Print Dictionaries Are Still in Use: A Survey of Source Preferences by Polish Translators

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the sources used by modern translators, specifically whether they use traditional lexicographic tools or diverted their preferences to newer sources of information. Data was collected via an online survey. The sample consisted of 229 mainly Polish translators of various languages and specialisations. It was found that the most frequently used source was the search engine, followed by Wikipedia/similar and online parallel texts. Officially published dictionaries are used often. Moreover, dictionaries were most often cited as the sources that translators could not imagine working without (34% of the total responses); 8% of the responses mentioned printed dictionaries as indispensable in translators’ work and these are used by 87% of the translators who took part in the study. Online dictionaries without a specified author are used by 83% of respondents, but 99% of them verify the content either regularly (50%) or occasionally (49%).