One of the most difficult words to translate... - Krystian Aparta
2,004,668 Views
11,861 Questions Answered
TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
As simple as it seems, it’s often impossible to accurately translate the word "you" without knowing a lot more about the situation where it’s being said. Krystian Aparta describes the specific reasons why it can be difficult, citing examples from many different languages.
Gender, relative age, strength of friendship, the work relationship you might have … what other kinds of distinctions can you imagine drive speakers of languages with various “yous” to use a more formal or informal pronoun? Imagine you were crafting your own secret language: what types of pronouns would you create, and which people in your life would you use each one for?
Sign in to answer questionAbout TED-Ed Animations
TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »
Meet The Creators
- Educator Krystian Aparta
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Director Avi Ofer
- Animator Avi Ofer
- Illustrator Avi Ofer
- Composer Stephen LaRosa
- Narrator Addison Anderson
