Toujours Tingo by Adam Jacot de Boinod
Monday, 01 Oct 2007 14:04
Adam Jacot de Boinod explores weird and wonderful words.
Penguin, November 1st, Hardback £10.99, 319 pages.
In a nutshell...
Fascinating, Insightful, Languages, Words
What's it all about?
Toujours Tingo is a collection of words and phrases from over 300 foreign languages for which English has no direct counterpart. Words such as "Tantenverfuher", German for a young man with excessively good manners who you suspect of devious motives, literally, an aunt seducer. Or the welsh word "Gwarlingo", which refers to the rushing sound a grandfather clock makes before striking the hour. The word "Tingo" itself is from Easter Island and means to borrow objects from a friend's house, one by one, until there is nothing left. The book is based on extensive research of dictionaries, websites and literature and filled with illustrations and intriguing pieces of information on each of these extraordinary words.
Who's it by?
Jacot de Boinod became interested in foreign languages whilst working as a researcher for the BBC television programme QI. This interest led to his first book, The Meaning of Tingo, which went on to become a bestseller and feature on the Jonathan Ross Show and inspired a round of questions on University Challenge.
As an example...
"Always be wary of overstaying your welcome. As the Italians say, 'Lospite e come il pesce: dopo tre giorni puzza - the guest is like a fish: after three days he smells bad'." – Page 43
"A Kanjus makkhichus (Hindi) - 'a person so miserly that if a fly falls into his cup of tea, he'll fish it out and suck it dry before throwing it away' – Page xi
Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster
Fans of the first book will once again be delighted by these wonderful phrases whilst newcomers will be pleasantly surprised and wonder how they missed the original installment. The book will no doubt find its way onto bestseller lists this winter.
What others say
"Intriguing and wonderful... a fascinating insight into other culture." – The Times
"An extraordinary book, exploring the areas where English fails us... try these weird and wonderful words on for size." – The Mirror
So what's it like?
As English continues its relentless march as the global language it is a refreshing change to come across as fascinating a collection of foreign words and turns of phrase as these. With rare and virtually non-spoken languages becoming extinct all the time, it is great fun to be presented with these complex and compelling words. Why on earth don't we have words such as the Tsongan "Rhwe", meaning to sleep on the floor without a mat and usually drunk and naked, in English? Or the French word "Gallo", a tickled cat hiding under the table or chair?
The book is an entertaining and intriguing read, each page providing an even more incredible word than the last. Single words can require whole sentences and paragraphs to translate into English. As well as highlighting the inadequacies and outright dull nature of our language it also illustrates how there are a thousand different ways of looking at day to day events.
If you're stuck for what to get Dad this Christmas or need a fun little stocking-filler, then this is your answer. The book is guaranteed to keep the reader, and those with whom they will inevitably share its fascinating contents, absorbed for a very long time.
8/10
Richard James
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