Basque

• zarra-marra, n. = rubblish
• zurru-murru, n. = whisper (also txutxu-mutxu)
• zirrimarra, n. = scribbling

Cornish (Kernewek)

• bulhorn, n. [bɤlˈhɔrn] = snail
• solempnya v. [sɔˈlɛmpnja] = to celebrate

Czech (čeština)

• šňůrka, n. [ˈʃnuːrka] = string (from the German Schnur)
• zmrzlina, n. [zmr̩z.lɪ.na] = icecream

Dutch (Nederlands)

• klomp, n. [klɔmp] = lump of, clog, wooden shoe
• knuffelbeest, n. [ˈknʏ.fəlˌbeːst] = stuffed toy animal (“cuddle-beast”)
• rompslomp, n. = hassle, fuss, rigmarole, paperwork, red tape, bureaucracy
• winkelwagen, n. [ʋɪŋkəlʋaːɣə(n)] = shopping trolley / chart

English

• bosky, adj. [ˈbɒski] – consisting of or covered with bushes; full of thickets, bushy
• hornswoggle, v. – to get the better of; to cheat, swindle, hoodwink, humbug, bamboozle
• huffkin, n. – a traditional type of bread roll from Kent
• hullabaloo, n. [ˌhʌl.ə.bəˈluː] = uproar, fuss
• kerfuffle, n. [kəˈfʌf.əl] = a commotion or fuss
• misodoctakleidist, n. = someone who hates practising the piano
• murmuration, adj. [ˌmɜː.məˈreɪ.ʃən] – a flock (of starlings)
• never-thriving, adj. [ˈnev.ər ˈθraɪ.vɪŋ] – collective noun for jugglers
• nurdle, n. [nɜː(ɹ)dəl] = to gently waffle or muse on a subject which one clearly knows little about
• purfle, v. [ˈpəːfəl] = to decorate the surface of a violin
• shenanigans, n. [ʃəˈnænɪgənz] = mischievous play, especially by children; deceitful trick(s); trickery, games

Estonian (eesti)

• õueaiaäär, n. = the edge of the fence surrounding a yard
• jäääär, n. [ˈjæːˌæːr] = the edge of the ice. e.g. Kuuuurijate töööö jäääärel = A moon researchers’ work-night at the edge of the ice

French (français)

• ouistiti, n. [wi.sti.ti] = marmoset

German (Deutsch)

• Erbsenzähler, n. = “pea counter” – control freak [source]
• Frühjahrsmüdigkeit = “springtime lethargy” – a general sense of weariness in the springtime [source]
• mampfen, v. [ˈmampfn̩] = to munch
• quatschen, v. [ˈkvatʃn̩/ˈkvatʃən] = to gab; to piffle; to talk rubbish; to chew the fat; to shoot the breeze; to blab; to yak; to squelch; to squidge
• schrumpfen, v. [ˈʃʁʊm(p)fən] = to shrink
• Schnalzlaut, n. = (linguistic) click
• schnalzen, v. [ˈʃnalt͡sən] = to snap/click one’s fingers
• Schnalzer, n. = click, snap, crack

Irish (Gaeilge)

• bothánaíocht, n. = (act of) visiting houses for pastime or gossip
• bumbóg, n. = bumblebee 🐝, busybody
• smugairle róin, n. = jellyfish (lit. “seal snot”)
• sceallóga, n. = chips

Italian (italiano)

• zanzara, n. [d͡zanˈd͡za.ra] – mosquito

Manx (Gaelg)

• dramane / drapane, n. = misty rain
• neusloateil, n. = non-stop rain (sloateil = cessation of rain)
• smooidraght, n. = a little rain
• smoogh, n. = a playful kiss
• smittag, n. = a playful kiss / dark-looking girl
• ee, v. = to eat – e.g. Eeee ee – She will eat

Scots (Scoats leid)

• dreich, a. [driːç] = extensive, lasting, tedious, tiresome, slow
• driffle, v. = to drizzle, to rain or snow slightly; to scold
• gandaguster / gandiegow, a. = strong, sudden gust or a storm of short duration
• pingle, v. [pɪŋl] = to trifle, dabble or meddle with (esp. food)
• rumballiach, a. = tempestuous
• smirr,n. = light rain
• tirry-wirry, a. = cross, petulant, peevish
• wirry-boggle, n. = a rogue, a rascal
• wumplefeyst, n. = a fit of sulks, in man or animal, a perverse, restive mood

Orkney dialect (source)

• ugsome, a. = threatening, awe-inspiring (of weather). From Old Norse uggr, apprehension
• skuther / skwither, n. = a sharp breeze of short duration
• skreever, n. = a very strong gale

Shetland dialect

• plink, v. = to play a string instrument; to twinkle – Gie wis a wee plink apo dee fiddle afore we gang hame
• scobbins, n. = porridge/cereal stuck to a pan; scrapings from a pan
• smuksin, v. = shuffling about in clumsy footwear
• smush, n. = fine drizzle
• twartle, v. = to contradict

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)

• brocach, n. = badger-like, pertaining to or abounding in badgers
• rothalan, n. [r̪ˠɔhəl̪ˠan] = a person or animal running in circles
• smùid [smuːdʲ], n. = steam, vapour, fumes, smoke, a state of drunkenness (steaming/smashed), e.g. tha smùid orra = they’re drunk
• snog, a. [sn̪ˠog] = nice, pleasant

Swedish

• snigelhus, n. [ˈsniːgɛl.hʉːs] = shell (snail-house)
• snilleblixt, n. [ˈsnɪlə.blɪkst] = brainwave; a great idea; serendipity (genius-flash)
• snö, n. [snøː] = snow
• snöby, n. [snøːbʏ] = flurry
• snögubbe, n. [snøːˈɡɵˌbɛ] = snowman
• snömos, n. [snøːmɔs] = slush, empty talk

Spanish (español)

• susurro, n. [suˈsurːoː] = whisper

Welsh (Cymraeg)

• bochgoch, n. [ˈboːχgoːχ] = rosy-cheeked; poppy
• brochwart, n. = badger ward, keeper of a badger
• mwnwgl, n. [ˈmʊnʊgl] = neck (also gwddf, mŵn)
• mympwy, n. [ˈməmpʊɨ̯] = whim, fad, fancy
• mympwyol, adj. [məmˈpʊɨ̯ol] = whimsical, arbitary
• mympwywr, n. [məmˈpʊɨ̯ʊr] = faddist
• odl, n. [ɔdl] = rhyme – odli = to rhyme – odliad = rhymning
• rhygyngog a. [rəˈgəŋɔg] = ambling
• slefren fôr, n. [ˈslɛvrɛn voːr] = jellyfish (lit. “sea slime”)
• sglodion, n. [ˈsg̊lɔdɪɔn] = chips
• smwc, n. [smuːk] = drizzle
• sbratast n. = cat which steals food from the table
• treigloffobia, n. [trəɨglɔˈfɔbɪa] = fear of treigladau (mutations)

Quotes

Quotations and other snippets that appeal to me.

• Braille – something about it gives me the bumps.
• Vietnamese looks like an explosion in a diacritics factory.
• English is a relatively simple language, absurdly spelled.
• Be firmly convinced you are a linguistic genius. (Kató Lomb)

More sayings and proverbs about language