Imperfect conveying of meanings from one language to another. I do it every day. Sometimes a word must be translated by a phrase, sometimes a phrase by a word. Often a different word must be used for different occurences of the same word depending upon context. As much of the context of meanings of the original word must be conveyed as is possible. But since the context of meanings present within the language that is being translated into are so different from the language translated from, this is often less than possible. Take translation from Song dynasty Chinese into English. Please. Badump bump. How to convey a joke, with reference to Henny Youngman and Catskill comics of the mid 20th century and convert that into the Tang context? How to convey an reference to a popular folksong about fish made in a Tang dynasty comment about dragons that is actually talking about a monk, apparently criticising but actually praising him, and still have it be funny?