Name: Beautiful new words to describe obscure emotions
Uploaded: 2017-03-10T16:01:47Z
Duration: 7 min 18 s
Description: John Koenig loves finding words that express our unarticulated feelings -- like "lachesism," the hunger for disaster, and "sonder," the realization that everyone else's lives are as complex and unknowable as our own. Here, he meditates on the meaning we assign to words and how these meanings latch onto us.

John Koenig loves finding words that express our unarticulated feelings -- like "lachesism," the hunger for disaster, and "sonder," the realization that everyone else's lives are as complex and unknowable as our own. Here, he meditates on the meaning we assign to words and how these meanings latch onto us.

John Koenig: Beautiful new words to describe obscure emotions

Beautiful new words to describe obscure emotions

Inventing words like 'lachesism' or 'zielschmerz' fills linguistic voids, offering solace and shared identity through language.

The most universal word, 'OK', acts as a linguistic master key, showcasing words' power despite their mysterious origins.

Inventing words for unspoken emotions enhances our emotional vocabulary, fostering deeper self-awareness and connection.