“What will you miss most?”  His colleague asked as he cut more pieces of the retirement cake.

Antonio considered this question.

“The society parties, unveiling special collections…?”

“What brings me the greatest joy are abuelas travelling from their villages every week to sit in front of their favorite pieces.  Estudiantes spending their lunch money to sketch a masterpiece.  Hombres crafting poems comparing their amantes to art….

Duende.  Living my days surrounded by duende is what I will miss most.”

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Beauty of the World:  In this series I use an “untranslatable word” in a story.  These wonderful words capture the beauty of languages around the world.

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Untranslatable Word:
Duende (Spanish, n.):  a heightened state of emotion, spirit and passion (often associated with art/dance).

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For more wonderfully untranslatable words, see:

• Untranslatable Words, by Tim Lomas, PhD.
• Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words, by Ella Frances Sanders

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