By Rachel Zierenberg
“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it until it begins to shine. ”
Language is a fascinating realm in which discoveries about culture and values can be made. In every language around the planet, there are unique words that only exist to that culture. Positive Lexicography, pioneered by positive psychologist Tim Lomas, PhD. in 2016, is the new study of seemingly untranslatable words that convey the meaning of well-being across various languages and cultures. By “untranslatable,” we mean that there is not a direct equivalent in English. These words can describe experiences unique to specific cultures or be concepts so important to the people that they have coined a direct term for it (Lomas, 2016). Watch this TED talk from Dr. Lomas himself for a great introduction.
Each of the words in this newfound dictionary give us a deeper look into culturally specific ways of flourishing (Lomas et al., 2022). For example, the term “víðsýni” in Icelandic is a relative term for open-mindedness. Loosely translated, it means “a panoramic view.” Mindfulness is a great way to bring attentiveness and expansion to our inner thoughts, therefore turning them panoramic. You can learn innovative practices to increase your víðsýni in the Mindfulness Module and in My Best Self 101’s Mindfulness for Humans online course, coming soon to the public.
Some of these terms illuminate phenomena that surprisingly exist across many cultures. One shocking revelation from the Positive Lexicography Project was the universalism of what is known as “cute aggression”-- being so overwhelmed with love and care for something that you want to squeeze it, pinch it, bite it, and/or crush it. In Czech, this is called “uňuhňat,” meaning to crush by cuddling (Lomas et al., 2022). Similarly, “gemas” in Indonesian describes the desire to squeeze someone because they are so cute. Tagalog speakers are also familiar with this notion; they call it “gigil”: the irresistible urge to pinch someone because they are so cherished. Positive emotions such as this exist in cultures and languages far beyond Western thinking.
Fun Facts about cute aggression: it is an age-old wonder that remains under study today (Stavropoulos & Alba, 2018). Originating in the reward center of the brain, it can apply to both babies and animals, as aggression tends to increase with greater infancy. Researchers hypothesize that cute aggression is a neural process used to regulate the powerful emotions of love and care that emerge when you see something cute.
Savoring, an important aspect of well-being, is a concept largely understood world-wide. It involves mindful awareness of positive experiences to prolong and amplify their value (Savoring Module). I often implement aspects of savoring in my everyday life to increase my appreciation of the world around me and all the beautiful gifts that I have to appreciate. There are so many moments worth savoring that can sometimes go unnoticed. For example, on the Isle of Man where they speak Manx Gaelic, they recognize the special and enjoyable feeling of warming the back of one’s legs in front of the fire: a concept known as “brabbag” (Lomas et al., 2022). I have experienced brabbag when camping with friends and family. I have felt a type of brabbag in my heart when I provide service to others or watch someone speak passionately about something they love. If we try to enjoy all the little experiences in our lives, our well-being is bound to increase, as will our gratitude. Eventually, we will all turn into “Gringagogs” (someone who is always smiling–Old English; Lomas et al., 2022)!
Examining lexicons of well-being from all over the world shows the diverse reach of positive psychology. Other studies show that self-evaluations like self-esteem may be universally quantifiable across all humans (Schmitt & Allik, 2005). Further research could dive further into culturally exclusive ideas about life improvement and how they could be implemented around the globe.
Some of my favorite Positive Lexicography words (Lomas et al., 2022)
A chuisle (Gaelic)
noun
Lit. my pulse; my beloved, my darling. Someone who is so close and loved they are like your pulse.
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Kopfkino (German)
noun
Lit. ‘head cinema’; the view from your ‘mind’s eye’; subjective internal images or scenes.
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Taki onqoy (Quechua)
noun
Dancing sickness; delirium caused by dancing or singing.
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Xiá (霞) (Chinese)
noun
Rosy clouds at sunrise or sunset.
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Explore Dr. Lomas’s project website where you can discover cross-cultural terms that highlight new concepts of well-being.
Help contribute to the Positive Lexicography Project by adding unique words from a language you know here.
“
The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
References
Lomas, T., Patrasc, J. & Russell, M. (2022). The positive lexicography project. The Positive Lexicography Project. https://hifisamurai.github.io/lexicography/
Lomas, T. (2016). Towards a positive cross-cultural lexicography: Enriching our emotional landscape through 216 ‘untranslatable’ words pertaining to well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 546–558. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1127993
Schmitt, D. P., & Allik, J. (2005). Simultaneous administration of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in 53 nations: Exploring the universal and culture-specific features of global self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89(4), 623–642. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.89.4.623
Stavropoulos, K. K. M., & Alba, L. A. (2018). “It’s so cute I could crush it!’’: Understanding neural mechanisms of cute aggression. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00300
TEDx. [TEDx Talks]. (2019, April 3). Expanding our experiential horizons through untranslatable words | Tim Lomas | TEDxZurich [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_mLsucNMVY&ab_channel=TEDxTalks