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

243. The woman hanged as a wit...

00:08:33

243. The woman hanged as a witch for speaking Gaeilge

Let Me Explain With Seán Defoe

00:08:33


Gadi Eisenkot, The Next Israel...

00:11:26

Gadi Eisenkot, The Next Israeli Prime Minister?

The Pat Kenny Show

00:11:26


Steiner V Ebay

00:12:47

Steiner V Ebay

The Pat Kenny Show

00:12:47


Pat's Sunday Papers Revie...

00:14:09

Pat's Sunday Papers Review August 9th

The Pat Kenny Show

00:14:09