Simultaneous Interpreting Flashcards

Which scenario BEST demonstrates a violation of the NIC Code of Professional Conduct during simultaneous interpreting?

Answer: An interpreter shares details of a session content with an outside party

Disclosing session content violates the confidentiality principle central to the NIC Code of Professional Conduct.

What does the term 'source language interference' mean in simultaneous interpreting?

Answer: Allowing source language grammatical structures to distort the target language output

Source language interference occurs when the interpreter produces unnatural target language because they are following the source structure too closely.

A Deaf consumer using simultaneous interpreting at a large conference asks the interpreter to slow down. How should the interpreter respond?

Answer: Acknowledge the request and, where feasible, adjust pacing while maintaining accuracy

Acknowledging consumer feedback and adapting where possible demonstrates professional responsiveness and respect.

Which element of the NIC performance rubric specifically evaluates whether the interpreter's message matches the source message's intent?

Answer: Message equivalence

Message equivalence assesses whether the interpreted rendition accurately reflects the meaning and intent of the source message.

An interpreter working in a simultaneous assignment begins to experience 'ear-voice span fatigue,' evidenced by increasing lag time. The appropriate response is to:

Answer: Signal the boothmate to take over at the next natural pause

Handing off to the boothmate is the professional protocol when fatigue compromises performance.

Why is preparation of a subject-specific glossary considered a professional best practice before a simultaneous interpreting assignment?

Answer: It reduces cognitive load during the assignment by pre-loading terminology into long-term memory

Pre-learning specialized vocabulary makes retrieval automatic, freeing working memory for higher-level processing during the session.

Which of the following best characterizes the difference between simultaneous and consecutive interpreting in terms of memory use?

Answer: Simultaneous relies primarily on working memory; consecutive relies more on long-term retrieval supported by notes

Simultaneous interpreting demands continuous real-time working memory, while consecutive allows the interpreter to use notes as an external memory aid.