The Word I Cannot Translate
An interview about switching languages mid-sentence, and the words that only exist in one of them.
Placeholder interview. Noah interviewed Amani over a video call. This is an edited transcript.
Noah: How many languages do you use in a normal day?
Amani: Three, maybe four if you count Sheng, which you should.
Noah: Is there a word you wish existed in English?
Amani: Lots. There are words for the way people greet each other that just do not fit into one English word.
About this story
Perspectives
Kenya
Some jokes only work in Sheng. If I translate them, they die.
More from Amani
Canada
My parents speak to me in one language and I answer in another. We all understand each other perfectly.
More from Noah
Reflection
What we took away
What surprised us?
That we both feel slightly different depending on the language we are speaking.
What did we assume?
That being bilingual means being fluent in everything. It does not.
What did we learn?
Mixing languages is a skill, not a mistake.
Use this story in class
Language exchange · Ages 12–18 · 1 hour
Untranslatable Words
A language-exchange activity where students collect words from their own languages that have no neat English translation.
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