Direct Translation

The English Language has far too many words in it we've decided. And who got to decide that English is to be the 'international language' anyway?

Anyhow - it amazes us how many vocabulary words that we come across, when directly translated, I have to pause and ask my co-teacher, "Really? There isn't another word or way of saying that?" He says, "No. It can mean the same thing, like synonym, right?" I say, "Well... yes" with disappointment, then sigh - and move on with the lesson.

Examples:

considerable - is directly translated to "a lot" or "very" or same as "large"
giraffe - is directly translated to "animal long neck"
ketchup - is directly translated to "water tomato"
milk - is directly translated to "water tit cow" (seriously)

Or today - I was looking up vocabulary for my 'Future Cambodian Health Care Workers Club', and our next lesson we're studying about the human heart. The direct translation for the word "chamber" (as in heart chamber) - is "room". Which - fine - I get it. I see the similarities. But I stop and ask my friend who's helping me translate, "isn't there another way to say it that describes it a little more?" and he shakes his head....no.