Translating Summer: Why Some Words Don’t Cross Borders

Summer means different things depending on where you are.

In England, it’s bank holidays, pub gardens, and last-minute seaside trips. In the Balkans, it’s slava tables, music echoing through the hills, and the scent of roasted peppers drifting from balconies.

As a translator working between English and Serbian, I’ve learned that not every word — or feeling — crosses borders easily.

Some words just don’t translate.

Take “slava”, for example. I can describe it as a family saint day or a Serbian Orthodox celebration, but the weight of tradition, the communal atmosphere, the kitchen chaos — those things get lost. Or consider “rakija.” Sure, I can say it’s plum brandy. But that doesn’t quite capture its role as medicine, welcome, celebration, and symbol of resilience all in one.

English has its own untranslatables, too. Words like “wholesome,” “cosy,” or even the casual “cheers!” — they don’t always land in Serbian with the same feeling.

That’s why good translation is about more than finding the right word. It’s about knowing what can’t be translated — and what needs to be reimagined instead.

At Balkan-Translations, we work with words every day, but we also work with meaning, emotion, and context. Especially when translating creative writing, marketing, or anything cultural, it’s our job to carry the feeling — not just the phrase.

So as summer unfolds, I’ve been thinking about what this season means in each language. And how language itself changes with heat, sound, ritual, and place.

Because sometimes, translation is less about finding words — and more about listening.