In Other Words: A Language Lover's Guide to the Most Intriguing Words Around the World [Hardcover]

When I grew up around my Japanese-speaking mother, she often used the phrase "yoko meshi" when she would get particularly frustrated about having to speak English. Only in hindsight do I see that she was using a particularly Japanese expression of linguistic frustration. This is one of the 250-plus words and phrases that language expert Christopher J. Moore has compiled from around the world that do not have a simple translation in English. Yet what they do convey are life experiences with which we Americans can relate.

Words that originate within one culture might as easily have been produced by another at any time. But often one culture may recognize a more immediate need for a word to express an emotion or situation. Consequently there are inconsistencies in how we describe commonalties we have in the human experience. And then there are the cases of words and phrases he introduces that seem specific to their native cultures such as the Czech word, litost, which is a state of torment only experienced by Czechs where they have the sudden sight of their own misery. Bottom line, languages develop in response to a culture's needs and interests. Moore has provided a nice, light tome that clearly expresses our cultural differences through words that truly get lost in translation. It's a great way to get a smidgen of what another culture may be like.

Believe me, I really wanted to give this book five stars. It is five-star quality in almost every respect. The only reason I didn't is, IMO, it gives unduly short shrift to Spanish. And of the handful or so Spanish words that are included, at least three are characteristic of Spain. It seems to me the author missed a great opportunity to introduce readers to the multifaceted Spanish of Latin America. I for one would have loved to see the word "carteluo" in there, since I have yet to find a satisfactory definition/description anywhere else. Yet try as I might to identify other shortcomings, that is the only criticism I have of this book.

Moore somehow manages to make up for all the deserving words that didn't make it. He shows particular deference to German and French, and I absolutely reveled in his selections from the lengua franca of the Deutschelanders. Surely my auto insurer wouldn't mind being introduced to a geisterfahrer or two. And the mental images conjured up by the words schadenfreude and korinthenkacker are the cure for a bad day. I also enjoyed the introduction, where readers are treated to a glimpse of the Finnish concept of sisu. The selection of Yiddish words is admirable as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if Reader's Digest ever asked to reprint it as a vocab builder.

The smiles, laughter and sheer enjoyment I get from reading this book make me forget I paid for it. I have used it as a reference book, a momentary diversion, and an extended read when I need something lighthearted. I think it nicely complements Ostler's scholarly, but no less entertaining, tome "Empires of the Word". Don't miss that one if you like "In Other Words". And Mr. Moore, if you read this review and ever plan a second edition of this book, may I suggest you consider including the Japanese word "mokusatsu." I've read that the inherent ambiguity in that word might have played a key role in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I just finished reading two books about language: "In Other Words" and a book called "Zounds!" that looked into the origins of interjections.

The author of "Zounds!" gushed about the illustrator of his book, remarking about how much they added. In reality, to me, they looked like hastily drawn cartoons on the same plane as Marmaduke, as far as drawing skill and wit were involved.

Now we have "In Other Words," which is filled with outstanding illustrations, and not a word about them from author Christopher Moore. The illustrations, done in some sort of African or Asian style of which I am unfamiliar, excellently and literally demonstrate some of the stranger phrases described in the book, and truly do add to the experience.

The book itself is an interesting and enlightening read. Moore introduces each chapter (divided by language group), then skillfully describes several untranslatable phrases from each one. Either Moore has an amazing grasp of many different languages, or he did some incredible research, because his writing seems to show a true understanding.

I was also pleased by the physical book itself. The pages are a heavy weight and it's a perfect size. It's not often the size and feel of a book deserve a compliment, but there you have it.

One complaint is that the book ends abruptly, with no final wrap-up or comments by the author. Even more than that, I would have liked to see a list of English words and phrases deemed untranslatable into other languages (Moore mentions the word "cool" at one point; surely there are many others).

But overall, worth reading - if anything, to understand more how diverse the cultures on this world are.