This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Sonder (English) — the realization that each random passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.
Sonder — is a feeling that combines wonder, melancholy, and awareness. The word does not translate literally into Ukrainian, but describes the thought that every stranger you see is the main character of their own life.
When you are stuck in traffic and frustrated that everyone is in a hurry, sonder reminds you that each of these cars is someone's life. Inside, a person is driving to a meeting, dreaming, arguing on the phone, or listening to music that reminds them of their youth.
This word was coined by writer John Koenig, who in 2013 created the project The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. He collected and invented words to describe emotions for which there were no names in the language. The word "sonder" became one of the most popular.
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