Utilizing ‘hot words’ in ParaConc to verify lexical simplification strategies in English-Xhosa parallel texts

Abstract

The aim of this article is to illustrate that ParaConc, a parallel concordancer designed by Barlow (1995) has proved useful in the analysis of parallel texts, i.e. source texts (ST) and their target texts (TT), which are English original texts and their Xhosa translated versions respectively in this context. The ‘hot word’ function in ParaConc has been used to verify the use of simplification strategies by translators during the translation process. Both stylistic and lexical simplification strategies are noticeable in the English-Xhosa parallel texts under study, but the focal point here is lexical simplification. Lexical simplification strategies investigated are: using a superordinate or more general word, using a general word with extended meaning and using more familiar or common synonyms. The analysis gives the reader an idea about how some general words are used to translate technical language. It also displays that ‘hot words’ in ParaConc in most instances do indeed include translations of the search word, if the texts are aligned properly.

S.Afr.J.Afr.Lang.,2009, 2