# Why translating ancient languages is hard | Irving Finkel and Lex Fridman Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uf9siWywLw Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/_Uf9siWywLw Generated: 2025-12-17T21:05:45.722+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Translating ancient languages like Akkadian is inherently difficult because there is no perfect one-to-one word correspondence between languages, meaning words often carry multiple meanings or require contextual inference, which is why monumental works like The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (CAD) are essential for deciphering cuneiform texts. **Key Points:** - The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (CAD) is a 21-volume comprehensive reference for the Akkadian language, published between 1956 and 2010 by the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. - Translating ancient languages is hard because a single word in the source language rarely has a single, exact equivalent in the target language (like English); instead, one word might require translating into ten different English words based on context. - The guest suggests that when translating ancient texts, one must often infer meaning based on context, especially when dealing with modal verbs, as the nuance is not directly preserved in translation. - The process of translation is described as part archaeology, part detective work, and part poetry, emphasizing the interpretive and creative effort required. - The Babylonian language dictionary, which preceded the CAD, was only A-Z, whereas the CAD covers the entire range of the language, making it more thorough. - The speaker notes that while the CAD is the most salient and important work from American Assyriology, many documents are damaged, requiring translators to use contextual guesswork. - The speaker praises the quality of translation work done by the Assyriologists who collaborated on the CAD over several decades. ![Screenshot at 01:09: The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary \(CAD\) is displayed with accompanying text explaining it is a comprehensive, 21-volume dictionary of the Akkadian language, essential for translating cuneiform texts.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-01-09.png) **Context:** This segment features an interview between Lex Fridman and Irving Finkel, a renowned Assyriologist, focusing on the complexities of translating ancient languages, specifically Akkadian, which is written in cuneiform script. Finkel emphasizes that translation is not a simple substitution of words but a deep, multidisciplinary exercise involving historical context, linguistic nuance, and sometimes guesswork due to damaged source material. ## Detailed Analysis Lex Fridman and Irving Finkel discuss the challenges of translating ancient languages, using the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (CAD) as a primary example of a monumental academic achievement. Finkel explains that true translation is complex because words in ancient languages like Akkadian do not map cleanly onto modern English; a single Akkadian word might require ten different English words depending on the context, making it more of an art than a science. He describes the work as part archaeology, part detective work, and part poetry. Finkel highlights that the CAD, which took decades to complete with contributions from the world's best Assyriologists, is superior to earlier dictionaries because it is comprehensive (A-Z) rather than just alphabetical. He further elaborates on the difficulty of rendering modal verbs accurately, noting that the underlying meaning is not always explicitly reflected in the writing, forcing translators to use inference. The discussion touches upon the inherent ambiguity when dealing with damaged texts, where context becomes the most crucial tool for making reasonable suggestions about the intended meaning. ### The Art of Translation - Translation is part archaeology, part detective work, and part poetry - A single word in the source language rarely equates to one word in English; it can require up to ten different nuances in translation. - Modal verbs present a specific challenge as their meaning might not be directly reflected in the written form. ### The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (CAD) - The CAD is a comprehensive, 21-volume dictionary of the Akkadian language, published between 1956 and 2010 by the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. - It is described as the most salient and important achievement of American Assyriology. - It covers the language fully, unlike prior A-Z dictionaries, and many collaborators worked on it for decades. ### Translating Damaged Texts - Translators must often rely on context to fill in gaps where cuneiform tablets are damaged or fragmented. - The quality of understanding derived from these translations is extraordinary given the inherent difficulties. ![Screenshot at 00:02: Lex Fridman is shown in the studio setting, setting the stage for the interview.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-00-02.png) ![Screenshot at 00:10: Irving Finkel, the guest, appears with his distinctive long white beard, sitting opposite Fridman.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-00-10.png) ![Screenshot at 01:09: A visual slide appears detailing The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary \(CAD\) as a 21-volume reference for Akkadian, essential for translating cuneiform texts.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-01-09.png) ![Screenshot at 01:33: Lex Fridman laughs while the guest speaks about the achievement of creating the dictionary.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-01-33.png) ![Screenshot at 02:59: Finkel uses his hands to demonstrate the nuance and complexity involved in interpretation during translation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/_Uf9siWywLw/00-02-59.png)