Beckett wrote the poem comment dire on October 29, 1988, and he translated it himself into English under the title what is the word. It is his last piece.

It was first published outside of retail in Paris in May 1989 by the bookstore "Compagnie," named after one of his works. Beckett died in Paris on December 22, 1989, at the age of eighty-three.

The first Greek edition of the poem is found in the book Samuel Beckett Shimmers / How to Say, Exantas editions, 1990. The new edition is limited to 350 copies and includes the translation, the original French and English texts, and a photograph of Beckett's manuscript.