I think it's a good general proposition that everything is, in some sense, translatable, but I think also that discussions of "untranslatable words" are not meaningless. When we describe one of these words as untranslatable, we are definitely saying something. So, let's work out criteria for "untranslatable" which establish it as a reasonably well-defined, but still interesting, concept. Here are my ideas.

When we say a word Z is untranslatable from language X (either to a specific language Y or some languages [Y] or all other languages), we ought to mean that
a) No single word exists in Y (or outside of X) that captures exactly the nuanced meaning of Z.
(obviously, the denotive meaning of Z can always be expressed using some number of other words).
b) Z possesses some connotation that circumlocution in translation cannot exactly render
c) The connotation of Z is not a vaguely bivalent positive/negative dichotomy, but something specific.

So, I might suggest the adverb "jadis" as an "untranslatable" word from French to any of the languages (besides English) with which I am familiar. (English can render it exactly with "of yore.") It could be translated of course, but not by circumlocution alone: the translator would have to come out and say something like "belonging to a distant and irretrievable past,with intimations of sacred or high aesthetic mythicality."

These are some other good examples that I think haven't been mentioned yet:

-"skuld" or "skuldh" from Old Icelandic, trans. roughly "that which has to will have happened"
-"opala" from Russian or "upala" from Bulgarian to non-Slavic languages; trans. "the fall from grace via original sin," with personal, rather than cosmic, overtones
-"dike" from Attic Greek; meaning "act of injustice," implying a personal affront to the physical laws of nature
-"glory" (or any indo-european equivalent)from an Indo-European language to a non-Indo-European one
-"ofermod" from the Old English; trans "wrongfully possessed of godly vanity" with the understanding that "godly" is a scalar quantity, divorced from morality; ie it doesn't matter whether the "ofermod" individual is vain as only God ought to be or vain as only the devil ought to be

Welcome Bastian. You've certainly chosen to jump in at the deep end as this question of untranslatability is one that has led to quite spirited debate in the past. It will be intersting to see how it develops this time up. Be prepared to put up a lively defense.

Yes, we have discussed this before, and I think the distinction is that some languages, because of their culture, have concepts that just aren't familiar to other cultures and therefore might be thought of as untranslatable. I assume you've seen our other thread on the subject.

BTW, I am curious as to where you are from. This statement: "So, let's work out criteria for "untranslatable" leads me to believe you are from England.

Welcome to Wordcraft! Considering your post, I think you will fit in well.

I believe by the clues he's given that our new poster is from Bulgaria. Welcome aboard Mr Rudin.

Oh, that is exciting!

What's exciting to me is the word 'untranslatability' - is THAT really a word? Whatever! I'm prepared to use it - hehe.

is THAT really a word?

Don't get Kalleh started, or she'll pull out her favorite word that is not a word ...

PS, untranslatable is also a "hybrid" word. Out it goes?

quote:

is THAT really a word?

The editors of Wikipedia seem to think so - they have quite a good article on the subject, with that word as the title.

quote:

Don't get Kalleh started, or she'll pull out her favorite word that is not a word ...

You, sir, are nothing but an epicaricrat!

Peta: "is THAT ['untranslatability'] really a word?"
arnie: "The editors of Wikipedia seem to think so"

'untranslatable' seems to be accepted in several respected dictionaries.

It's also in the online MW.

quote:

Don't get Kalleh started, or she'll pull out her favorite word that is not a word ...

I promise I won't, zmj (only for your sake ), but it is an interesting question which we have discussed here since the beginning of this site. What makes a word a word? Since this word is in the online MW and Wikipedia, is it a bona fide word? We talked about this so many times, and I realize it's not a black and white answer. I guess, if pushed, I'd have to say a word is a real word when it is included in the OED. BTW, not only is untranslatability in the OED, but here is what it says: "1860 G. P. MARSH Lect. Eng. Lang. xxvii. 611 Of this untranslatability of single words..German offers us many examples." That's a good way to put it: the "untranslatability of single words."