Advertisement

What are ‘untranslatable’ words?

Language necessarily evolves to accommodate new ideas, new concepts and new cultural paradigms. B...

Share this article

15.22 26 Mar 2025


What are ‘untranslatable’ words?


Listen to this episode


Share this article

15.22 26 Mar 2025


Language necessarily evolves to accommodate new ideas, new concepts and new cultural paradigms.

But, what happens when a word exists in one language, but not another?

There are lots of so-called ‘untranslatable’ words in English, and some Irish ones have been added to the latest version of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Fiona McPherson is Senior Editor at the Oxford English Dictionary and joins Seán to discuss.


Read more about

Moncrieff Highlights

Related Episodes

Movies and TV: Ride or Die, Lu...

00:12:49

Movies and TV: Ride or Die, Lucky, Ann Droid

The Hard Shoulder

00:12:49


What harmful substances are in...

00:08:54

What harmful substances are in illegal vapes?

The Hard Shoulder

00:08:54


The Taoiseach meets Zelenskyy...

00:07:35

The Taoiseach meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv - Emily Keegan Reports

The Hard Shoulder

00:07:35


The Thursday Interview: Keith...

00:12:44

The Thursday Interview: Keith Barry

The Hard Shoulder

00:12:44