When translation is like walking a tightrope
Some literary works remind us that translation can be a delicate balancing act. Ocean Sea, by Alessandro Baricco, is a striking example. This novel draws its strength from the musicality of Italian, the fluidity of its sentences and the richness of its poetic images, all of which are intimately tied to its original language. Translating it into English therefore required much more than language prowess. It called for an exceptional level of sensitivity and literary instinct on the part of its translator, Alastair McEwen, to capture the essence of the text, in which none of the words seem to have any direct equivalents.
This challenge is far from rare. There are terms, expressions and concepts that resist translation because they embody a cultural or emotional reality specific to a language.
The untranslatable
A word is considered “untranslatable” when it has no direct or simple equivalent in another language. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to translate, but that it requires reformulation, interpretation or a deliberate choice. The concept of “the untranslatable” highlights the singularity of each language: its unique way of naming the world, structuring thoughts and translating the human experience.
In these cases, the translator’s role is no longer simply to find the right word, but to strike the right balance between staying loyal to the source text, maintaining fluidity in the target language and respecting the cultural context.
Fuel for the imagination
These terms serve as windows into cultural realities that can’t be captured in a simple translation. Here are a few examples:
- Saudade (Portuguese): Melancholy combined with nostalgia and longing for someone or something that is absent but loved
- Komorebi (Japanese): Sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees
- Hygge (Danish): A feeling of comfort, warmth and simple well-being, often tied to the atmosphere
- Tarab (Arabic): A state of ecstasy or enchantment induced by music
- Tretår (Swedish): The third cup of coffee—yes, specifically the third one!
Translating the untranslatable: Juggling loyalty and adaptation
These words make translation particularly complex. Several factors need to be taken into account: the audience, the tone, the communication objective, and above all, the emotional or cultural significance of the source word. When faced with a word or expression that has no direct equivalent, translators have a number of strategies at their disposal to preserve the meaning, intent and scope of the original message. The most common strategies include:
- Adaptation: finding an equivalent image
When the concept exists in the target language, but in a different form, the translator can opt for a culturally relevant reformulation.
For example:
In English, we say “it’s raining cats and dogs” to evoke heavy rain. A literal translation into French would be absurd. Instead, the translator can use an equivalent expression, such as “il pleut à boire debout” (“it’s raining so hard you can drink standing up”), which is commonly used in Quebec French. The meaning is preserved, but the expression is adapted to the reader’s culture.
- Explanation: clarifying implied meaning
Some words or formulations express several complex or underlying meanings at once. As a result, the translated sentence needs to be fleshed out to reflect the full scope of the source sentence.
For example:
A legal contract in English might read “the company shall indemnify the client.” The verb indemnify encompasses specific concepts that French-speaking readers may not immediately grasp. It’s therefore best to opt for a more detailed translation, such as “l’entreprise s’engage à indemniser le client pour toute perte, tout dommage ou toute réclamation découlant directement de l’exécution du contrat.” This roughly translates to “the company undertakes to indemnify the client for any loss, damage or claim arising directly from the performance of the contract.” By being more explicit, the translator illustrates what is implied to ensure the clarity and legal validity of the text.
- Borrowing: transposing the source term without translating it
In some cases, no translation is fully satisfactory. The translator can then choose to keep the word as is in the target language, while often providing some context or an explanatory note.
Here are some examples of frequently borrowed words:
- Tsunami (Japanese)
- Déjà vu (French)
- Karma (Sanskrit)
- Hammam (Arabic)
Borrowing is a way to preserve the unique cultural or conceptual aspect of a word, especially when it’s already recognized internationally.
A key issue for multilingual communications
The challenge of untranslatable words goes far beyond linguistics. It involves intercultural communication, a diversity of perspectives and true inclusion. Understanding that some words can’t be translated perfectly means recognizing the complexity, but also the richness, of human language. In a professional context, this can make translation a strategic driver that far exceeds merely transposing words.
That’s why Versacom’s services are based on a consulting approach, rooted in language and cultural intelligence. Our seasoned team approaches every project by capturing the subtleties of the text while adapting the tone and preserving its intended meaning. Recognizing “the untranslatable” also means acknowledging that experts are needed to convey the message differently, but precisely, in each target language.
In a world where communications flow instantaneously from one market to another, the ability to move beyond word-for-word translation to clearly and accurately express the essence of a text is more crucial than ever.
