Welcome to the 36th edition of Untranslatable Words, for this ocasion we're moving to Europe one more time, we're visiting another nordic country in the very north part of Europe, Finland. This week we're talking about a word as funny as its spelling.
This week's word is the finnish: Hyppytyynytyydytys.
Gif by Wordstuck
Hyppytyynytyydytys
Besides trying to imagine how this word would be pronounced, I just found it hilarious. Even though this word isn't even commonly used among Finnish themselves, I think it tells a lot about their relaxed way of life.
Hyppytyynytyydytys literally means "bouncy cushion satisfaction", it's the relaxing feeling of sitting down on a cushion or comfortable chair. *
This word is undoubtely a mouthful one, but I'm sure we're all familiar with this feeling. It's that “aaaah” relaxing moment you have as soon as you touch that soft sofa after a long day. What's really interesting about it is that it has no vowels, it has 18 letters but ony uses 7 actual letters, so there's plenty of repeat letters. This is indeed a strange word. *
Despite the word may not be of any practical use for our everyday life, I think it's certainly an useful concept to know. This word somehow takes me back in time to those childhood memories where I would enjoy bouncing on either a couch or mattress, even though my mom would get mad and quickly tell me to stop, lol. Even so, I think the word still refers to much more than that.
This word would also refer to this feeling when you’ve just finished a long morning jog outdoors, body tired from the exercise so you come home with limbs spread across the couch. It’s also the deep long sigh with your body on the sofa on a hard day’s night. Shoes off, feet up on the table with your aching back as you lean. Happy is also that kind of feeling you have on a hot summer day at the patio and all you can do is relish the view and fresh juice on hand as you fan yourself. *
Now, it could be said that this word also talks about the finnish people relaxed way of life. More specifically, finnish people generally have a relaxed attitude towards manners and dressing, and a visitor is unlikely to offend them by accident. A so relaxed attitude that the Finnish language lacks a specific word for "please", so Finns sometimes forget to use it when speaking English, even when they don't mean to be rude. This is the finnish way of life, what it means to be finnish and in my opinion the concept that lies behind this funny word. *
Finns are a famously taciturn people who have little time for small talk or social niceties, so don't expect to hear phrases like "thank you" or "you're welcome" too often. Loud speaking and loud laughing is not common in Finland and may irritate some Finns. Occasional silence is considered a part of the conversation, not a sign of hostility or irritation. So, even though for some people they might appear too cold or even rude, they're just like really chill. *
So, I would say finnish people seem to be all about simple life and simple pleasures, like the one hyppytyynytyydytys represents. Now, the word not only reminds me of my chilhood memories of me jumping on the bed while my mom was scolding me but I also see myself arriving a tiny and cozy home after a busy day and then sitting on the couch while sighing and being just glad for its softness and the quietness of the place during a cold and peaceful night; just being thankful, enoying the simple things and living the present moment, not worrying for anything else.
What do you think? Do you see finnish way of life in hyppytyynytyydytys? Please feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!
Thank you very much for passing by! And if you have an Untranslatable Word you'd like to suggest, please don't hesitate to do so! :)
Previous Untranslatable Words:
#31: orenda - God as a power of nature's energy
#32: ishin-denshin - Japanese telepathy
#33: gökotta - connecting with nature and ourselves
#34: kalpa - the longest time measurement
#35: shěnměi píláo - When love fades away