I am looking for translations for the words "twin" and "sister". I have used babelfish and other sites but really want the pronunciation not just foreign writings I can't decipher. Also, translations in other languages not listed such as different Native American tribal translations. Help?!
posted by madmamasmith on Oct 14, 2009 - 24 answers

Help me say, nicely, "Please don't touch my child". [more inside]
posted by lottie on Oct 1, 2009 - 54 answers

I sometimes see decorative piles of stones in front of --primarily rural-- homes. I like the effect very much. I wonder if there is an historical meaning or symbolism to these stone piles or if it is merely an enhancement.
posted by psc1860 on Jul 25, 2009 - 12 answers

Are they any sentences that can be said in one language, but also understood in a different language (albeit with a different meaning)? [more inside]
posted by devnull on Jul 7, 2009 - 42 answers

Is there a word or term that expresses the following concept more accurately than "rename"? [more inside]
posted by Tube on Jun 17, 2009 - 25 answers

Ethiopia/Amharic Filter: I created a vacation video of my trip to Ethiopia and used the song, Mekeyershin Salawq by the famous Ethiopian singer Alemayehu Eshete. What is the song about? (Link to song inside) [more inside]
posted by cptspalding on May 25, 2009 - 1 answer

Some direction would be nice. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 1, 2009 - 13 answers

"I own every bell that tolls me" What does this mean to you? [more inside]
posted by heavenstobetsy on Feb 8, 2009 - 34 answers

Seeking advice about a quote from Hebrews 10:23, which states "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." This is from one of the books of the New Testament (Epistle to the Hebrews). [more inside]
posted by iamkimiam on Nov 29, 2008 - 9 answers

What resources are available to investigate the meaning of a philosophical term in ancient Greek? I'm looking for something far more detailed than just a dictionary or a translation of a passage--I'd like to be aware of the shades of meaning and nuances of use, historical baggage, etc. In case some context is helpful, there are a couple of Greek terms that might be useful as metaphors in a dissertation, but I want to make sure that I know all the ways that the terms might be taken when designing the metaphor. The catch is that I don't speak any Greek, either ancient or modern; however, resources in English, French, Spanish, and German are all options.
posted by philosophygeek on Nov 24, 2008 - 8 answers

What does my last name mean in Italian? [more inside]
posted by rileyray3000 on Sep 8, 2008 - 21 answers

I am looking for interesting uses of the prefix 'mu' (無) in Japanese. I want to find an example of mu's general use that attains to its meaning as -less or an absence of. The example I have currently, 無線 'musen' meaning 'wireless', is a little boring. [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Aug 8, 2008 - 14 answers

What does hemophiliac mean? [more inside]
posted by brevator on Jul 28, 2008 - 18 answers

I have almost finished my degree in computer science, and soon the Real Word awaits. I still have no idea what I'd like to be doing with my life. So, for those who have been able to find meaning and fulfillment in their jobs: how did you do it? [more inside]
posted by koenie on Feb 19, 2008 - 27 answers

What is Soundgarden's song Room A Thousand Years Wide about? [more inside]
posted by cashman on Feb 12, 2008 - 8 answers

Sermon Illustration (preferably a movie) for questioning the meaning/purpose of life, or the idea of having a "new life" or renewed spirit. [more inside]
posted by kraigory on Jul 22, 2007 - 8 answers

Lady Li posted a question (2 below this one) searching for this quote... "Most people can't think, most of the remainder won't think, the small fraction who do think mostly can't do it very well. The extremely tiny fraction who think regularly, accurately, creatively, and without self-delusion – in the long run, these are the only people who count." How do I become one of those people who count?
posted by crewshell on Jun 15, 2007 - 35 answers

I'm unhappy with my job, it's affect on my life, and where it's taking me. How do I find out what it is I really want in life and start doing it? [more inside]
posted by Waffle_King on Apr 24, 2007 - 21 answers

