Delhi: Duolingo, the language learning platform, launched a campaign '#EnglishMeinNahiJamta' aimed at celebrating the magic of words and phrases that capture the true essence of certain emotions in those specific languages.
From the sheer delight of terms like "lallantop" (meaning ‘Superb’) to the heartwarming sweetness of "mishti," the campaign unearthed linguistic gems that unlocked a world of emotions and feelings for India to savour.
Guided by characters Duo and Lily, users shared treasured words from their regional dialects that lost their magic when translated to English. These words provided glimpses into varied human experiences, fostering a deeper appreciation for linguistic diversity.
For instance, take the Hindi word ‘Halwa’ meaning ‘Easy’ which is used in a sentence as ‘Halwa hai kya’ meaning ‘do you think it's easy?’ The linguistic parade continued with submissions surfacing exciting phrases like Precipitevolissimevolmente (meaning "Extremely Fast" in Italian), Sayonara (translating to "Goodbye" in Japanese), Khalis (representing "Genuine" in Arabic). Gujaratis chimed in with 'Dobi' (referring to "stupid"), Bengalis added a sprinkle of sweetness with 'Mishti' (describing "sweet"), and Telugus contributed 'bokulu' (meaning "utensils").
Karandeep Singh Kapany, Regional Marketing Director, Duolingo, stated “At Duolingo, we understand that languages are more than just communication tools—they're expressions of culture, emotion, and identity. Our '#EnglishMeinNahiJamta' campaign celebrates this beauty by highlighting words that defy translation and reflects a growing appreciation for linguistic diversity. Through initiatives like this, we empower individuals to embrace expression, enrich lives and foster global connections.”
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