Contrastive textology conducts comparative analyses of languages and cultures in accordance with empirical criteria. So-called parallel texts reflect different cultures, by using comparative communicative frames of reference. They are texts produced in different languages, which can be seen as examples of equivalent text types. Contrastive textology is based on three main principles. The first two principles originate in textlinguistics, and state that: - every text substantiates itself as a product of a certain text type - text types exhibit different cultural traits as typical communicative forms of different language communities. The third principle states that text types are not isolated and limited to certain linguistic subject areas, but rather they are products of text type networks. Text type networks arise from the interconnection of similarly structured and overall similar functions used in different text types. They are located within discourse systems which can vary depending on the linguaculture.