Foreign words we should start using:

From the same part of the world, and as lockdown eases: Aspaldiko. The Basque word meaning a euphoria that comes with catching up with friends you haven't seen in a long time.
 
Mencolek (Indonesian)

The old trick of tapping someone on the opposite shoulder to fool them.

not quite, apparently. my Indonesian lady said mencolek/Colek is the word to poke somebody in general. You would need to form it in a sentence to describe that specific act to the shoulder to fool them.

Not meaning to be pedantic or anything. I was unsure myself so I asked her.
 
I'm pretty fond of those kind of all purpose expletives that you can use to express annoyance or insult people with and can mean pretty much anything that you want them to mean depending on the situation. 'Shi-bal' in Korean is the first one that springs to mind. A Dutch friend of mine once taught me a great phrase that was similar to that but I can neither remember it or which language it was from. It was kind of an equivalent to 'oh b***r' or 'effin 'ell' or ''eff you' or 's***!' but the direct translation of it was something like 'c0ck in your eye'.
 
I once tried to describe Teesside’s use of “Away“to a German student staying with us.

Being a Philhelline I must have heard Ella millions of times and never registered its multiple meanings, I’ll adopt it from now on , even sometimes instead of my favourite encouragement “Epa”
You've just reminded me that " Ella " is also used by the Greeks to call out to a waiter or barman for some service instead of just yelling out " Epa " ( Hey You )
But I certainly wouldn't add the " Malaka " word in doing so. 🤣
Having said that tho, it's all in the intonation and expression that you've used which makes it clear to the Greeks your thoughts or intentions.

I don't know if you've noticed but often the Greeks will follow up " Ella " with a Reh sound, almost as if it's one word. ( Ellareh. )
It's like it's used more in desperation such as hurrying up your partner as you're running late and need to get a move on.
Alternatively, they use it when they feel that they are being fed a BS story. Ellareh. Like I say, all in the intonation.

Fascinating really, such a small word with so many uses. I guess our " Away " is similar in that it can be used to" hurry up " or " give over "
but that's about all I think ?
 
I'm pretty fond of those kind of all purpose expletives that you can use to express annoyance or insult people with and can mean pretty much anything that you want them to mean depending on the situation. 'Shi-bal' in Korean is the first one that springs to mind. A Dutch friend of mine once taught me a great phrase that was similar to that but I can neither remember it or which language it was from. It was kind of an equivalent to 'oh b***r' or 'effin 'ell' or ''eff you' or 's***!' but the direct translation of it was something like 'c0ck in your eye'.
Oh the Dutch do great insults. Their insults are often to do with wishing illness on someone - like kanker (cancer). And they use the same word (eikel) for 'acorn', as well as 'bell end'. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
 
Oh the Dutch do great insults. Their insults are often to do with wishing illness on someone - like kanker (cancer). And they use the same word (eikel) for 'acorn', as well as 'bell end'. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
When my family came back to Oz for our second attempt at settling, I got a job in a butchers shop to avoid having to start yet another school.
Within days of working there, one of the guys called me a bellend and I had no idea what it meant and couldn't imagine what the end of a bell
was or even looked like. I mean where does a bell start and end ?

When I got home, I told my dad what had been said to me and he told me to tell him that I will put this through him as he clenched his fist, if he says it to me again.
He then told me what a bellend was and then said " He's not far off in the end though son ", You are a bit of a bellend . 🤣
 
On a cruise one time and struck up a conversation with a Frenchman, A fabulously shapely lady (not young) walked past us and I think my eyes must have almost popped out of my head...he said "Ah La douleur exquise" which roughly translates to "a pain you have craving affection from someone who will never reciprocate."
 
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Oh the Dutch do great insults. Their insults are often to do with wishing illness on someone - like kanker (cancer). And they use the same word (eikel) for 'acorn', as well as 'bell end'. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
Klootzak ;):ROFLMAO:
 
Oh the Dutch do great insults. Their insults are often to do with wishing illness on someone - like kanker (cancer). And they use the same word (eikel) for 'acorn', as well as 'bell end'. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
It was Danny from Utrecht who told me the 'c**k in your eye' thing but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Dutch. Have a feeling that it may have been Greek, maybe? He did tell me the acorn thing too but I seem to recall us blagging our way in to a Greek wedding reception one night by telling the blokes on the door that we were 'friends of Papadopulos' and I think it may have been there that he taught me that phrase. That was nearly thirty years ago though, so my memory is a bit hazy and I'm not about to Google 'c**k in your eye' to try and verify that.
 
It was Danny from Utrecht who told me the 'c**k in your eye' thing but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Dutch. Have a feeling that it may have been Greek, maybe? He did tell me the acorn thing too but I seem to recall us blagging our way in to a Greek wedding reception one night by telling the blokes on the door that we were 'friends of Papadopulos' and I think it may have been there that he taught me that phrase. That was nearly thirty years ago though, so my memory is a bit hazy and I'm not about to Google 'c**k in your eye' to try and verify that.
Can't help you on that one bumface and am not about to start asking around in case they assume that I fancy a bit. :unsure:

I was always warned to beware of Greeks bearing gifts anyhow and that one, is one that I can certainly live without. 🤣
 
Love the Maori word Waka. It means Canoe.
Also the Welsh word for Craic - hwyl pronounced Hughie
Welsh is great. Already mentioned it upthread. I had a butterfly wander in to my conservatory yesterday and managed to shoo it out without harming it and that reminded me of how ugly and inappropriate the English word 'butterfly' was for such beautiful creatures. The Welsh call them 'pili pala' or even better 'iar fach yr haf' which translates as 'hens of the summer'. Such a lovely, lyrical language.

 
Welsh is great. Already mentioned it upthread. I had a butterfly wander in to my conservatory yesterday and managed to shoo it out without harming it and that reminded me of how ugly and inappropriate the English word 'butterfly' was for such beautiful creatures. The Welsh call them 'pili pala' or even better 'iar fach yr haf' which translates as 'hens of the summer'. Such a lovely, lyrical language.

Maori for butterfly is pūrerehua. Another beautifully crafted word.
 
It was Danny from Utrecht who told me the 'c**k in your eye' thing but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Dutch. Have a feeling that it may have been Greek, maybe? He did tell me the acorn thing too but I seem to recall us blagging our way in to a Greek wedding reception one night by telling the blokes on the door that we were 'friends of Papadopulos' and I think it may have been there that he taught me that phrase. That was nearly thirty years ago though, so my memory is a bit hazy and I'm not about to Google 'c**k in your eye' to try and verify that.
Funnily enough it was Utrecht where I learned my rudimentary grasp too, though not from your friend.
 
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