The word comes from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego, located at the
tip of South America. The islands are divided between Chilean and
Argentinean rule. The land is largely protected as national parks and
reserves.
The Yaghan people are few and many of them
are mestizos. The word mamihlapinatapai landed a spot in the Guinness
Book of World Records as the “most succinct word.”
Roughly translated, the idea of the word refers to “a
look shared by two people, each wishing that the other will offer
something that they both desire but are unwilling to suggest or offer
themselves.”
I’d say it’s a pretty loaded word!
No comments:
Post a Comment