{"id":1391,"date":"2009-08-22T12:50:26","date_gmt":"2009-08-22T11:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/blog\/?page_id=1391"},"modified":"2026-03-21T14:01:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T14:01:33","slug":"favourite-words","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?page_id=1391","title":{"rendered":"Favourite words"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Basque<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>zarra-marra, <em>n.<\/em> = rubblish<\/li>\n<li>zurru-murru, <em>n.<\/em> = whisper (also txutxu-mutxu)<\/li>\n<li>zirrimarra, <em>n.<\/em> = scribbling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Cornish (Kernewek)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>bulhorn, <em>n.<\/em> [b\u0264l\u02c8h\u0254rn] = snail<\/li>\n<li>solempnya <em>v.<\/em> [s\u0254\u02c8l\u025bmpnja] = to celebrate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Czech (\u010de\u0161tina)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\u0161\u0148\u016frka, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8\u0283nu\u02d0rka] = string (from the German <em>Schnur<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>zmrzlina, <em>n.<\/em> [zmr\u0329z.l\u026a.na] = icecream<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Dutch (Nederlands)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>klomp, <em>n.<\/em> [kl\u0254mp] = lump of, clog, wooden shoe<\/li>\n<li>knuffelbeest, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8kn\u028f.f\u0259l\u02ccbe\u02d0st] = stuffed toy animal (&#8220;cuddle-beast&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li>rompslomp, <em>n.<\/em> = hassle, fuss, rigmarole, paperwork, red tape, bureaucracy<\/li>\n<li>winkelwagen, <em>n.<\/em> [\u028b\u026a\u014bk\u0259l\u028ba\u02d0\u0263\u0259(n)] = shopping trolley \/ chart<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>English<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>bosky, <em>adj.<\/em> [\u02c8b\u0252ski] &#8211;  consisting of or covered with bushes; full of thickets, bushy<\/li>\n<li>hornswoggle, <em>v.<\/em> &#8211; to get the better of; to cheat, swindle, hoodwink, humbug, bamboozle<\/li>\n<li>huffkin, <em>n.<\/em> &#8211; a traditional type of bread roll from Kent<\/li>\n<li>hullabaloo, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02cch\u028cl.\u0259.b\u0259\u02c8lu\u02d0] = uproar, fuss<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldwidewords.org\/weirdwords\/ww-ker1.htm\">kerfuffle<\/a>, <em>n.<\/em> [k\u0259\u02c8f\u028cf.\u0259l] = a commotion or fuss<\/li>\n<li>misodoctakleidist, <em>n.<\/em> = someone who hates practising the piano<\/li>\n<li>murmuration, <em>adj.<\/em> [\u02ccm\u025c\u02d0.m\u0259\u02c8re\u026a.\u0283\u0259n] &#8211; a flock (of starlings)<\/li>\n<li>never-thriving, <em>adj.<\/em> [\u02c8nev.\u0259r \u02c8\u03b8ra\u026a.v\u026a\u014b] &#8211; collective noun for jugglers<\/li>\n<li>nurdle, <em>n.<\/em> [n\u025c\u02d0(\u0279)d\u0259l] = to gently waffle or muse on a subject which one clearly knows little about<\/li>\n<li>purfle, <em>v.<\/em> [\u02c8p\u0259\u02d0f\u0259l] = to decorate the surface of a violin<\/li>\n<li>shenanigans, <em>n.<\/em> [\u0283\u0259\u02c8n\u00e6n\u026ag\u0259nz] = mischievous play, especially by children; deceitful trick(s); trickery, games<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Estonian (eesti)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00f5ueaia\u00e4\u00e4r, <em>n.<\/em> = the edge of the fence surrounding a yard<\/li>\n<li>j\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4r, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8j\u00e6\u02d0\u02cc\u00e6\u02d0r] = the edge of the ice. e.g. Kuuuurijate t\u00f6\u00f6\u00f6\u00f6 j\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4\u00e4rel = A moon researchers&#8217; work-night at the edge of the ice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Finnish (suomi)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>tyytyv\u00e4isyys, <em>n.<\/em>  [\u02c8t\u032ay\u02d0t\u032ay\u02cc\u028b\u00e6i\u032fs\u0320y\u02d0s\u0320] = satisfaction, complancency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>French (fran\u00e7ais)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>ouistiti, <em>n.<\/em> [wi.sti.ti] = marmoset<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>German (Deutsch)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Erbsenz\u00e4hler, <em>n.