A skill you use everyday

Some skills are so natural we don’t even realise we’re using them. Like sensing the mood in a room, picking up on subtle cues, or knowing when to speak and when to stay quiet.

In Korean, there’s a word for this: nunchi.

In today’s edition, we explore what nunchi really means, look at a language that uses click sounds as letters, and uncover one of the strangest words in English spelling.

Language: Korean: “눈치” (Nunchi)

Meaning: Nunchi describes the ability to read the room and understand what others are feeling without them saying it directly.

It’s about:

In English, we might say:

“Be socially aware.”
“Read the situation.”

But Korean captures this entire skill with one word: nunchi.

In Korean culture, having good nunchi is considered an important social skill.

It helps people navigate conversations smoothly, avoid conflict, and build stronger relationships.

Example:

눈치 좀 있어야지.

Nunchi jom isseoya ji.

“You should be more aware of the situation.”

In languages like Xhosa (spoken in South Africa), certain sounds are made using clicks, which function as actual consonants.

These clicks are written using letters like:

Each represents a different type of click sound.

For example, the name:

Xhosa itself begins with a click sound.

For speakers of most European languages, click sounds are not part of normal speech.

But in Xhosa, they are a natural and essential part of pronunciation, just like “b” or “t” in English.

It shows how languages can use completely different sound systems to communicate.

If you’re starting your journey in English, English for Everyone Course Book Level 1 Beginner by DK is an excellent place to begin.

This course is designed as a complete self-study programme for beginners, combining clear explanations with practical exercises.

It uses a very visual approach, with:

The lessons are organised in small, manageable sections, making it easy to study at your own pace.

If you’re learning English, music can be a great way to improve your listening skills and vocabulary.

A great example is “Risk It All” by Bruno Mars.

His songs are known for:

Listening while reading the lyrics can help you recognise:

The Aasáx language offers a rare glimpse into how words shape survival, memory, and identity.

Spoken by a small, endangered community, it encodes generations of environmental knowledge and oral histories. It also includes cultural values that have helped its speakers endure in harsh landscapes while preserving a unique worldview.

The word “queue” is one of the most unusual in English.

It’s pronounced simply as:

“cue”

But it contains five letters where four are technically unnecessary.

The word comes from French, where the extra letters were originally pronounced, but over time, English simplified the sound while keeping the spelling.

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