20 September,2020 07:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Aastha Atray Banan
Tim Lomas may have started his online Positive Lexicography Project in 2016 officially, but it was when he was 19 that the seeds for it were sown. Back then, he was spending six months in China teaching English, and was in turn introduced to the concepts of Taoism and Buddhism. "But, I couldn't understand much since I had no cultural or intellectual context to process these 'concepts'. What I did know was that these concepts were important," the British psychologist says over a Skype call from Seattle.
The information was put away until 1998, when he went to Scotland to study psychology, and realised that the concepts of mindfulness that he had encountered in China, had no mention anywhere, not even in his research books. A few years later, as he was studying male mediators in London, he noticed how they used words like metta bhavana, which is a yogic practice of cultivating love and kindness towards all beings. "Instead of saying they were practising 'kindness', they said 'metta bhavana'," he recalls.
It was in the summer of 2015 at the International Positive Psychology Association held at Walt Disney World that it all fell into place. He attended a talk by Emilia Lahti, a doctoral student at Aalto University in Helsinki, who was speaking about the word sisu, a Finnish word which refers to the psychological strength that allows a person to overcome extraordinary challenges. "It could be akin to grit in English, but as Lahti said, the real meaning actually can't be deduced. It has to be felt. It's a part of the Finn identity. That's when it clicked for me. I wanted to make a lexicon of all these untranslatable words that deal with positive feelings of well-being."
He used his own devices, research and conversations with people from all over the world, to come up with the first 200 words. But, after the New Yorker made a mention of him in an article, he received a flood of correspondence, with people suggesting words from their own culture. The lexicon as it stands today, is quite delightful to read since it's a mix of words that deal with love, compassion, morality, perseverance, skill, and more. Words like the Chinese Xën ku, which means appreciation and recognition for others and their efforts; and the French Beau geste, which means a graceful, noble or beautiful gesture (especially if it is futile or meaningless), are sure to find a connect with readers regardless of geography. There are also words like the English Eucatastrophe, which when translated means, a sudden, favourable resolution of events; a happy ending, and has been coined by the legendary JRR Tolkien.
India is well represented too, with the Goan concept of susegad, which means a relaxed, laid-back attitude or way of life; and the Sanskrit Karuna which means empathy, compassion, identifying with another's suffering.
Tim Lomas
These days, Lomas, who is a professor of applied positive psychology at the University of East London, is working on expanding the lexicon with the help of a few human collaborators and AI. "There are only 150 languages covered, but there are around 6,500 languages in the world. So, there is a lot more work to be done. I am currently working with some collaborators in Japan, who are using AI to find new words." Inspired by the experience, he is also writing articles about the "second wave" of positive psychology. "For example, one may feel positive feelings arising out of situations that may eventually not be good for their well-being. Also, there may be negative feelings, which may have positive ramifications in the long run. So it's a different take on positive psychology." An important part of the process also includes adding non-Western concepts of well-being to the mix. "The West focuses on arousal feelings, which are high on the joy factor. But cultures like Buddhism also focus on low arousal positive feelings, like balance and harmony," he explains.
Lovers of Instagram will be happy to learn that the project has a social media arm called The Happy Word Project, where he puts out his findings. "Academic papers are only read by 20 people. It's best to use social media to get the word out." He has been getting feedback, most of it from happy readers, but some of it from a discerning audience that doesn't quite agree with each "description" that he gives the words. "I try and get closest to what the word means, but there are many readers who are quick to tell me I haven't quite managed that. All of it only adds to the larger discussion. By developing a positive lexicon, one can develop and improve their own well-being, since it enables better understanding."
German
Stehaufmännchen /
Lit. tumbler, a roly-poly toy; used for someone who always bounces back.
Hawaian
Kokua /
Help, aid, assistance, relief; helper, assistant; a spirit of selfless kindness, generosity; an act of mutual assistance, pitching in.
Japan
Koi no yokan /
The feeling on meeting someone that falling in love will be inevitable.
Italian
Scatenarsi /
To run wild; to rampage; to throw off one's shackles; to break free.
Russian
Otkhodchivyi /
The quality of being quickly appeased after a surge or outburst of negativity, and/or not bearing grudges.
Egyptian
Ka /
Vital essence; that which separates a living being from a dead one; one of five parts of the soul in Egyptian thought.
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