An "Untranslatable" Word?

[sbrothy]

Indeed. It's a "world-language" although we rarely see it as such over here..

 

[pinball1970]

What about “Irony?”

Not the easiest word to define in English, so I would be interested in your versions.

Also, German “schadenfreude” we do not have an English equivalent, so we use it as is.

 

[sbrothy]

What about the difference between "irony" and "sarcasm"? It's like the latter is a more wicked version of the former...

As for "schadenfreude": In Danish we use the Danish translation "skadefryd" (literally the same). Then again Danish is very close to German, if not an actual subset.

 

[OmCheeto]

My all time favorite is 'idiota', an almost internationally, western world, agreed upon word.
In my youth, I dissected the word into 'id' and 'iota', words meaning 'something to do with the brain' and 'very, very, small'.
Unfortunately, 'idiot' is so ancient, that no one seems to know its actual origin.

 

[sbrothy]

Watch out. A lot of these words have become faux pas with the #metoo era. "Retard" (perhaps "imbecile" too) is considered more pejorative, even bigoted, than before. Specifically, "mulatto" is now (and perhaps always has been) comparable to the N-word.

 

[pinball1970]

Watch out. A lot of these words have become faux pas with the #metoo era. "Retard" (perhaps "imbecile" too) is considered more pejorative, even bigoted, than before. Specifically, "mulatto" is now (and perhaps always has been) comparable to the N-word.

Those words were part of the IQ classification last century in the UK and also appeared on marriage certificates, "any history of.."

 

[pinball1970]

What about the difference between "irony" and "sarcasm"? It's like the latter is a more wicked version of the former...

As for "schadenfreude": In Danish we use the Danish translation "skadefryd" (literally the same). Then again Danish is very close to German, if not an actual subset.

They are subtly different things in English. Sarcasm is words regarding a situation that have opposite meaning, usually within a humorous context.
Irony applies to a situation but not necessarily humorous.

Example (this shows my definition has not satisfied me!)

A man is a kidnapped by pirates, the cavalry come within 50 meters with 100 rifles aimed at the pirates, the leader has a knife to his throat, demanding money for his release.

Sarcasm : the kidnapped man shouts, "Hey, just stand there, don't shoot or anything."

Irony : The kidnapped man shouts, "shoot, or I am a dead man!" The soldiers shoot but accidently kill the kidnapped man.

 

[Hill]

Those words were part of the IQ classification last century in the UK and also appeared on marriage certificates, "any history of.."


View attachment 369581

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Idiot:

The title is an ironic reference to the central character of the novel, Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, a young prince whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity, and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight.

 

[Hornbein]

What about the difference between "irony" and "sarcasm"? It's like the latter is a more wicked version of the former...

As for "schadenfreude": In Danish we use the Danish translation "skadefryd" (literally the same). Then again Danish is very close to German, if not an actual subset.

A random happenstance can be ironic but only a human can be sarcastic.

What's the difference between facetious and sarcastic? I'd say the tone of voice, light vs. acid.

 

[Andy Resnick]

"6-7" is untranslatable.

Sorry, low hanging fruit- back to your regularly scheduled program!

 

[pinball1970]

A random happenstance can be ironic but only a human can be sarcastic.

What's the difference between facetious and sarcastic? I'd say the tone of voice, light vs. acid.

Facetious is a joke out of place.

 

[Hornbein]

Facetious is a joke out of place.

Let's ask the experts.

Facetious vs. Sarcastic
While similar, facetious remarks are generally intended to be funny (even if inappropriate), whereas sarcasm is usually designed to mock or be mean.

• Facetious: "Look at what a great job you did cleaning up your bedroom" (When it's still messy, but said lightly).
• Sarcastic: "Wow, you really outdid yourself with this disaster" (Said with biting, harsh intent).

Seems like tone of voice.

Facetiousness is intended to be humorous, even when it is deemed inappropriate.

Conversely, sarcasm is used to mock or deride someone or something, often without any intention to be humorous.

Some say facetiousness is being flip about serious things, but I don't recall ever having seen that.

 

[sbrothy]

It's a little like the difference between piquant and perverse. Using a feather is piquant, using the entire pheasant is perverse.