A year or so ago, a popular meme circulating via email was an illustration of how the brain can read through text with egregious typos. It was a passage rife with reversed, ommitted, or superfluous letters, but was perfectly readable. Can anyone come up with it? Thanmks!
posted by jimmyjimjim on Apr 16, 2007 - 16 answers

How does one live a meaningful life in a world that one has come to believe is meaningless? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 3, 2007 - 81 answers

A paraphrased quote: 'As one creates (writes?), it's meaning is known to only two - himself and God. When one finishes, the meaning is only known to God.' So, where did this quote derive from? Who originally said it? [more inside]
posted by evadery on Jan 5, 2007 - 5 answers

What exactly did Doc Brown mean in this Back to the Future II clip? [more inside]
posted by allthewhile on Dec 4, 2006 - 37 answers

What are the lyrics of the Metric song Police and the Private about? Drug addiction? Prostitution? Post-9/11 security? I have listened to it 50 times and it's driving me completely nuts; I can't figure it out. The last lines seems to undo the above meanings.
posted by luriete on Nov 23, 2006 - 2 answers

what can bring meaning to my life? (long story inside) [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 25, 2006 - 69 answers

What is the secret meaning of the triple T's of phi sigma kappa? Picture: http://www.gmuphisig.org/images/triple_t.jpg [more inside]
posted by Summer1158 on Sep 10, 2006 - 48 answers

Is there a single word which means "negatively defined" (or "defined by its opposite" or "defined by not being other things" or "defined by the absence of something")? In English if you can manage (I cannot think of one), but maybe in another language? German perhaps?
posted by unknowncommand on Apr 7, 2006 - 22 answers

What is the word for...when someone speaks in a different accent or tone to depict the fact that they are not totally committed to what they are saying (either for amusement or fear of reprisal)? [more inside]
posted by pettins on Mar 28, 2006 - 20 answers

Does anyone know the origin of the phrases 'after the jump' or 'more after the jump'? [more inside]
posted by feelinglistless on Jan 30, 2006 - 12 answers

A few years ago I got a yen to rent "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins". It was the middle of the day and the middle of the week, and the Blockbuster was empty. I was at the cash paying for the movie when someone else walked in and asked the cashier: "Do you guys have Remo Williams?" What are the chances of such a coincidence happening? [more inside]
posted by notcostello on Oct 31, 2005 - 37 answers

Does anyone know what Pearl Jam's "Daughter" song is about? I love their "Jeremy" song, and this one, too... but I can't parse the lyrics on "Daughter" for the life of me.
posted by silusGROK on Sep 27, 2005 - 19 answers

What is a 'moment of (something) zen'? I keep seeing this (on blogs in particular) and I don't know what it means. [more inside]
posted by chrismear on Jul 22, 2005 - 17 answers

This post had me wondering: Is there a difference between progressive and liberal? Is it a difference in kind, in degree, or some of each? Is it a case of using one word because the opposition uses the other perjoratively? Started to ask this in that thread, then realized it would derail the discussion...
posted by alumshubby on May 28, 2005 - 12 answers

Does anyone know what the song "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush is about?
posted by Muffpub on Mar 25, 2005 - 2 answers

Yesterday's Get Fuzzy comic strip appeared in my newspaper with one balloon smudged, one completely blank and a head-scratching graphic in the last frame. I assumed print problems, until I looked at the online version which displays exactly the same way. I looked at the previous few days' strips, and it still makes no sense. Is it an in-joke? Does anyone have enlightenment to share?
posted by initapplette on Feb 23, 2005 - 14 answers

What does "krelboyne" mean? The smart kids in the gifted class on the show Malcolm in the Middle are called that. I've googled to no avail. [more, in the middle] [more inside]
posted by littlegirlblue on Feb 1, 2005 - 7 answers

[OffensiveSlangFilter] What exactly does "shay," as in "shay whitey," mean? From whence does it come?
posted by callmejay on Jan 25, 2005 - 7 answers

Do you know what you want out of life? How do you know? How did you figure it out? What tools and techniques are available to figure out the meaning of your life?
posted by webword on Dec 11, 2003 - 29 answers