Artist Illustrates Untranslatable Love Words from Around the World

Illustrator Emma Block and jewelry designer Vashi have collaborated to visually display the language of love. There are 6,500 languages in the world, some of which have less than 1,000 people who speak them, and not every expression in one language has an equivalent word in another language. In fact, there are plenty of words and phrases that can’t be translated from one language to the next–especially when it comes to terms that relate to love. Block takes a look at countless dialects from around the world, pinpointing beautiful expressions that can’t easily be communicated in English. For instance, there’s the Hebrew firgun, which refers to the simple, unselfish joy one feels when something good happens to someone else. And in Urdu, Naz is a word that refers to the pride you feel from being loved.

Each new word in this series is complemented with Block’s whimsical illustrations. Together, they allow viewers to visually comprehend new words expressing the untranslatable thoughts, feelings, and experiences that unfold when love blossoms.