"Perhaps several words in English (or other modern language) can be used
when
just the perfect equivalence can't be found. It depends on the context.
Of course, the same phrase cannot be used for dukkha all the time. But I
suppose that's what inevitably happens when going from one language to
another"

Hello Rene,

of course, it's a mistake trying to do a one-by-one word translation, simply
because words across the languages do not have such correspondence. Texts
translated according to a strict method like this sound too artificial,
while it's desiderable that the reader feels as if the text was originally
written in his own language. Usually we should concentrate our efforts most
on translating the ideas, not the words (except when words play an important
role, eg. in poetry).

For instance, I still had not found even one good translation of
"householder" to portuguese, so I replace the word for "lay man/woman" or
"family leader", whichever is better on a given context although,
unfortunatelly, none of them is the precise meaning. Dukkha is another word
that must be considered depending on the situation.

On another hand, I am contrary to the idea of translating "deva" and
"Brahma". If you say "demi-god", "god", you will be changing pali words with
a clear meaning for others carried with a Western perspective, alien to the
Buddhist view. If one is going to actually understand them, it won't happen
through such poor renderings. However, I do not see why some people choose
to left "bhikkhu" untranslated. If I use this word, nobody would understand
it here in Brazil, but if I say "buddhist monk" anyone get it
straight-forwardly. Any difference between a monk and a bhikkhu seems to be
quite more subtle than what you find between "deva" and "demi-god" or, even
worse, "yakkha" and "spirit"!

Mettaa,

Flavio Costa

ps. as there were no replies on the distinction of "sanditthiko" and
"akaliko", I'll be taking both just as complementary words, and not
providing them with separated, specific explanations. I didn't find any
author who has given them convincing different meanings.