Albrecht offers a short contribution on the relation between linguistics and translation studies. He argues that words might only reveal themselves as ambiguous or even contradictory when translated into another language. To illustrate his point, he discusses the Latin concept sacer - which can mean both sacred and cursed - and explains the distinction between contrary and contradictory and usual and occasional meaning. He concludes with a warning against drawing rash parallels between the characteristics of a language and the mentality of its speakers.