Fifty Words For Snow

Ep 18: Hebrew Heart: Asir Toda and Nefesh

Maggie and Emily learn Hebrew words asir toda and nefesh from native speaker Leila Eden. Reporter at large Peter Baynham reports on the Finnish word kalsarikännit and Susie McDonnell shares “embarrask.” Poem by Maggie: Asir Toda (Gratitude Prisoner)

A linguistic expedition into brave new words. Maggie Rowe and Emily John Garcés hunt for words that lack an English equivalent. They like to think of themselves as Dora the Explorers of language, with their rucksacks and hats and notebooks and magnifying glasses, embarking on a cultural adventure, hunting and gathering useful new word specimens from far flung continents, and holding them up to see what new light they shine on old ideas.