Bitesize

Lost in translation: words you’ll never hear again

By team ⋅ March 27, 2008 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

The following words are all from languages which no longer have a single native speaker:

Unrihtwillnung: improper love – Old English
Istamaasdu: Listen, you in the plural! – Hittite, Turkey
Ebauthoo: Water – Beothuk, Newfoundland
Kälymentwam: path of heaven – Tocharian, Central Asia
Tehonannonronkwanniontak: they greeted him with respect, (literally, they greased his scalp many times) – Huron, Ontario
Molatuendalaas: God’s curse in your stomach – Cornish
Xuqu’liilx’aax’ch’kk’sh: Are you going to keep tickling me in the face in the same spot repeatedly? – Eyak, Alaska.