WordStackingFun
Sometimes I wish I spoke German. I like that they make new words by smushing old ones together. English isn't bad either -- you can tack random suffixes onto anything that will sit still (although, in the land of corporatespeak, you end up with things like "monetize" and "actionable"). But the best combination word I've heard yet is Icelandic: toelva for "computer". Why? It's formed from the words for "digit" and "prophetess." How cool is that? (Thanks for the article, Josh.) Have other favorite invented -- or adopted -- words? Here's two more from Czech that I like: pocitac = "computer"
(from the word for "to count")
dzus = "juice"
Comments
I've always liked the Japanese word for computer. These days most people just use the katakana "pasu-kon" (short for personal computer), but the formal kanji means "electric brain/heart/mind".
Says Troutgirl
24 Dec 2001 at 12:05 AM
I'm betting that "computer" is going to be an interesting one in many languages.
Another I forgot to include: the German for "nipple" is "Brustwarze". Breast wart.
Says Xy
26 Dec 2001 at 09:32 AM
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