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.
French
French speaking countries
* to be the bad little duckling
Expression used just about never by Some People
Refers to a person who is disliked by other people and left aside because (s)he is (physically, morally, etc) different from the others.
"Cet enfant est le vilain petit canard de sa classe ; tout le monde se moque de lui parce qu'il boite."
"This child is the bad little duckling of his class; everyone laughs at him because he has a limp."
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.
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.