The Friday Fillip

Just say “Ahaa!”

If you’re looking to say “no” in Nepali, that is. Jennifer Runner maintains a page that tells you how to issue negation in 520 languages. You tell me I’m exaggerating? I say, “naw nae na mo aowa ne saate and, just to be clear, nou!”

Beyond a simple “no,” she’s got a number of phrases translated into a wild variety of languages. Perhaps the second most useful word to know when you find yourself in parts scarcely known, is “yes.” In which case, this is the page you want, and where you’ll find 520 affirmatives, including the efficient “i,” which will serve as your “uh huh” in at least 9 languages: Bété (Côte d’Ivoire), Chukchee (Russia), Chumash (Santa Barbara California USA), Harari [Adare](Ethiopia), Igbo [Ibo] (Africa), Lushootseed (Seattle Washington USA), Modoc (Northern California), Ngbaka (Africa), and Rotuman (Pacific Islands). There’s simply the small matter of pronunciation, of course, but there you’re on your own — 행운을 빕니다, as they say in Korean. To which, thanks to another Jennifer Runner’s page, you reply, very politely, “Jonun ihe haji mot-hagesseumnida,” which means “I don’t understand,” very very handy when abroad, I find.

She’s got pages on hello, thank you, my name is, and good morning, among others. No way to say, “Slaw’s my fave,” though. Hmph.

It remains only to say, in a Tongan way, “Nofo a.”