diff --git a/sphinx/addnodes.py b/sphinx/addnodes.py
index 94f670f01..94f1d615f 100644
--- a/sphinx/addnodes.py
+++ b/sphinx/addnodes.py
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ from docutils import nodes
 class toctree(nodes.General, nodes.Element):
     """Node for inserting a "TOC tree"."""
 
-class translatable(nodes.General, nodes.TextElement):
-    """An element which contains translatable nodes."""
-
 
 # domain-specific object descriptions (class, function etc.)
 
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/html.py b/sphinx/writers/html.py
index 508df3b53..d714ed4f3 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/html.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/html.py
@@ -548,11 +548,6 @@ class HTMLTranslator(BaseTranslator):
             node['classes'].append('field-odd')
         self.body.append(self.starttag(node, 'tr', '', CLASS='field'))
 
-    def visit_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-    def depart_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-
     def unknown_visit(self, node):
         raise NotImplementedError('Unknown node: ' + node.__class__.__name__)
 
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index d3a78d678..aadf44011 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -1512,10 +1512,5 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
     def depart_system_message(self, node):
         self.body.append('\n')
 
-    def visit_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-    def depart_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-
     def unknown_visit(self, node):
         raise NotImplementedError('Unknown node: ' + node.__class__.__name__)
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/manpage.py b/sphinx/writers/manpage.py
index 50237ef93..e074691e4 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/manpage.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/manpage.py
@@ -340,10 +340,5 @@ class ManualPageTranslator(BaseTranslator):
             self.body.append(node.astext())
         raise nodes.SkipNode
 
-    def visit_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-    def depart_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-
     def unknown_visit(self, node):
         raise NotImplementedError('Unknown node: ' + node.__class__.__name__)
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/texinfo.py b/sphinx/writers/texinfo.py
index d3435a482..198d1e061 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/texinfo.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/texinfo.py
@@ -1156,11 +1156,6 @@ class TexinfoTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
     def depart_problematic(self, node):
         self.body.append('<')
 
-    def visit_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-    def depart_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-
     def unimplemented_visit(self, node):
         self.builder.warn("unimplemented node type: %r" % node,
                           (self.curfilestack[-1], node.line))
diff --git a/sphinx/writers/text.py b/sphinx/writers/text.py
index 9ca1cb48e..e62c05f47 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/text.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/text.py
@@ -719,11 +719,6 @@ class TextTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
     def depart_container(self, node):
         pass
 
-    def visit_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-    def depart_translatable(self, node):
-        pass
-
     def visit_problematic(self, node):
         self.add_text('>>')
     def depart_problematic(self, node):