Author: 101translations

”L’esprit de l’escalier” is a French term that refers to the universal phenomenon of thinking of a clever response or comeback too late, usually after a conversation or argument has already ended. 

The term literally means “the spirit of the stairs”, as it would typically happen between neighbours bumping into each other in the stairwell of their Paris apartment block. 

Can you remember an occasion in which you had the perfect comeback too late?

The Inca civilisation had a unique method for record-keeping. They used knotted strings called ‘quipus’. 

Believed to be a blend of accounting and storytelling, quipus were not only used for census records and calendrical data but also for recording historical events, stories and even numeric values.

Did you know that the theater has given us many everyday phrases? Here are a few with their origins in the world of drama: 

1. “Break a leg”
2. “The show must go on”
3. “Curtain call”

Languages often capture nuances that are challenging to express in English. For example in Tagalog, also known as “Filipino”, there’s a word called “Gigil” that means the strong urge to squeeze something cute. Do you recognise this feeling? 

‘Klingon’ is a fictional language that was used in Star Trek. Created for the show by linguist Marc Okrand, Klingon now has enthusiasts who learn and converse in it. This acts as a reminder how language can bridge real and fictional worlds, connecting us in unexpected ways!

There is a thought provoking novel ‘Ella Minnow Pea’, that delves into the theme of language control within a fictional dictatorship. Set in a country where letters are gradually banned, the story unfolds as communication becomes increasingly constrained. It’s a captivating read that explores the adaptability of individuals and how they communicate.

For argument’s sake, I tried to rewrite the paragraph above without using the letter ‘e’. How do you think I did?

This fascinating book digs into a fictitious country living through a dictatorship that gradually bans symbols, constraining communication. It’s a thought provoking story that shows individuals’ and communication’s adaptability.

Pangrams are sentences that contain all alphabet letters. In French, the phrase “Buvez De Ce Whisky Que Le Patron Juge Fameux” which means “drink some of this whisky which the boss finds excellent” illustrates this. Similarly, the sentence “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” serves as an English pangram.

Languages around the world offer diverse views of time. An intriguing example of this can be found in the Aymara language. The word for future (qhipuru) means “behind time.” When speakers mention future events, they point over their shoulder, because that’s where the future is, while the past is in front of them. The reason for this makes sense: since we can’t see into the future, but we’ve already experienced the past, we treat the past as something we can easily see, just like what’s in front of us.

Nahuatl was the primary language spoken by the Aztecs, an ancient civilization in Mesoamerica. This fascinating language also served as a lingua franca, facilitating communication and trade among diverse cultures in the region before the arrival of Europeans. Even today, Nahuatl continues to be spoken by indigenous communities in Mexico, showcasing its resilience and enduring cultural significance. The survival of Nahuatl through the centuries is a testament to the strong connection between language and heritage, preserving the rich legacy of the Aztec civilization in the hearts and voices of modern-day descendants.