wanted: loving words

[Erin McKean]

Dear Funknetters,

I'm working on a book called "That's Amore," a collection of words from 
around the world that deal with love, relationships, and romance.

All of the major European languages have been well-mined at this point, 
but I was hoping to find some words from farther afield, especially from 
little-known or endangered languages.

If your favorite language has an interesting word for human 
relationships (like the French coup de foudre [literally, 'a bolt of 
lightning,' used to describe falling in love at first sight] would you 
please send it to me, in roman transliteration if necessary, along with 
some idea of how to pronounce it?

Everyone who contributes a word used in, will, of course, be recognized 
in the acknowledgments, and I will also select some folks at random to 
receive copies of the book, from the small store the publisher allows 
me. (If you would like to be in the running for a real copy, please also 
send me your mailing address.)

I am always amazed by the vast store of knowledge on Funknet (where I've 
been lurking for some time) and I hope that this request is not too far 
off-topic.

Yours sincerely,

Erin McKean
Editor in Chief, American Dictionaries, OUP and

Editor, VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly
www.verbatimmag.com