Ilunga

In june 2004 the word " ilunga " was rated as the world's most problematic word to translate based on a survey of over 1,000 linguistics done by the British Translation Company.

This word, deriving from the Bantu language of Tshiluba is currently translated as " a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time ".

The Tshiluba language belongs to the Baluba people, who, being residents of Congo - until the early 60s a Belgium colony- have witnessed a genocide, a revolution and a violent cvil war during less than a century.

i do believe that the language reflect the society that is using it very accuratly. "ilunga" means patience self-awareness and mindfulness and simply doesn't exist in the english language, the language of the modern society and the developed west.