A corpus is a collection of texts. We call it a corpus (plural:
corpora) when we use it for language research.
Corpora can be used to raise awareness about language
in general, they are extremely useful in training
translators and in pointing up potential problems for
translation
It is possible to align the documents so that sentences can be
extracted that include a word or phrase in one language and its
equivalent in one or more other languages every time it has been
used.
Translation
It is an increasingly important application of corpora.
This example shows how corpora can be used to create reference tools for translators.
BOOKS translation
English – French
French – English
Comprise the texts
Possible translation
The corps user can then see how a particular
expression has been translated in each translation
It tends to focus on two areas
Practical:
What software can be developed that will enable a translator to
exploit corpora as an aid in the day-to-day business of translation?
Theorical
What does a corpus consisting of translated texts
indicate about the process of translation itsef?
Translations are often more explicit
than their source texts.
They include background
information that the source
text omits.
Stylistics
There is a resistance in the literary-critical
world to the use of corpora as an aid to
interpretation o individual literary texts