In a globalised world where communication knows no boundaries, the ability to understand and appreciate different languages is a valuable skill. Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a student, a translator or simply someone who wants to explore new cultures, parallel texts can be your passport to linguistic adventure.
Parallel texts are, as the name suggests, two or more versions of a text presented side by side in different languages. These texts can be anything from literary works, short stories, poems, legal documents, news articles or even educational material.
On one side of the page is the original text in the original language, and on the opposite side is a translation into another language. This arrangement allows readers to compare and contrast the two versions with relative ease.
So we should ask, “What can they be used for?” One is obvious from the title, but apart from that it is quite useful for translating works. Another may sound strange, but it is for literary appreciation. I was reading poems by Novalis, “Hymn of the Night”. It was in German on one side and Turkish on the other. I evaluated the cultural and emotional transitions between the two languages, and I also appreciated the translation, because I know that it is difficult to deal with this properly, especially in poetry.
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash
Now we have an idea of what it is generally used for. But what are the advantages? First of all, it is not necessarily a textbook, unless it is educational material. So you get to know different words, whether you use them in conversation or not. Idioms, swear words, stereotypical phrases, everyday expressions… The kind that native speakers use all the time. All part of cultural understanding.
You may understand it in context. If the parallel text is a story, the context of the situation between the characters will make it easier for you to understand. You will also come across many new words which will increase your vocabulary. There is no need to look them up in a dictionary every time, as long as the context gives you enough information.
Learners can study at their own pace. No need to rush! You have your own time and familiar materials. You can focus on your gradual progress. And because it doesn’t have to be an academic text, you might even enjoy learning more.
Convenience is another point. If you ask for the meaning of a word, you’ll find out for yourself and feel more confident. I can give you many examples of when I gave up on a text because I did not understand it.
On the flip side of these nice and positive words, there are a couple of downsides. The first is the lack of availability. Although I search online or ask every time I visit a bookshop, I only have four or five of the parallel texts (a particularly difficult task to find in my language).
Sometimes people don’t trust translations. There may be words that have been wrongly or poorly translated from one language to another. And since you don’t know the certainty of some words, because you are in a learning process, you take them as true.
Although I enjoy working like this on each of my articles as I translate them, it may not have the same effect on others. In fact, it can be difficult, especially for beginners. They may feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the pressure of so many words and phrases. Of course, not every parallel text has this problem. But it may not be suitable for readers at all levels.
Finally, although parallel texts have some disadvantages in terms of rarity and reliance on translations, they can be useful tools and materials to enhance your language game in terms of self-directed learning, especially if you are not new to the target language.
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