I have one special gift, I have a good ‘ear’…I can’t sing …but I can recognize and imitate sounds. This is why I studied languages in college. I started taking French in 3rd grade and then studied German and Spanish in college. I loved learning about culture through understanding the language. I had a chance to read Victor Hugo, Franz Kafka and Gabriel Garcia Marquez in their original languages. Let me assure you that there are MANY things that don’t translate from one language to another. We Americans think our language is sophisticated– in the sense that we accommodate words from all kinds of other languages. However, just like us as a nation, it is young and immature — with all the good and bad things that flow from that.
When I came across this article: How Do You Say…? For Some Words There is No Translation – I loved the idea and examples. I especially appreciated…
Swahili: Tuko pajoma –Denotes a shared sense of purpose and motivation in a group. It transcends mere agreement and implies empathetic understanding, or “We are together.”
As we move forward into this unknown and unknowable future.. let us remember Tuko pajoma. We have a shared sense of purpose and motivation… and that is to help one another, to find our way together and to learn and grow. This takes a conscious effort and I am glad you’re on this journey with me. I couldn’t do it without you.
Heiwa no tabi suru May peace be your journey.
Image credit: How do you say…
Carl Hoffman
September 6, 2013Thank you for another insightful entry. I am looking for inspiration to go into an occupation that does not exist. I have three years and nine months until I plan to retire and I see that as my time to come up with something. Your entry reminds me there are times language fails us in explaining something like fine art. Read a book on art and see how the author stumbles and falls in explaining the meaning of the work. As an art collector and artist I can see where the art and the collector become a part of one another as the collector becomes the one who appreciates while the other creates. I am an engineer at heart and have a very analytical mind that gets in the way of creating art. So my instructor had me paint things upside down and other times not using my dominant hand while painting the subject upside down. The funny thing happened was this was two of my best paintings out of over 100 paintings. I do have five of my paintings hanging in our home and sold others. I have been offered gallery space but I declined because I am not ready yet. I demand excellence in most every thing like Steve Jobs but I do have people skills. Now I am studying Elon Musk of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and Hyperloop, not to mention PayPal. I love interesting success stories. I want to become one.