11/13/2006

Untranslatable words.

"Of all the untranslatable words that I came across, the one that would be most useful for me is the Danish word hugge. It refers to an ambiance that is achieved with close friends and it includes a setting with food, drink, lighting, music, etc. I've seen it described as 'cozy+.' It's a kind of private and intimate moment that the Danish have with their nearest and dearest friends but they never do it with foreigners. In fact, when foreigners seek to have a hugge experience with the Danish, what they get instead is the fake or psuedo hugge that the Danes reserve for outsiders. The Danes even have a hugge nook, a little private place in their home where a feeling of intimacy is created and where the hugge takes place. It's a safe corner that is instantly satisfying and cozy and where you spend time with your very closest friends and family."

Link.

1 comment:

christin m p in massachusetts said...

I want a hugge too.