Language: Portuguese. Pronunciation: “Dez-zen-ras-can-so.” Etymology: From des meaning “un” and enrascar meaning “to entangle.” Meaning: Translating to “disentanglement, ” desenrascanço is a kind of Portuguese MacGyverism. It’s the art of finding a solution to a problem out of left field, without the skills or resources one would usually require. It’s artful disentanglement from a problem: throwing together a costume right before a party using the clothes already hanging in your wardrobe, propping up a wobbly table leg using the novel in your bag, or just about anything you do with duct tape. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Twenty-Four Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 45 Words Unheard On the pitfalls of pronunciation. Arts & Culture Issue 43 Signal Boost How status anxiety drives culture. Arts & Culture Issue 42 The Language of Home How weird words forge new friendships. Arts & Culture Issue 39 Half a Notion A reassessment of ambivalence. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Memes of Communication A conversation about digital folklore. Arts & Culture Issue 36 Designated Drudgery How to take a load off.
