Lost in Translation: The Philosophy of What Can't Be Said Twice
Cassin and others show how some concepts resist transfer. You'll work through untranslatables, domestication vs foreignization, and what that means for global philosophy and AI.
Steps
- 1
- Reading· ~11 min
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Does Language Shape Thought?
The most important (and most contested) claim in the philosophy of language and translation, and what the actual evidence looks like.
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- Reading· ~9 min
Philosophical Untranslatables: When Concepts Cross Borders
What happens when philosophical concepts travel between languages, and what gets lost, gained, or distorted in the crossing.
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- Text Explore· ~8 min
A Cabinet of Untranslatables
Explore a selection of untranslatable words and the philosophical work they do.
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- Argument Map· ~10 min
Translation, Meaning, and the Limits of Language
Map the philosophical issues raised by translation and untranslatability.
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- Dialogue· ~10 min
Dialogue: Is Perfect Translation Possible?
The deepest question in translation philosophy, and what it implies about whether we can ever truly understand people from other cultures.
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- Reflection· ~8 min
Reflection: Your Own Linguistic World
What does your language make easy to think, and what does it make hard?
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Complete the Reflection step in this path to rate it and share your thoughts in the comments.