Lost in Translation

Activity

Ongoing engagement, Warm up activities

Lost in Translation

Francesca Helm

This icebreaker activity sparks creativity and cultural awareness by exploring unique, untranslatable words from different languages. It encourages sharing, builds connection, and opens discussions about meaning, culture, and communication.

Tech needed: Breakout rooms, Shared online space

Asynchronous

Accessibility: Auditory

Duration: 5-30 mins

Student preparation: None

Educator preparation: None

ACTIVITY PURPOSE

A great icebreaker for multicultural classrooms that celebrates linguistic diversity and creativity. It encourages students to share unique, untranslatable words from different languages, fostering cultural understanding, connection, and engaging conversations about language and meaning.

USEFUL FOR

Ice-breaker
Getting to know each other (works with groups that know each other, but also total strangers)
Starting discussions about language, culture and meaning
Learning new words

PREPARATION

Ask each student to find a word from a language/s they speak that doesn’t have a direct translation in another language they know. Provide a shared space for each group to write and explain their words, such as a Google Doc or slides in done online.

INSTRUCTIONS

Explain the activity to students find words in one language you know that are not translatable to another language you know (giving some examples if you want) and share a link to a space for them to write their words (you can either have a single doc with a table for all groups to use or separate docs for each group – see below)
Individually: think of some words or words or expressions in any languages/dialects you speak, or words you or your friends have coined yourselves, but which you feel cannot be translated into English (or any other language).
Breakout rooms: Write these words in a table (see an example below), and share these words with other members of your group. Copy the sample table in this document (Google Doc, opens in a new tab).
Word(s) Language(s) Explanation(s)
Breakout room 1
Breakout room 2
Breakout room 3
Regroup in the main room to share words (have students pronounce the words), ask questions and clarifications

DURATION

15-20 minutes.

ADAPTATIONS AND EXAMPLES

This activity can be adapted by looking at words which may be related to specific issues, for example participants could be asked to think about words that trigger them – particularly in relation to certain issues; words that evoke positive emotions, words that make you laugh for example; pop culture, words that your parents/grandparents wouldn’t understand).
This activity can be done as a reflective asynchronous assignment or posted on a discussion forum.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Breakout rooms to break up larger groups if done online. Space for writing together like a Google Doc.