Clever Series Illustrates Words that are Lost in Translation

Yiddish

You’ve probably experienced something that’s been “lost in translation,” meaning that there’s no adequate equivalent for a foreign term. Don’t feel bad – sometimes it’s hard to capture the essence of a word in another language. This is the concept of New Zealand-based designer Anjana Iyer’s series entitled Found in Translation. Through these images, she explains the idea behind words in German, Russian, and more that don’t directly translate into English.

We all know a pochemuchka, or someone that asks too many questions. Likewise, we’re probably acquainted with a shlimazl, which is a Yiddish way to describe a person who’s chronically unlucky. Iyer enlightens and amuses us with these definitions and the colorful, graphic illustrations that accompany them.

This series is part of the 100 Days Project, which encourages artists to repeat a creative exercise everyday for 100 days. Iyer is halfway through her journey, so if you enjoy these informative translations, there are more to come.

Russian