In this position paper we highlight language as a perennial factor contributing to compromised meaning-making in multilingual primary school mathematics classrooms. We note use of the term 'translanguaging' in discussions around mitigating this meaning-making challenge. The paper argues that, while much work remains to be done towards clarifying the pedagogical insights, skills, and resources needed to ensure that translanguaging practices achieve their intended goals, potentially important parallels may be found between horizontal and vertical forms of translanguaging and horizontal and vertical mathematisation.