This article is more than 2 years old.

January 29, 2016 This article is more than 2 years old.

Volta, a Greek word describing a leisurely stroll down the street. Jugaad, a Hindi term meaning the ability to get by. Gumusservi: Turkish for the subtle glimmer that moonlight makes on water.

Too little of the world’s astoundingly rich lexicon for feelings of beauty, positivity, and well-being exists in English alone. As such, University of East London psychology lecturer Tim Lomas has corralled some of the most striking non-English words about emotions for Westerners to appreciate. While the words describe phenomena experienced and celebrated by many cultures, no easily-expressible equivalents exist in English.

Lomas published 216 of these so-called “untranslatable” words in the Journal of Positive Psychology last week aiming to both “help expand the emotional vocabulary of English speakers” and “provide a window onto cultural differences in constructions of well-being”; the words are also neatly laid out on his website by theme.

Here are some of the loveliest, alongside translations by Lomas into their nearest-possible English definition:

Ah-un (Japanese): Unspoken communication between close friends

(Japanese): Unspoken communication between close friends Að jenna (Icelandic): The ability to persevere through hard or boring tasks

(Icelandic): The ability to persevere through hard or boring tasks Cafune (Portuguese): Tenderly running fingers through a loved one’s hair

(Portuguese): Tenderly running fingers through a loved one’s hair Fargin (Yiddish): To glow with pride at the success of others

(Yiddish): To glow with pride at the success of others Gökotta (Swedish): Waking up early to hear the first birds sing

(Swedish): Waking up early to hear the first birds sing Gula (Spanish): The desire to eat simply for the taste

(Spanish): The desire to eat simply for the taste Iktsuarpok (Inuit): The anticipation felt when waiting for someone

(Inuit): The anticipation felt when waiting for someone Kreng-jai (Thai): The wish to not trouble someone by burdening them

(Thai): The wish to not trouble someone by burdening them Mbuki-mvuki (Bantu): To shed clothes to dance uninhibited

(Bantu): To shed clothes to dance uninhibited Querencia (Spanish): A secure place from which one draws strength

(Spanish): A secure place from which one draws strength Santosha (Sanskrit): Contentment arising from personal interaction

(Sanskrit): Contentment arising from personal interaction Sarang (Korean): The wish to be with someone until death

(Korean): The wish to be with someone until death Schnapsidee (German): An ingenious plan hatched while drunk

(German): An ingenious plan hatched while drunk Seijaku (Japanese): Serenity in the midst of chaos

(Japanese): Serenity in the midst of chaos Sobremesa (Spanish): When the food is gone but the conversation is still flowing

(Spanish): When the food is gone but the conversation is still flowing Tarab (Arabic): Musically-induced ecstasy or enchantment

(Arabic): Musically-induced ecstasy or enchantment Toska (Russian): A wistful longing for one’s homeland

(Russian): A wistful longing for one’s homeland Uitwaaien (Dutch): Walking in the wind for fun

(Dutch): Walking in the wind for fun Waldeinsamskeit (German): A mysterious feeling of solitude in the woods

(German): A mysterious feeling of solitude in the woods Yuan fen (Chinese): A binding force impelling a destined relationship

(Chinese): A binding force impelling a destined relationship Yutta-hey (Cherokee): Leaving life at its zenith; departing in glory.

Lomas notes in the journal article that he plans to pursue further research on the potential benefits of his positive, emotional, “cross-cultural lexicography.” Offering readers these small glimpses of linguistic beauty seems a good start.