category list with no link?

get_categories()

http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_categories

you need to construct your own output; for instance something like:

<?php
//find a dynamic way to get the parent cat,
//depending on the tempate file your using this in.
$parent_cat = 13;
$child_cats = get_categories('child_of='.$parent_cat);
if($child_cats) :
  echo '{ ';
    foreach($child_cats as $cat) {
    echo $sep . $cat->cat_name;
    $sep = ', ';
    }
  echo ' }';
endif;
?>