Other-Wordly
words both strange and lovely from around the world
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Discover words to surprise, delight, and enamor. Learn terms for the sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees, for dancing awkwardly but with relish, and for the look shared by two people who each wish the other would speak first. Other-Wordly is an irresistible ebook for lovers of words and those lost for words alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In a project born out of a blog of the same name, Mak introduces 64 words from more than a dozen languages that describe emotions, situations, and aspects of being that aren't always easily translated. Garrity-Riley's dainty mixed-media illustrations, dominated by muted browns and blues, echo the moody tone of several words, as well as the cross-cultural juxtapositions that arise. The elegance of soign , the mixed messages described by the Turkish word nazlanmak, and the Scots word tartle (for stumbling over someone's name) are neatly reflected in a semi-awkward cocktail party scene. The Swedish word smultronst lle (a "personal idyll free from stress or sadness") translates literally to a "place of wild strawberries," which is where Garrity-Riley shows a blonde girl reclining in wavy grasses, eyes closed in delight. Brief definitions, parts of speech, and language of origin accompany each word; the lack of phonetic pronunciations might disappoint readers looking to add these words to their lexicons immediately, but it's nothing a little Googling can't fix.
