Explanation of 12 words from the dictionary of obscure sorrows quotes and what is the dictionary of obscure sorrows quotes is a website and YouTube channel created by John Koenig that features neologisms for emotions that do not have a specific term. The quotes you are looking for can be found on Goodreads and Niche Quotes.
Explanation of 12 words from the dictionary of obscure sorrows quotes
- Sonder
- Opia
- Socha
- Onism
- Olēka
- Koinophobia
- Klexos
- Anemoia
- Ambedo
- Lachesism
- Yù Yī
- Lutalica
You know those thoughts that hit you on nights when you just can't escape your mind? They usually start with taming the things you put off doing today that you have to do tomorrow, whether you were actually obnoxious when you complained to your mom earlier, or when you hang out with your friends again.
Sonder
I thought I'd start to turn on you as your mind gently does. Sonder is realizing that everyone has a story, one that is likely related to yours but fundamentally separate from it. This word is the first in Koenig's dictionary that I came into contact with, and it was amazing. It has made me hungry for more, and I hope it will do the same for you.
Opia
Speaking of eye-opening... Opia describes the mysterious intensity of eye contact. Have you ever looked at someone, only to find that they were also looking at you? The connection, if it can be called that, is severed in an instant as soon as you look away, yet you feel temporarily exposed as if you've transgressed and accidentally witnessed a private part of someone's life. Are the eyes really weak, to let someone in so easily? Or does that perhaps make them the strongest part of us all?
Socha
One of my favorites, Socha is the hidden vulnerability of the people around you. I touched on it briefly in my previous article - the concept that we tend to feign self-confidence for the public eye, but in reality, the walls we make can come down at the mere influence of an honest human voice.
Onism
The world is filled with an unimaginable number of amazing places, people, and opportunities. Even the idea of a college, with its entire campus, courses, and clubs, is almost too much to bear when you think of all the things you might miss out on with each specific choice you make. This is Onism - the awareness of how little the world you are going to experience.
Olēka
Tangled with all that you may have missed, how little you feel you have gained is perhaps one of the most daunting things to realize. Olēka is realizing how memorable a few days can be. Do you ever remember the weeks leading up to the vacation, or are they just hitches, dates waiting to be written off and forgotten? Do you know the last thing you said to your best friend, important or not? Can you even remember what you ate for dinner two days ago?.
Koinophobia
This is the fear of living an ordinary life. It's understandable but strange to think of this trait in a negative light. Normal, normal, normal, normal - you may find these words disgusting. You might tell yourself that you want to go further and be extraordinary. But when it comes right down to it, doesn't that just mean "more ordinary"?
Klexos
No doubt you regretted it. You may have told yourself over and over again, as I did, not to dwell on the past, to let it already pass, or to move on. And certainly, there is something good in this line of thinking. But, as klexos describe, good can also come from re-examining your past.
Anemoia
Another one of my favorites, anemoia is the nostalgia for a time you never knew existed. Whether you're a die-hard fan of a legendary band, a binge-watcher of classic dramas and movies, or just someone who loves to daydream about another lifetime, I hope you connect with this very word.
Ambedo
Sometimes you don't feel the need to think about the past or the future for that matter. Sometimes the concept of the here and now becomes so magical and beautiful that you can't help but immerse yourself in it, as it is, with no hidden meanings, no symbolism in sight. This is Ampedo, a moment you test it for. (Plus, if you're looking for a slightly less optimistic, but interesting, definition, Koenig has included a comment right below the video in its original sense of the word.)
Lachesism
Even if you sometimes have that moment when everything makes sense and is exciting just for the way it is, there may still be times when you feel like you're walking through your life waiting for something — anything — interesting to happen. The daily routine almost suffocates you, and you look up, nowhere but here, to get one desperate breath of fresh air. This vain longing for the clarity of catastrophe is lachesism.
Yù Yī
While you're waiting for your "disaster," which may or may not arrive, settle for a few brief instances in your life when you're up from your routine. You enjoy these situations when they happen, but they don't last long enough, and you soon get used to life again. As a result, you may feel the urge to feel strong again. (I encourage you to watch this video closely and with special attention in order to get the most out of its meaning.)
Lutalica
Finally, I leave you with lutalica, the part of your identity that doesn't fit into categories. I know it seems to contradict some of my previous words that might have hinted that you're just like everyone else, but this concept — that you don't need a label in order to belong — is nonetheless important to grasp.
John Koenig created many wonderful words in addition to these twelve, and I encourage you to check out the rest of his Dictionary of Mysterious Sorrows. I hope you are inspired to look at yourself and the world around you a little differently, more closely. And if not, at least you've acquired some great new words for your vocabulary!