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.
Expression used just about never by Some People
To describe something that you do or do not want to do. This expression is used to describe a difficult situation. You can imagine being in a phone booth which is an enclosed, small space. Trying to sand-paper a wild cat's ass would be difficult in this small space. They may scratch and attack you. This is not a situation you want to find yourself in.
"Hey, bob! How was the weekend with your ex-wife?" "It was like walking out of a phone booth after sand-papering a bobcat's ass" or "I would rather sand-paper a bobcat's ass in a phone booth than spend time with her again".
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.
