# The words I had to leave behind | Mohammad Shehadeh | TEDxTrafford Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEtrhCqUHRA Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/qEtrhCqUHRA Generated: 2026-01-12T17:39:19.175+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Mohammed Shehadeh argues that language, specifically Arabic, is much more than just communication; it carries deep emotional resonance, identity, and the collective memory of millions of people, contrasting this with English being treated as the default, leading to the loss of rich emotional words like 'Ghurba' (homesickness) and 'Baraka' (blessing) when translated. **Key Points:** - The speaker, Mohammed Shehadeh, asserts that words like the Arabic 'Ghurba' (homesickness) and 'Baraka' (blessing) carry deep emotional resonance and identity that are lost in translation to English. - Research from the University of Manchester in 2015 scanned the brains of Chinese-English bilinguals and found that emotional words elicited a reaction 250 milliseconds faster in their native language than in English. - Shehadeh emphasizes that language is not just a tool for communication but carries memory, identity, and philosophy, representing ways of being human. - He states that when people say translation is enough, they are ignoring the emotional depth and context embedded in the original language. - The speaker highlights that for many, including himself, their mother tongue (Arabic) is their true home, and English is the default language that risks erasing these deeply rooted concepts. - He concludes by stating he will refuse to translate words like 'Baraka' and 'Ghurba' because they are too close to the core of one's identity and emotions to be adequately captured in English. - The presentation was part of the TEDxTrafford event, 'Rooted & Rising: Stories of Identity & Community Resilience,' held at Emirates Lancashire County Cricket Club in November 2025. ![Screenshot at 00:08: Mohammed Shehadeh stands on the TEDx stage with large red TED letters behind him, beginning his talk titled 'The Words I Had to Leave Behind' on the projected screen.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-00-08.jpg) **Context:** Mohammed Shehadeh delivered this TEDxTrafford talk titled 'The Words I Had to Leave Behind' as part of an event focused on identity and community resilience. The core theme revolves around the profound emotional and cultural weight carried by specific words in one's native language, particularly Arabic, which he argues are inadequately conveyed when translated into English, risking the loss of inherent identity and memory. ## Detailed Analysis Mohammed Shehadeh delivers a passionate argument that language, particularly his native Arabic, is far more than a mere tool for communication; it is a carrier of deep emotional experience, memory, identity, and philosophy. He points out that when people default to English, they risk losing concepts that are deeply rooted in their being, such as the Arabic word 'Ghurba,' which signifies a deep, bone-level homesickness, or 'Baraka,' which means far more than just 'blessing.' Shehadeh references a 2015 study from the University of Manchester involving Chinese-English bilinguals, where emotional words in their native language triggered brain responses 250 milliseconds faster than in English, proving that emotional connection is language-dependent. He stresses that when people suggest translation is sufficient, they ignore this deep, innate connection. He vows to resist translating words that represent his identity and heritage, concluding that these untranslatable words are the closest things we have to our core selves, and their loss is a crisis for everyone, especially those who speak multiple languages. ### Introduction to Language Loss - The speaker immediately challenges the audience by stating that English has become the default, causing words from other languages to shrink or be erased from emotional relevance. ### The Power of Arabic Words - He introduces 'Baraka' (blessing) and 'Ghurba' (homesickness) as words that are deeply resonant, carrying identity and memory that translation fails to capture. ### Scientific Evidence - Shehadeh cites a 2015 study from the University of Manchester showing that bilingual brains process emotional words in their native language significantly faster (250 milliseconds) than in English. ### The Crisis of Translation - He argues that when people claim translation is enough, they ignore the deep, embodied experience ('rooted in our bones') that these words represent, leading to the loss of heritage and identity. ### Personal Vow and Conclusion - He declares he will refuse to translate certain words, asserting that the emotional context of his mother tongue, Arabic, is too profound to be reduced to English equivalents, framing this loss as a worldwide crisis. ![Screenshot at 00:05: The title slide for the TEDxTrafford event 'Rooted & Rising: Stories of Identity & Community Resilience' at the Emirates Lancashire County Cricket Club.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-00-05.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:18: Close-up on Mohammed Shehadeh during his delivery, showing his expressive gesturing and emotional intensity while discussing the words he had to leave behind.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-00-18.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:40: Shehadeh uses hand gestures to illustrate the shrinking of language and memory when relying solely on English, contrasting it with the depth of his native tongue.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-00-40.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:16: The speaker emphasizes a point by gesturing emphatically while discussing the feeling he was unable to express in English, relating to his native language.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-01-16.jpg) ![Screenshot at 04:48: Shehadeh points emphatically while discussing the stories, philosophies, and ways of being human that are lost when native languages are disregarded.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/qEtrhCqUHRA/00-04-48.jpg)