New York designer Karen Fong collects non-English words that have no corresponding words in English, but in each case represents a rich nuance of meaning and use.
- The German word schadenfreude, which means "the happiness felt at another's misfortune."
- Mokita, New Guinea for "the truth everyone knows but nobody says."
- The Japanese word wabi sabi, means a beauty that comes from irregularity (wabi) and age (sabi)
- The Dutch word gezellig can be described as a cozy, communal feeling, like the warm sensation one has surrounded by good friends at a long meal, with the conversation flowing.
- Lagom, which is Swedish for "just enough." Unlike the idea that "just enough" means "it'll do"--which suggests some sort of lacking-- lagom expresses that there is something that is "just right." It is the perfect amount or size, no more, no less.
