The Untranslatables.
A series of books for the bookseller Kinokuniya, each devoted to one everyday Arabic phrase with no English equivalent, explained in long-form English writing and illustrated in its own style.
- Brand
- Kinokuniya
- Agency
- Memac Ogilvy
- Market
- UAE
- Region
- GCC
The challenge
Its D&AD entry says the series aims at 'encouraging Arabic speakers to reconnect with their mother tongue once again.'
The idea
As its D&AD entry puts it, 'The Untranslatables is a series of books created for Kinokuniya, each centered on a commonly used Arabic phrase with no direct English equivalent.' Each book tries to unpack its phrase through long-form English writing and illustration, 'while honoring what remains untranslatable', and each has its own illustration style to suit the phrase. The Dubai Lynx shortlists name three of the books: Sahtein, Taqburni and Bateekha.
Case study source: D&AD Source ↗
Awards
- Dubai Lynx 2026Industry Craft – Copywriting: Print & PublishingGold
- Dubai Lynx 2026Print & Publishing – Commercial PublicationsBronze
- D&AD 2026: shortlisted in Writing for Design and in Direct (Printed Materials)
Credits
- Production
- Bigsea
- Production
- Illozoo
- Production
- The Goldmine Films
- Illustration
- Aude Abou Nasr, Laurent Pinabel and Yeganeh Yaghoobnezhad
