A few days ago was the year’s most romantic day ever. Or at least that’s what we’re meant to think, isn’t it? How can our loved ones know exactly how much we love them if we do not buy them that pretty card or those fancy chocolates? Although St Valentine’s Day for us might represent gifts, dinners and basically any type of consumerism, its tradition actually dates back to the third-century. Valentine was a Catholic priest who unlawfully married young couples even though Emperor Claudius ll had prohibited it claiming unmarried young men made better soldiers.
Today it is celebrated in many countries worldwide. In some places it’s referred to as the day “For those in Love” whilst in others it’s called “Love and Friendship Day”.
What I find really interesting is how some languages use terms of endearment which is other languages simply sound wrong. Some terms are probably internationally used, such as “my love” (“meine Liebe” “mi amor”) or “my dear”(“mein Liebchen” “mi querido”). However, if we take for example the thick, golden liquid made by bees (also known as honey), it is a common term of endearment in English, but in Spanish you could call someone “milk” or “lettuce” and it would pretty much have the same effect.
On the other hand, if a German or Spaniard refers to an American as “my treasure” they might just think he or she is a little too obsessed with Lord of the Rings. If that same term, however, is used in Spanish or German, it is simply a synonym of “darling” – “Schatzi” (literally meaning “my little treasure”) and “mi tesoro”.
So, for those of you looking to hook up a foreigner, you might want to stick to the classics. After all, there may be some benefits to dating someone who speaks a different language.