<\/em> = &#8220;pea counter&#8221; &#8211; control freak  [<a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/german-expressions-that-have-no-good-english-equivalent-2014-9?IR=T\">source<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li>Fr\u00fchjahrsm\u00fcdigkeit = &#8220;springtime lethargy&#8221; &#8211; a general sense of weariness in the springtime [<a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/german-expressions-that-have-no-good-english-equivalent-2014-9?IR=T\">source<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li>mampfen, <em>v.<\/em> [\u02c8mampfn\u0329] = to munch<\/li>\n<li>quatschen, <em>v.<\/em> [\u02c8kvat\u0283n\u0329\/\u02c8kvat\u0283\u0259n] = to gab; to piffle; to talk rubbish; to chew the fat; to shoot the breeze; to blab; to yak; to squelch; to squidge<\/li>\n<li>schrumpfen, <em>v.<\/em> [\u02c8\u0283\u0281\u028am(p)f\u0259n] = to shrink<\/li>\n<li>Schnalzlaut, <em>n.<\/em> = (linguistic) click<\/li>\n<li>schnalzen, <em>v.<\/em> [\u02c8\u0283nalt\u0361s\u0259n] = to snap\/click one&#8217;s fingers<\/li>\n<li>Schnalzer, <em>n.<\/em> = click, snap, crack<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Irish (Gaeilge)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>both\u00e1na\u00edocht, <em>n.<\/em> = (act of) visiting houses for pastime or gossip<\/li>\n<li>bumb\u00f3g, <em>n.<\/em> = bumblebee \ud83d\udc1d, busybody<\/li>\n<li>smugairle r\u00f3in, <em>n.<\/em> = jellyfish (lit. &#8220;seal snot&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li>sceall\u00f3ga, <em>n.<\/em> = chips<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Italian (italiano)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>zanzara, <em>n.<\/em> [d\u0361zan\u02c8d\u0361za.ra] &#8211; mosquito<\/li>\n<li>pioggerella <em>n.<\/em> &#8211; drizzle<\/li>\n<li>pioggerellina <em>n.<\/em> &#8211; mizzle<\/li>\n<li>piovigginoso <em>adj.<\/em> &#8211; drizzly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Manx (Gaelg)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>dramane \/ drapane, <em>n.<\/em> = misty rain<\/li>\n<li>neusloateil, <em>n.<\/em> = non-stop rain (sloateil = cessation of rain)<\/li>\n<li>smooidraght, <em>n.<\/em> = a little rain<\/li>\n<li>smoogh, <em>n.<\/em> = a playful kiss<\/li>\n<li>smittag, <em>n.<\/em> = a playful kiss \/ dark-looking girl<\/li>\n<li>ee, <em>v.<\/em> = to eat &#8211; e.g. Eeee ee &#8211; She will eat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Scots (Scoats leid)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>dreich, <em>a.<\/em> [dri\u02d0\u00e7] = extensive, lasting, tedious, tiresome, slow<\/li>\n<li>driffle, <em>v.<\/em> = to drizzle, to rain or snow slightly; to scold<\/li>\n<li>gandaguster \/ gandiegow, <em>a.<\/em> = strong, sudden gust or a storm of short duration<\/li>\n<li>pingle, <em>v.<\/em> [p\u026a\u014bl] = to trifle, dabble or meddle with (esp. food)<\/li>\n<li>rumballiach, <em>a.<\/em> = tempestuous<\/li>\n<li>smirr,<em>n.<\/em> = light rain<\/li>\n<li>tirry-wirry, <em>a.<\/em> = cross, petulant, peevish<\/li>\n<li>wirry-boggle, <em>n.<\/em> = a rogue, a rascal<\/li>\n<li>wumplefeyst, <em>n.<\/em> = a fit of sulks, in man or animal, a perverse, restive mood<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Orkney dialect<\/strong> (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.orkneyjar.com\/orkney\/dialect\/weather.htm\">source<\/a>)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ugsome, <em>a.<\/em> = threatening, awe-inspiring (of weather). From Old Norse <em>uggr<\/em>, apprehension<\/li>\n<li>skuther \/ skwither, <em>n.<\/em> = a sharp breeze of short duration<\/li>\n<li>skreever, <em>n.<\/em> = a very strong gale<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Shetland dialect<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>plink, <em>v.<\/em> = to play a string instrument; to twinkle &#8211; Gie wis a wee plink apo dee fiddle afore we gang hame<\/li>\n<li>scobbins, <em>n.<\/em> = porridge\/cereal stuck to a pan; scrapings from a pan<\/li>\n<li>smuksin, <em>v.<\/em> = shuffling about in clumsy footwear<\/li>\n<li>smush, <em>n.<\/em> = fine drizzle<\/li>\n<li>twartle, <em>v.<\/em> = to contradict<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Scottish Gaelic (G\u00e0idhlig)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>brocach, <em>n.<\/em> = badger-like, pertaining to or abounding in badgers<\/li>\n<li>rothalan, <em>n.<\/em> [r\u032a\u02e0\u0254h\u0259l\u032a\u02e0an] = a person or animal running in circles<\/li>\n<li>sm\u00f9id [smu\u02d0d\u02b2], <em>n.