Photo via terralingua.org

I really enjoy making cards for friends and when I don’t have the time to construct something of my own, I seek out special cards to buy. Two Hands Paperie here in Boulder is a new favorite spot, and back in Brooklyn I was a loyal Scaredy Kat shopper. However I was just tipped off this week to a new line from Connecting Dotz that I am loving as well.

“In a Word” is a new greeting card line printed on 100% recycled paper featuring words with no English equivalent from languages such a Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, even Klingon! According to the company’s site, inspiration for the line came from the fact that “half the languages spoken on our planet will be extinct by 2100. When a language dies, we lose more that a point of view; we lose traditions that connect people to place— and to each other. We lose deep cultural wisdom: myths and fairy tales, knowledge of plants and animals, humor, prayers, and recipes.”

In purchasing a card you also support a nonprofit organization such as Terralingua that promotes diversity in nature and culture.

Check out some of the sample words used below and see the Connecting Dotz site for the full line.

Yuen: a connection that is meant to be (Mandarin Chinese)
Ubuntu: The kindness and compassion which come from understanding each of us is part of a greater whole; sometimes described as “I am because you are,” ubuntu expresses a social and spiritual stance of respect, concern and compassion for one’s family, neighbors and ancestors (Xhosa & Zulu, South Africa)
Confianza: I believe in you with all my heart! This word expresses limitless support and enthusiasm for someone. Much stronger than confidence, confianza is like unconditional love, expressed as trust (Spanish)
Qapla’!: I wish you success! Used to wish someone a favorable outcome and great accomplishment (Klingon, from the Star Trek series).
Uffda: I’m sorry about what happened! Conveys compassion for another’s situation, be it a small mishap or major misfortune (Norwegian)