Each nation in the course of its historical development acquires a great number of features characteristic of the nation only and not pertained to any other, even to genealogically related nation. The distinguishing features are materialized in words and word-groups designating customs, traditions, folk rites and feasts, etc. They are:
- religious traditions expressed through proper names (Івана Купала, Ireland’s St. Patrick, American Uncle Sam.)
- elements in governmental, election systems, monetary system (penny, dollar, hryvnia)
- the titles of address and the ways of conduct, some articles of clothing, footwear (Scottish kilt, tartan, вишиванка, American Indians' moccasins)
- national meal, beverages
- national systems of weights and measures (English mile, ounce, Ukrainian верста, пуд).
They are found in all languages. English: county, custard, muffin, bushel, lady, sir, teller, № 10 Downing Street, Ukrainian: кобзар, веснянка, весільний батько, галушки, кутя, вечорниці, Russian: квас, щі, самовар, колхоз, Дума.
Many nationally biased notions are borrowed into other national languages: bacon, champagne, Coca-Cola, vodka, spaghetti, sweater, pizza. Many of specific national terms have become widely known (Kozak/Cossack, steppe, polka, pudding, lunch, etc.), (kulak, collectivization, cosmonaut). In the course of some historical period some became internationalisms (barter, management, picket, taboo, sauna, oasis). Many culturally biased notions are to be explicated: bingo - бінго (азартна гра типу лото, популярна серед пристаркуватих та одиноких людей), gіn-джин (ялівцева горілка, використовується для приготування коктейлів), рушник-rushnyk (embroidered towel used in every folk rite in Ukraine).
Some units can be rendered without preserving their lingual form: moonlighter- підробітник - той, хто підробляє у вільний час, переважно вечорами.
Sometimes nationally biased units can be directly translated and explicated: alphabet soup - "азбучний суп"(суп з макаронів, що мають форму літер абетки, виховна година - educational lesson (on good behavior and morality of students at school).
Some similar notions exist in different 1anguages: the Order of Merit-орден "За заслуги", класний керівник - tutor/form master, табель успішності й поведінки - pupil's report/record card, Department of Education and Science - міністерство освіти, extension course -курси підвищення кваліфікації, extramural education -заочне/вечірнє навчання.