What Doesn't Translate A column by Kristin Wong about why language matters—and what it says about who we are.

Cover Photo: An image of mother and child; the mother is cradling the baby in her hands

What Lullabies Teach Us About Language

In that way, lullabies are like a language of their own.

Aug 04, 2022

Columns | What Doesn't Translate

Cover Photo: Photos courtesy of author

How Languages Go Extinct

Cantonese has become a forgotten heirloom of my past.

Jun 23, 2022

Columns | What Doesn't Translate

Cover Photo: An image of the author's mother

How Untranslatable Words Have Connected Me to My Mother

“In Cantonese,” my mother says, “love isn’t so frivolous.”

May 04, 2022

Columns | What Doesn't Translate

Cover Photo: An image of the author as a child sitting in a chair with her hands and legs crossed

The Pain of Losing Your First Language

What else did I lose to assimilate?

Dec 21, 2021

Family | Columns | What Doesn't Translate