Textäquivalenz

Textäquivalenz, or textual equivalence, is a concept used in translation studies, information design, and accessibility to describe the relationship between two texts that represent the same information, function, or communicative effect. It emphasizes preserving the essential content and purpose rather than exact wording, recognizing that different languages, media, or formats may require adaptations.

Key dimensions of Textäquivalenz include:

- Content equivalence: the same facts, propositions, and information are conveyed.

- Communicative or functional equivalence: the target text achieves the same intended effect on the reader or user (instruction, persuasion, clarification).

- Pragmatic and cultural equivalence: cultural references, idioms, and conventions are adapted to the target audience while maintaining meaning.

- Formal or structural equivalence: the organization and discourse role (sections, headings, argumentative flow) are preserved where possible, even if surface form varies.

Applications of the concept are wide:

- Translation and localization: transferring meaning across languages while respecting linguistic and cultural norms.

- Subtitling, dubbing, and audio description: conveying content within time, space, and sensory constraints.

- Accessibility and alternative formats: ensuring that text alternatives (transcripts, alt text) reflect the same information as the original media.

- Cross-media adaptation: converting text between different modalities, such as text to speech or text extracted from images (OCR).

Assessment methods often involve back-translation, expert comparison, and user testing to gauge comprehension and perceived equivalence, aided by glossaries and style guides. Limitations include the recognition that perfect equivalence is rarely achievable; diverse valid equivalents can exist, shaped by language, culture, and context.