A dictionary
that goes beyond
translation.
Discover the dictionary that allows native speakers to share and explain the words and expressions that make their language unique.
Discover the dictionary that allows native speakers to share and explain the words and expressions that make their language unique.
Not everything is said with just a translation. Created by linguists, Untranslatable is a dictionary that uses crowdsourcing and sociolinguistic principles to gain a better understanding of language.
Untranslatable is an online dictionary that allows you to add words and phrases in any language or dialect. Here is what makes us unique.
Find out not just what something means, but who uses it, where, and how often, along with an example and translation.
Each entry includes a link to an example, is seen by a moderator and can be verified by other users.
We love informal language, regional dialects, minority languages and other forms of language that are often overlooked.
n. • This is what the Italian Swiss call their phones.
Note: The word was coined in 1975, when Switzerland introduced a mobile phone service for vehicles: Nationales Auto-TELefonnetz. They continued to develop the Swiss mobile network, and registered the word Natel as a trademark. It remained in use as a brand for the company's services until 2017. In Switzerland, "natel" is still used as a synonym for mobile phone across the country, but like many words with origins in a specific culture, it is unknown to Italian speakers outside of Switzerland.
"Ho dimenticato il natel a casa! E adesso come faccio a chiamare Lucia?"
"I forgot my phone at home! How will I call Lucy now?"
From local slang to national idioms - find entries from all over the world.
By allowing entries in all languages and dialects, we hope to help preserve and promote linguistic diversity, especially for linguistic varieties that are otherwise often underdocumented or overlooked.
Not at all!
The name of this project refers not to the translatability of the words, but rather the additional context you are able to provide.
Stuff that doesn't strictly fall under translation, but still helps provide context about how, where and how often words are used.
Here are some of the things you can do.
