Sight Translation Techniques Flashcards

In a BEI oral performance exam, sight translation is typically evaluated on which primary criteria?

Answer: Accuracy, completeness, and fluency of the oral rendition

BEI evaluators assess whether the oral translation is accurate (no additions or omissions), complete (full document translated), and fluent (natural delivery).

When a written document contains an obvious error (e.g., a misspelled name), the interpreter performing sight translation should:

Answer: Translate the document faithfully and optionally note the apparent error to the court

The interpreter's duty is fidelity to the source text; errors in the original should be reproduced faithfully, and the interpreter may alert the court separately.

Which cognitive process is shared between sight translation and simultaneous interpretation?

Answer: Processing incoming information while simultaneously producing output in another language

Both modes require the interpreter to decode source content and encode target-language output at the same time, making dual-task management the shared cognitive demand.

A common error in sight translation is 'source-language interference,' which manifests as:

Answer: Carrying over source-language word order or structure into the target language

Source-language interference (also called calque or literal translation) produces unnatural target-language output by mirroring the original's syntax instead of reformulating it.

When sight-translating a document that contains both Spanish and English passages (a mixed-language exhibit), the court interpreter should:

Answer: Translate the Spanish portions into English and read the English portions as written

Mixed-language documents require the interpreter to render source-language text into the target language while passing through text already in the target language unchanged.

In sight translation, 'segmentation' refers to the practice of:

Answer: Breaking the written text into meaningful chunks that can be processed and spoken in sequence

Segmentation is the cognitive strategy of parsing the written text into manageable units so the interpreter can process meaning and produce fluent output progressively.

Which professional behavior best demonstrates competence and integrity during a sight translation assignment in court?

Answer: Alerting the court when a term has no equivalent and offering a functional explanation

Transparently flagging untranslatable terms and providing a functional explanation balances the duties of accuracy and completeness while maintaining court confidence in the interpreter.