Comprehensible foreign words and complex explanations: lexis in standard language and plain language health information texts for target groups with German as a second language

This study examines the comprehensibility of a pa-tient information sheet about cervical cone biopsy in standard language and its translation into plain language. Seventeen women with mostly Arabic or Turkish as a first language and German as a second language were interviewed. The study fo-cused on their comprehension and on the application of the two texts. The aim was to ascertain the suitability of German patient information materials in standard language and plain language for target groups with German as a second language. This article presents the preliminary results concerning lexis.