untranslatable

Kundera went on about litost, but apparently there are a few other important words that can't be defined outside a certain language.

i like the idea of this.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4457805

other favourites

GERMAN: die beleidigte Leberwurst spielen - to stick one's lower lip out in a sulk--literally, to play the insulted liver sausage.

JAPANESE: bakku-shan - a girl who appears pretty from behind but not from the front

see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4248494.stm for more. Trust me, you need to know the 27 albanian terms for various moustaches.

no, this isn't the dawn of a new obsession. just trying to think up a name for my new concept boutique. current favourite is:

RUSSIAN: Koshatnik - a dealer of stolen cats