<\/em> = steam, vapour, fumes, smoke, a state of drunkenness (steaming\/smashed), e.g. tha sm\u00f9id orra = they&#8217;re drunk<\/li>\n<li>snog, <em>a.<\/em> [sn\u032a\u02e0og] = nice, pleasant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Swahili<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>pilipili hoho, <em>n.<\/em> = sweet pepper, bell pepper, capsicum<\/li>\n<li>takataka, <em>n.<\/em> [t\u0251.k\u0251\u02c8t\u0251.k\u0251] = rubbish, filth, dirt<\/li>\n<li>pikipiki, <em>n.<\/em> = motorcycle<\/li>\n<li>fofofo, <em>adv.<\/em> = completely, absolutely, e.g. lala fofofo = to be fast asleep, to sleep like a log<\/li>\n<li>mahabubu, <em>n.<\/em> = lover, beloved, darling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Swedish<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>snigelhus, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8sni\u02d0g\u025bl.h\u0289\u02d0s] = shell (snail-house)<\/li>\n<li>snilleblixt, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8sn\u026al\u0259.bl\u026akst] = brainwave; a great idea; serendipity (genius-flash)<\/li>\n<li>sn\u00f6, <em>n.<\/em> [sn\u00f8\u02d0] = snow<\/li>\n<li>sn\u00f6by, <em>n.<\/em> [sn\u00f8\u02d0b\u028f] = flurry<\/li>\n<li>sn\u00f6gubbe, <em>n.<\/em> [sn\u00f8\u02d0\u02c8\u0261\u0275\u02ccb\u025b] = snowman<\/li>\n<li>sn\u00f6mos, <em>n.<\/em> [sn\u00f8\u02d0m\u0254s] = slush, empty talk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Spanish (espa\u00f1ol)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>susurro, <em>n.<\/em> [su\u02c8sur\u02d0o\u02d0] = whisper<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Welsh (Cymraeg)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>bochgoch, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8bo\u02d0\u03c7go\u02d0\u03c7] = rosy-cheeked; poppy<\/li>\n<li>brochwart, <em>n.<\/em> = badger ward, keeper of a badger<\/li>\n<li>mwnwgl, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8m\u028an\u028agl] = neck (also gwddf, m\u0175n)<\/li>\n<li>mympwy, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8m\u0259mp\u028a\u0268\u032f] = whim, fad, fancy<\/li>\n<li>mympwyol, <em>adj.<\/em> [m\u0259m\u02c8p\u028a\u0268\u032fol] = whimsical, arbitary<\/li>\n<li>mympwywr, <em>n.<\/em> [m\u0259m\u02c8p\u028a\u0268\u032f\u028ar] = faddist<\/li>\n<li>odl, <em>n.<\/em> [\u0254dl] = rhyme &#8211; odli = to rhyme &#8211; odliad = rhymning<\/li>\n<li>rhygyngog <em>a.<\/em> [r\u0259\u02c8g\u0259\u014b\u0254g] = ambling<\/li>\n<li>slefren f\u00f4r, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8sl\u025bvr\u025bn vo\u02d0r] = jellyfish (lit. &#8220;sea slime&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li>sglodion, <em>n.<\/em> [\u02c8sg\u030al\u0254d\u026a\u0254n] = chips<\/li>\n<li>smwc, <em>n.<\/em> [smu\u02d0k] = drizzle<\/li>\n<li>sbratast  <em>n.<\/em> = cat which steals food from the table<\/li>\n<li>treigloffobia, <em>n.<\/em> [tr\u0259\u0268gl\u0254\u02c8f\u0254b\u026aa] = fear of <em>treigladau<\/em> (mutations)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Quotations and other snippets that appeal to me.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Braille &#8211; something about it gives me the bumps.<\/li>\n<li>Vietnamese looks like an explosion in a diacritics factory.<\/li>\n<li>English is a relatively simple language, absurdly spelled.<\/li>\n<li>Be firmly convinced you are a linguistic genius. (Kat\u00f3 Lomb)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/language\/proverbs\/language.htm\">More sayings and proverbs about language<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Basque zarra-marra, n. = rubblish zurru-murru, n. = whisper (also txutxu-mutxu) zirrimarra, n. = scribbling Cornish (Kernewek) bulhorn, n. [b\u0264l\u02c8h\u0254rn] = snail solempnya v. [s\u0254\u02c8l\u025bmpnja] = to celebrate Czech (\u010de\u0161tina) \u0161\u0148\u016frka, n. [\u02c8\u0283nu\u02d0rka] = string (from the German Schnur) zmrzlina, n. [zmr\u0329z.l\u026a.na] = icecream Dutch (Nederlands) klomp, n. [kl\u0254mp] = lump of, clog, wooden shoe [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1391","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1391","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1391"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1391\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24527,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1391\/revisions\/24527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1391"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}