Thanks to Shakespeare and Chaucer, Dickens and J.K.Rowling, we have many new words that have entered our vocabulary over the years.
However, there are still some situations that we don't have a suitable English word to describe.
Other nationalities have some of them covered beautifully....
In German there is "kummerspeck" - it describes the excess weight gained from emotional overeating. (literally, "grief bacon"
.
In Ghana, there is "pelinti". It's when you've put something in your mouth that's too hot to swallow (literally "moving food around your mouth"
.
In France, "L'esprit de l'escalier". A too - late retort after the smart - mouthed b*****d has departed. (Stairwell wit).
.....and finally, Esther (for those who remember "That's Life"
- from my own Danish background....
"Hygge" - the pleasant, genial and intimate feeling associated with sitting around a fire in winter with close friends.
Merry Xmas.
