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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


Japanese


German


German


Japanese


Japanese


Pascuense


German


German


Italian

Anjana Iyer Behance page

via [Bored Panda]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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