – a social gathering or informal concert featuring folk singing and, sometimes, dancing
flummox: verb – to bewilder; confound; confuse
advertisement: [pronounced ad-vur-tis-muh nt]
cockamamie: adjective – ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical
beleaguer: verb – to surround or beset, as with troubles; pester
collywobbles: noun – a feeling of fear, apprehension, or nervousness
melancholy: noun – a gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression
callipygian: adjective – having well-shaped buttocks
discombobulate: verb – to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate
behoove: verb – to be worthwhile to, as for personal profit or advantage
mollycoddle: verb – to coddle; pamper

[Liz Ditz]

Top 13 words to eschew in 2013. Thank heavens she included

Retarded Ugh. Can you believe our English teacher is making us read a book and write an essay? I mean, that’s SO retarded.

In addition to making the user sound ignorant, it’s demeaning to people with special needs and to people with a heart. Pick something else, like “stupid” or “asinine” or “unfair.” And if you find yourself complaining about having to read and write in an English class, may I suggest picking up some friggin’ sense as well?

More here:
http://www.findcatharsis.com/2013/01/top-13-words-stop-saying-2013/