Vorlage

Vorlage refers to a hypothetical or reconstructed source text that underlies a later manuscript, translation, or revision. It is commonly used when differences between versions suggest reliance on an earlier form that no longer exists. Rather than naming a specific document, a vorlage describes the textual stage hypothetically reconstructed through comparison of wording, structure, or content. It is especially useful in textual and translation studies, where surviving copies preserve traces of earlier textual forms without directly transmitting them.