#13: Feðgar

I've already touched on untranslatable words in a previous post, but the truth is that "translatability" as a general concept doesn't really exist at all. At best, translation is merely a form of approximation. It's all about finding the "closest match" to a word in a different language, and when you do that, chances are that some subtle aspect of the original word-- perhaps its connotation, or maybe an extra layer of meaning, or something encoded in the actual sound of the word-- will be lost. This is perhaps best seen in words that describe family relations, like the Icelandic word feðgar.

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#4: Þrákálfur

If you can get past the guilt associated with celebrating a holiday that romanticizes the ethnic genocide perpetrated by our country's forefathers, Thanksgiving actually has a lot going for it-- yummy food, a big flashy parade, and the chance to spend quality time with your loved ones. But, like all good things, there's a catch, and that catch is that you have to invite that guy. He could be your annoying uncle, the weird out-of-state cousin, your newest someone-in-law, or that "family friend" who had nowhere else to go. One thing is certain, though: the that guy will inevitably bring his/her unique brand of backwards politics and controversial opinions to the table and, try as you might, you won't be able to avoid it. Fortunately, Icelandic has a word for the that guy, and it's þrákálfur.

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