CASLI Teaming & Co-Interpreting 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of team interpreting in professional settings?
- To reduce the cost of hiring a single interpreter
- To prevent interpreter fatigue and maintain accuracy during extended assignments (Correct answer)
- To allow interpreters to take turns practicing their skills
- To comply with Deaf consumer preferences for multiple interpreters
Correct answer: To prevent interpreter fatigue and maintain accuracy during extended assignments
Team interpreting primarily prevents interpreter fatigue and maintains accuracy during extended assignments by allowing interpreters to rotate regularly.
Question 2: During a team interpreting assignment, how often should interpreters typically switch active roles?
- Every 30–45 minutes (Correct answer)
- Every hour and a half
- Every 5–10 minutes
- Only at scheduled breaks
Correct answer: Every 30–45 minutes
Interpreters typically switch every 30–45 minutes to prevent cognitive fatigue while sustaining interpretation quality.
Question 3: What role does the support interpreter play during a team interpreting assignment?
- Managing logistics and communicating with the client
- Providing feeds, monitoring accuracy, and assisting the active interpreter (Correct answer)
- Taking notes for the active interpreter to review later
- Observing and evaluating the active interpreter's performance for training purposes
Correct answer: Providing feeds, monitoring accuracy, and assisting the active interpreter
The support interpreter provides vocabulary feeds, monitors accuracy, and assists the active interpreter in real time without causing disruption.
Question 4: Which communication method is most appropriate for team interpreters to use with each other during an assignment?
- Whispering corrections audibly
- Tapping the active interpreter firmly on the shoulder
- Using discrete visual or tactile signals (Correct answer)
- Sending text messages via a shared phone
Correct answer: Using discrete visual or tactile signals
Discrete visual or tactile signals allow support interpreters to communicate with active interpreters without disrupting consumers or the assignment.
Question 5: In team interpreting, what is a 'feed'?
- Preparation materials shared before an assignment
- A real-time prompt or information provided by the support interpreter (Correct answer)
- The payment structure negotiated for team interpreting services
- The schedule outlining when each interpreter takes the active role
Correct answer: A real-time prompt or information provided by the support interpreter
A 'feed' is a real-time prompt—such as a missed proper noun, number, or technical term—provided by the support interpreter to the active interpreter.
Question 6: Which factor most significantly determines the timing of interpreter role switches during an assignment?
- The complexity and cognitive demand of the content being interpreted (Correct answer)
- A strictly preset time schedule regardless of conditions
- The preferences of the Deaf consumer only
- The interpreter who self-reports feeling least tired
Correct answer: The complexity and cognitive demand of the content being interpreted
Content complexity is the most significant factor; highly technical or emotionally demanding material may require more frequent role switches.
Question 7: What should team interpreters do BEFORE an assignment to ensure effective collaboration?
- Decide which interpreter will handle the most important sections
- Conduct a pre-assignment huddle to discuss logistics, terminology, and switching protocols (Correct answer)
- Review each other's past performance evaluations
- Agree that one interpreter will handle all technical vocabulary throughout
Correct answer: Conduct a pre-assignment huddle to discuss logistics, terminology, and switching protocols
A pre-assignment huddle allows team interpreters to align on logistics, specialized terminology, role expectations, and the switching protocol.
CASLI Teaming & Co-Interpreting 1
What is the primary purpose of team interpreting in professional settings?