ITI Ethical Standards & Professional Conduct 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A translator is asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that extends beyond the project's completion date. Ethically, the translator should:
- Refuse all NDAs as incompatible with professional freedom
- Review the NDA carefully and sign if the terms are reasonable and do not conflict with other professional obligations (Correct answer)
- Sign without reading since confidentiality is already part of professional ethics
- Only sign NDAs drafted by legal professionals in the translation field
Correct answer: Review the NDA carefully and sign if the terms are reasonable and do not conflict with other professional obligations
NDAs are legitimate business tools; translators should ensure the terms are workable alongside their other professional and legal duties.
Question 2: Under ITI professional conduct standards, how should a translator handle a situation where the source text appears to contain a factual error?
- Correct the error silently in the translation
- Translate the text as written and bring the apparent error to the client's attention (Correct answer)
- Refuse to translate until the source is corrected
- Add a footnote correcting the error without informing the client
Correct answer: Translate the text as written and bring the apparent error to the client's attention
Translators must faithfully render the source while flagging potential errors so the client can decide how to proceed.
Question 3: What distinguishes an 'ethical' refusal from an unprofessional withdrawal from a project?
- Ethical refusals are only valid for religious reasons
- An ethical refusal involves timely notice, reason given if possible, and assistance in finding alternative translators (Correct answer)
- Any refusal is unprofessional once a contract is signed
- Refusals are only ethical before any payment is received
Correct answer: An ethical refusal involves timely notice, reason given if possible, and assistance in finding alternative translators
Withdrawing responsibly — with notice and assistance to minimize client harm — upholds professional ethics even when a refusal is justified.
Question 4: A client asks a translator to omit content from a sworn or certified translation that is present in the source. The translator must:
- Comply since the client has authority over the final document
- Refuse, as omissions in a certified translation would constitute a false certification (Correct answer)
- Omit the content and note 'abridged' on the certificate
- Seek a second opinion from another translator before deciding
Correct answer: Refuse, as omissions in a certified translation would constitute a false certification
Certified translations must be complete and accurate; deliberate omissions make the certification fraudulent.
Question 5: If a translation client attempts to exert pressure on a translator to soften language in a report that would expose wrongdoing, the translator's ethical duty is to:
- Accommodate the client to preserve the business relationship
- Resist the pressure, translate accurately, and withdraw if the client insists on falsification (Correct answer)
- Translate the softened version but keep a copy of the original for personal records
- Notify ITI before making any decision
Correct answer: Resist the pressure, translate accurately, and withdraw if the client insists on falsification
Professional independence means the translator must not allow client pressure to compromise accuracy, especially where honest translation serves the public interest.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT an acceptable reason for declining a translation assignment?
- The subject matter falls outside the translator's competence
- The deadline is unachievable without sacrificing quality
- The content conflicts with deeply held professional ethical values
- The client is a competitor of another current client, so you wish to avoid a better offer from them (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The client is a competitor of another current client, so you wish to avoid a better offer from them
Declining work to disadvantage a client for commercial self-interest rather than ethical grounds is not a legitimate professional reason.
Question 7: In professional translation practice, 'transparency' about rates and services primarily serves to:
- Allow competitors to undercut your pricing
- Enable clients to make informed decisions and build trust in the profession (Correct answer)
- Satisfy a legal pricing disclosure requirement
- Permit the ITI to set standardized fees
Correct answer: Enable clients to make informed decisions and build trust in the profession
Clear communication about pricing and what is included in a service builds trust and prevents disputes.
ITI Ethical Standards & Professional Conduct 4
A translator is asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that extends beyond the project's completion date.
Ethically, the translator should: