FIT Professional Ethics & Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to FIT standards, how should a translator handle a situation where the client instructs them to omit sensitive content from the translation?
- Comply, since the client controls the final product
- Omit the content but note the omission clearly in a translator's note
- Refuse entirely and terminate the contract immediately
- Translate the full content and inform the client of the ethical concern (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Translate the full content and inform the client of the ethical concern
Selective omission without disclosure is deceptive; a translator should complete accurate work and advise the client of any ethical concerns.
Question 2: Which ethical concept prohibits a translator from using privileged client information to gain personal business advantage?
- Non-disclosure
- Conflict of interest
- Confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Impartiality
Correct answer: Confidentiality
Confidentiality extends beyond simply not sharing information — it also prohibits exploiting it for personal gain.
Question 3: A translator who also works as a language teacher is asked to translate an exam for an institution where their students will sit the test. The primary concern is:
- Copyright ownership of the exam content
- A conflict of interest that could compromise impartiality (Correct answer)
- Whether translation falls outside their primary job description
- The need to obtain a separate certification for educational materials
Correct answer: A conflict of interest that could compromise impartiality
Having prior access to exam content that benefits their own students creates a conflict of interest requiring disclosure or recusal.
Question 4: FIT's framework emphasizes that certified translators should promote the profession by:
- Undercutting market rates to attract volume and build reputation
- Advocating for quality standards and educating clients about professional translation (Correct answer)
- Avoiding public commentary on translation industry issues
- Discouraging non-certified individuals from entering the field
Correct answer: Advocating for quality standards and educating clients about professional translation
Promoting the profession means raising awareness of quality standards and the value of professional translation, not gatekeeping or rate-cutting.
Question 5: When a client requests a certified translation of a personal document for immigration purposes, the translator discovers the original contains factual errors. The correct action is to:
- Correct the errors to help the client succeed in the application
- Translate the document accurately and advise the client to address errors with the issuing authority (Correct answer)
- Refuse to certify the document due to the errors
- Add a cover note correcting the errors without translating the original faithfully
Correct answer: Translate the document accurately and advise the client to address errors with the issuing authority
A certified translation must faithfully represent the source document; the translator's role is not to alter official records.
Question 6: Which of the following behaviors would violate the FIT principle of independence?
- Declining projects outside one's area of competence
- Allowing a client's business interests to alter factual content in the translation (Correct answer)
- Charging fees commensurate with the complexity of the work
- Consulting subject-matter experts during a specialized translation
Correct answer: Allowing a client's business interests to alter factual content in the translation
Allowing client pressure to distort the translation's accuracy compromises the translator's independence and professional integrity.
Question 7: A sworn translator asked to authenticate a document that has already been altered by a third party after original signing should:
- Authenticate it if the alterations appear minor and benign
- Authenticate with a note describing the apparent alterations
- Refuse to authenticate and advise the client accordingly (Correct answer)
- Translate and authenticate only the unaltered portions
Correct answer: Refuse to authenticate and advise the client accordingly
Authenticating a document with post-signing alterations could constitute participation in fraud; refusal and explanation is the ethical and legal course.
FIT Professional Ethics & Standards 3
According to FIT standards, how should a translator handle a situation where the client instructs them to omit sensitive content from the translation?