Traveler. Quite often, my writings contain a spark of “sharp” humor that I freely incorporate. This could be considered a style adopted by someone from Liepāja or, more precisely, an attempt to enhance the effect of that “spicy” presence.
I strive to view everything from a masculine perspective, without forgetting the profound power of words in exploring any topic. Like the popular show “Bez Tabu“, which unfortunately has long lost the meaning of its title and could be more aptly named Freak TV.
Traveler, fascinating topic for the traveler in the USA.
Especially useful for travelers arriving in the USA! Let’s start with a classic saying: “Rich are those who know many languages.” This time, it’s about the global language—English.
We know that there are dialects and words specific to each dialect. For instance, Latgalians (Latvia district) say “učka”, which means sheep, while people from Kurzeme ( Latvia district) say “gaņģis”, meaning hallway.
We could go on for a while, but we Latvians have pretty well learned these words and can guess their meaning from the context. However, the situation changes completely when an English speaker travels to the USA.
The first, but not the only, cultural shock will be that initially, you might not understand anything in English at all—or only with great effort and very little. The culprit will be the dialect, which will make comprehension in the first few hours a rather impressive challenge.
Wonders and Surprises for the Traveler in the USA.
The surprises won’t end there. In each state, you may encounter words that cannot be directly translated into Latvian.
Let’s briefly explore some to help avoid awkward situations.
Whoopensocker – Used when you encounter something surprising, unseen, unique, or even fantastic. If no single word can describe your amazement, just say Whoopensocker!
Snirt – Wind mixed with snow and dirt, all blended into a mess. If the weather looks terribly nasty, simply say, Again… snirty.
Wapatuli – A term for a potent alcoholic mix. Made by combining everything you have at home—vodka, spirits, wine, Sprite, and beer on top. It’s said that one glass can knock a man down.
Jabble – This applies to us women. If your purse is a mess and you’ve been looking for your keys for 15 minutes, you can describe the situation with just one word—Jabble.
Sneetered – If someone has slyly cheated or tricked you, this word describes the situation—Sneetered.
Snoopy – Don’t confuse it with the dog! This term usually refers to someone overly picky about food. It can also be applied to other life situations if you’re overly selective or snobbish.
Arky – (From Noah’s Ark) Street slang that essentially sends you to Noah’s Ark, symbolizing that you’re outdated or behind the times.
Faunch – Literally means talking to the TV. If you express emotions and comment on what’s happening on the screen, your state can be described with the word Faunch.
Chinchy – A peculiar term for a person who isn’t stingy but… they might buy you a beer but never pitch in for gas on a road trip. Something like that.
More for the Traveler in the USA.
Larruping – A spot-on term for describing delicious food, replacing heavenly, wonderful, or finger-licking good. It’s best to say, Larruping good.
Burk – From the category of rude behavior. Used to describe something slightly more than vomiting but somewhat more polite than flatulence. Burk symbolically combines both unpleasant actions in a figurative sense.
Snuggy – Refers to a person who has older brothers who have teased and bullied them in various ways.
Jasm – Describes women who could be referred to as powerhouses. Imagine combining lightning, a Mustang, and a power drill into a woman—she’s Jasm.
Mug-up – Usually said during a thoughtful coffee break. When you’re lost in thought, sipping coffee, and not paying attention to your surroundings, you simply say, Mug-up.
Bufflehead – The ultimate term for an idiot, fool, or simpleton. It describes someone who performs completely stupid actions and is entirely unpredictable.
See?
A small but useful collection for travelers, as you won’t find these words in dictionaries. Have a pleasant trip to the USA! Wishing the traveler a great day!
One moment!
Who are Latvians?
Latvians are Latvia‘s original inhabitants, having arrived to the location at least 4000 years ago. They speak their own Latvian language which (together with Lithuanian) is part of the Baltic Group.
Latvians share a common language and have a unique culture with traditions, holidays, customs and arts.
The culture and religious traditions have been somewhat influenced by Germanic, Scandinavian, and Russian traditions. Latvians have an ancient culture that has been archaeologically dated back to 3000 BC.
Latvians maintained a considerable connection and trade with their neighbors. The first indications of human inhabitants on the lands of modern Latvia date archaeologically to c. 9000 BC, suggesting that the first settlers were hunters that stayed almost immediately following the end of the last ice age.
Colonizers from the south arrived quickly, driving many of the hunters northward as polar ice caps melted further, or east, into modern-day Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.
Latvians live in Baltic state.
The Roman author Tacitus remarked upon the “Aestii” peoples, thought to be inhabitants of the modern Baltic lands, suggesting that they were abound with formidable, yet peaceful and hospitable people.
The Latvian peoples remained relatively undisturbed until Papal intervention via the Germanic, Teutonic Order colonized Kurzeme (Courland in English, Kurland in German), beginning in the first half of the 13th century.
Papal decrees ordered the Teutonic Order to spread the “Word of the Lord” and the Gospel of Christianity throughout “uncivilized”, “Pagan lands”. Though these attempts to Christianize the population failed, and the Teutonic Order eventually redeployed southward, to the region of what was once known as East Prussia.
Have a Great Day!
I like the USA, every community has its own fleas