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The world’s most difficult word to translate loses much in translation
Posted by robertstevenson on July 19, 2008
The world’s most difficult word to translate loses much in translation
In an article published by the BBC on June 22, 2004, “ilunga” was deemed the world’s most difficult word to translate. According to the article by Oliver Conway, “ilunga” topped a list compiled by 1,000 linguists as the “hardest word to translate.” It was reported that “ilunga,” which comes from the Tshiluba language, spoken in south-eastern Congo, means “a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time”.
The survey was conducted by Today Translations, which emphasized, while the ilunga’s definition can be found in the dictionary, the difficulty in translation comes from its cultural connotations and usage.
BUT WAIT, there is a problem.
According to an article in Wikipedia: There is no independent evidence supporting Today Translations’ claim that “ilunga” is in fact the world’s most difficult word to translate. In fact ilunga is apparently a reasonably common family name in the DR Congo, and it has nothing to do with a conditionally forgiving person. Furthermore, according to Wikipedia, the translation company failed to respond to inquiries regarding the survey, made by the same reporter. Also, according to an entry in Nation Master Encyclopedia, not all of the words on Today Translations’ list were even legitimate. Some of them turned out to be mistakes and hoaxes.
In my opinion, the category the “most untranslatable word” is on its face problematic to begin with. It appears the article infers that these words are the hardest to translate into English, but there is no specific mention of this. Despite the 226,000 hits for “ilunga” from my July 19, 2008, Google search (many of which represent blogs recycling the original BBC article), it seems Today Translations’ linguistics need better translators. It also appears the BBC could have done a better job deciphering fact from fiction.
Even so, the list “The ten foreign words voted hardest to translate,” is fun to consider, so here it is:
1. Ilunga [Tshiluba word for a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time; to tolerate it a second time; but never a third time. Note: Tshiluba is a Bantu language spoken in south-eastern Congo, and Zaire]
2. Shlimazl [Yiddish for a chronically unlucky person]
3. Radioukacz [Polish for a person who worked as a telegraphist for the resistance movements on the Soviet side of the Iron Curtain]
4. Naa [Japanese word only used in the Kansai area of Japan, to emphasise statements or agree with someone]
5. Altahmam [Arabic for a kind of deep sadness]
6. Gezellig [Dutch for cosy]
7. Saudade [Portuguese for a certain type of longing]
8. Selathirupavar [Tamil for a certain type of truancy]
9. Pochemuchka [Russian for a person who asks a lot of questions]
10. Klloshar [Albanian for loser]
Ekim941 said
You learn something new everyday. I just found out that I am a Shlimazl.
Erik Johnels said
There is a Swedish word ” Lagom ” that translates into “not too much and not too little. Which loses much of its power in translation. Espcially considering that much of the socialistic swedish society is based on the “lagom” principle. Apparently Swedish is the only language that has a single word for the meaning. Most other languages uses either a descriptive phrase or a full sentence to convey the same message.
Most translations will lose the cultural weight of the word and just translate it to the exact meaning.
Good article though, i think that most will forget that translation will never be right without interpretation of the actual words used.
polybore said
How about the Welsh town named
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
yep it is one word.
It translates as ‘St Mary’s church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio of the red cave’.
E.D.Beale said
That is the most awesome translation of anything ever (even if it might not be accurate).
What a cool article!
alapoet said
You’re such a pochemucka!
Watch out; you’re edging past shlimazl and getting dangerously close to klloshar…
kavitha said
hmm, not sure about the Tamil word… there are many more hard words to translate in Tamil language! This one is very simple in terms of using Tamil as a foreign language!
cooper said
Figures that word comes from the Congo where women are routinely raped and beaten as a result of war and ethnic conflict.
Sorry couldn’t help that, it is off topic, but the first thing which came to mind.
Mila Cross said
I can so see myself using the ‘klloshar’ word now, lol. yay bigger vocab now =D
t532harry said
try malay/indonesian “lah”, chinese “mah”, and indian “rei,” “bei,” and “rah”
Bahia said
I think there are other Japanese words that are harder to translate.
But an interesting read, none-the-less.
Rui Peres said
I am portuguese. “Saudade” is what you feel, when you miss someone or something.
Jeff Lloyd said
Congrats on being the featured blog Rob!
http://i35.tinypic.com/ix8evo.jpg
gia said
Ilunga, described as a word from the Bantu language of Tshiluba, was said to mean “a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time”.
in arabic it means:
الکاظم
in farsi(persian) we called it:
saboor صبور
so i don’t think that it’s really hard to translate it.i already did it.
shearyadi said
How about Takol, it’s from ancient language of native people of Jakarta, Indonesia, which mean “a condition where a person was tend to beat other person but he actually didn’t”, but in some cases, it also mean “being abused by someone else”.
blackmachina said
Reply to Erik Johnels:
the english word for “lagom” is “just”
katemcnamara said
That is a truly wonderful word. I shall take it to heart.And try to develop stage 4 forgiveness. Clarissa Pinkola Este in her book “Women Who Run with the Wolves” has to date, written the most insightful work on forgiveness that I have ever read. Trust the Congo to deliver something equally complex, if dark hearted a la Joseph Conrad. Apocalypse tomorrow in the Galaxy that time forgot.
Regards
Kate McNamara
Learn Spanish in Phoenix, AZ said
Great list. There are so many words in each language that are hard to translate. Sometimes though certain things are easier to express in one language. That’s why I usually speak Franglais with other Franglaphones (English / French).
mrsweden said
Rui Peres: No, “just” isn’t really accurate. Just indicates the effort was sufficient, but “sufficient” doesn’t encompass the kind of meaning, as well as cultural grounding, that “lagom” does.
As for Swedes being socialistic, well we may have some collective thinking going on coupled with some kickass welfare but we’re damn competitive too.
Jon said
A Shlimiel is someone in the restaurant who spills the soup.
A Shlamazal is the person which the soup is spilled onto.
Lindsey said
Hahahaha, Jon.
liam said
chornically unlucky? like a jynx
Werner said
I think the Dutch word ‘gedogen’ (a verb) is even harder to translate. ‘gedogen’ means to explicitly prohibit something but in practice never punish the offenders.
Jessica said
I don’t think “na” is tough at all as far as translations of Japanese goes. What about “muri” (meaning “can’t do it” but also “doubtful” and and about a hundred other things depending on context); aesthetic terms, like “mu” (Buddhist use of “emptiness”) or “wabi” (something like dignified in terms of taste), “sabi” (homey); and all the onomatopoeia that has no parallel in English (at least)… dunno.