Exploration of Parallel Texts

Parallel texts refer to texts in a specific language, text type, and subject matter that correspond directly to the source text. Therefore, two parallel texts belong to the same type of text and can even be regarded as typical examples of that text type. Many specialized terms may not even be found in very specialized dictionaries; thus, we often seek these terms in various so-called parallel texts, which should have closely related subject matters and use the same language as the target language.

We can conveniently find many parallel texts related to specialized fields on the internet. However, it is essential to pay attention to the sources of these parallel texts, as some German-language web pages originate from non-German-speaking countries/regions, where reliable sources for specialized German terminology are often lacking.

This raises high standards for translators. When converting the source text into the target language, translators must consider the culture, register, text function, context, purpose, scene, collocations, and terminology involved in the text. Hence, parallel texts are not translation texts but rather belong to the same category of texts. They are also an indispensable auxiliary tool for translators. One could say that they are corresponding texts in different languages. Parallel texts serve the purpose of translation equivalence, meaning that translators can use parallel texts to facilitate their translations, making the translated text read as though it were the original in the target language. Additionally, the terminology provided by parallel texts is contextual, which is crucial for eliminating ambiguity. Parallel texts offer information that dictionaries, glossaries, and terminology databases often cannot provide. Ideally, translators can copy entire paragraphs from parallel texts one-to-one into the target language text. Therefore, in some sense, parallel texts are essential tools for translators.

Despite the clear advantages outweighing the disadvantages, parallel texts also have noteworthy drawbacks. The biggest challenge for translators seeking parallel texts lies in finding suitable parallel texts for diverse translation projects. For instance, if a translator does not know how to correctly translate important terms or titles included in the source text, the process of searching for parallel texts can become quite cumbersome and challenging. When this occurs, translators must first conduct terminology searches before looking for parallel texts, as only by using the correct names (often titles or significant keywords) can they find the relevant parallel texts. Furthermore, it is often difficult for translators to assess the timeliness, quality, and reliability of parallel texts discovered online, and at times it can be challenging to distinguish between parallel texts and translations. From my personal experience, the best way to find parallel texts is generally through the internet, while the main difficulty in locating them lies in selecting appropriate texts, assessing the quality of the sources, and distinguishing the differences between parallel texts and translations.

◀️：The Application of Parallel Texts in Translation

▶️：Understanding Sentence Structure for Better Translation