The Power of Smell Lacks a Suitable Verb in English
We often take our senses for granted until they fail us. Smell, however, remains an elusive sense that eludes verbal description in many languages, including English. The Welsh language offers a solution with its verb "clywed," which encompasses the sensations experienced through all five senses except sight.
The author recalls his first memorable smell - the distinct aroma of Bache Brothers Cycles bike shop as a 10-year-old boy in the West Midlands. This specific memory triggered by that scent has persisted, allowing him to relive it vividly through sensory experiences and emotional responses.
What is striking about the Welsh language's "clywed" is its ability to capture all senses except sight, thus creating an inclusive vocabulary for our complex perception of the world around us. In contrast, English lacks a verb to describe a pleasant smell, relying on words like "stink," "reek," and "pong."
For those with Croatian heritage, the solution lies in the verb "mirišiti" - used to express a pleasing scent. Conversely, its opposing partner, "smrditi," carries an unpleasant connotation.
This linguistic gap highlights the nuances of smell perception, which often surpasses verbal expression. Smells evoke powerful emotional responses and personal memories that can be both comforting and evocative.
The article also explores how specific smells like vanilla, lavender, cut grass, melting butter, bacon cooking, privet blossom, and stale smoke from an 80s snooker hall can transport people to memorable moments or places. These examples illustrate the complex interplay between scent and human perception, where memories are deeply intertwined with sensory experiences.
The author concludes by planning a visit to Bache Brothers Cycles, eager to verify whether the distinctive smell he remembered has remained unchanged over the years. This personal encounter underscores the importance of verbal descriptions and the significance of preserving our linguistic heritage in capturing the subtleties of human experience.
We often take our senses for granted until they fail us. Smell, however, remains an elusive sense that eludes verbal description in many languages, including English. The Welsh language offers a solution with its verb "clywed," which encompasses the sensations experienced through all five senses except sight.
The author recalls his first memorable smell - the distinct aroma of Bache Brothers Cycles bike shop as a 10-year-old boy in the West Midlands. This specific memory triggered by that scent has persisted, allowing him to relive it vividly through sensory experiences and emotional responses.
What is striking about the Welsh language's "clywed" is its ability to capture all senses except sight, thus creating an inclusive vocabulary for our complex perception of the world around us. In contrast, English lacks a verb to describe a pleasant smell, relying on words like "stink," "reek," and "pong."
For those with Croatian heritage, the solution lies in the verb "mirišiti" - used to express a pleasing scent. Conversely, its opposing partner, "smrditi," carries an unpleasant connotation.
This linguistic gap highlights the nuances of smell perception, which often surpasses verbal expression. Smells evoke powerful emotional responses and personal memories that can be both comforting and evocative.
The article also explores how specific smells like vanilla, lavender, cut grass, melting butter, bacon cooking, privet blossom, and stale smoke from an 80s snooker hall can transport people to memorable moments or places. These examples illustrate the complex interplay between scent and human perception, where memories are deeply intertwined with sensory experiences.
The author concludes by planning a visit to Bache Brothers Cycles, eager to verify whether the distinctive smell he remembered has remained unchanged over the years. This personal encounter underscores the importance of verbal descriptions and the significance of preserving our linguistic heritage in capturing the subtleties of human experience.
Smell is like, so underrated. I mean, have you ever walked into your childhood home after years of being away? The smell of fresh paint, old books, or even just a specific type of laundry detergent can bring back crazy memories 
. It's wild how language limitations affect our ability to describe these sensations.
. And using "mirišiti" for a pleasant smell is genius! Who knew there was a whole world of words for that? 
I'm definitely looking into this more.
. The examples in the article are mind-blowing - who would've thought vanilla and bacon could transport you to a specific moment or place? 
. I need to draw some diagrams about smell perception ASAP... 
? It's crazy that English doesn't have a single verb for "pleasant" smells, like Croatian does with "mirišiti". Like I remember this one time at my grandma's house and the smell of freshly baked cookies just transported me back to when I was a kid 
. Smells can be so evocative, it's wild we're still struggling to find the right words to describe 'em 
.
. It's like, how can you not have a word that just captures a nice, comforting aroma without having to use something like "stink" or "reek"? 
And don't even get me started on Croatian having better options with "mirišiti" and its opposing partner... it's just so unfair to our language 
. I mean, smells are such a huge part of our memories and emotions, and it's crazy that we can't describe them properly in English 
. Smells are like that for us, they can transport us back to a specific moment or place. But, yeah, I feel for the English language having no suitable verb for this... it's kinda like we need a word for that specific, nostalgic smell 
How about "scent" or "odor"? That's not super helpful either 
Like, I remember the smell of my mom's cooking from when I was little... it's just the best feeling ever 
. And omg, I totally agree about the Croatian words too... "mirišiti" and "smrditi"... that's some advanced vocabulary right there 
. Anyway, I'm def gonna check out Bache Brothers Cycles soon, hope their smell is still as awesome as it was 10 years ago 
just think about how many perfumes and scented candles we buy every year 
but no one can exactly describe the smell of heaven or hell, you know? 
anyway, i'm so down for a trip to that bike shop now 
