NIC Interpreting & Transliterating Skills 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following scenarios calls for the use of a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) rather than a hearing interpreter alone?
- A routine grocery store interaction for a fluent ASL user
- A psychiatric evaluation of a Deaf individual who uses home signs and has minimal formal language (Correct answer)
- A business meeting where the Deaf participant is a native ASL user
- A college lecture where the Deaf student uses transliteration
Correct answer: A psychiatric evaluation of a Deaf individual who uses home signs and has minimal formal language
CDIs are especially critical when a Deaf consumer uses non-standard or idiosyncratic language that hearing interpreters may not be equipped to bridge.
Question 2: When voicing for a Deaf speaker in a job interview, the interpreter should use which pronoun form?
- Third person ("She says she wants the position")
- First person ("I want this position") to maintain the Deaf speaker's voice (Correct answer)
- Second person to address the interviewer directly on the Deaf person's behalf
- Neutral pronouns to avoid bias
Correct answer: First person ("I want this position") to maintain the Deaf speaker's voice
Interpreters speak in first person to accurately represent the consumer as a direct communicator, not a third party.
Question 3: The NIC performance examination evaluates interpreters across which primary domains?
- Fingerspelling accuracy, sign vocabulary size, and speed
- ASL-to-English interpreting, English-to-ASL interpreting, and ethical decision-making scenarios (Correct answer)
- Grammar, voice quality, and cultural knowledge only
- Written translation, live interpreting, and oral history
Correct answer: ASL-to-English interpreting, English-to-ASL interpreting, and ethical decision-making scenarios
The NIC performance exam tests bidirectional interpreting proficiency and, in its knowledge component, professional ethics.
Question 4: An interpreter notices mid-assignment that they made a significant error several minutes ago that may have changed the meaning of a message. What should they do?
- Ignore it since correcting it now would be more disruptive
- At the earliest natural pause, transparently correct the error by alerting both parties (Correct answer)
- Tell only the Deaf consumer about the error privately
- Wait until after the assignment to inform the agency
Correct answer: At the earliest natural pause, transparently correct the error by alerting both parties
Transparency and fidelity require interpreters to correct significant errors that may have affected understanding, even retroactively.
Question 5: Which of the following best illustrates semantic equivalence in sign-to-voice interpreting?
- Translating each ASL sign with its most common English gloss
- Producing an English sentence that conveys the same meaning and intent as the ASL utterance, even if the structure differs (Correct answer)
- Maintaining ASL sentence order in the English output
- Using technical vocabulary to sound more professional than the Deaf speaker
Correct answer: Producing an English sentence that conveys the same meaning and intent as the ASL utterance, even if the structure differs
Semantic equivalence focuses on matching meaning and intent across languages, not surface-level structure.
Question 6: A hard-of-hearing consumer requests transliteration using Signed Exact English (SEE). The interpreter is more proficient in Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). The best course of action is to:
- Use CASE and explain to the consumer it is equivalent
- Disclose their skill set honestly and determine with the consumer whether CASE can meet their needs or a more appropriate interpreter should be found (Correct answer)
- Refuse the assignment entirely
- Use SEE to the best of their ability without disclosing limitations
Correct answer: Disclose their skill set honestly and determine with the consumer whether CASE can meet their needs or a more appropriate interpreter should be found
Informed consent and consumer autonomy require interpreters to honestly disclose their competencies so consumers can make informed decisions.
Question 7: In platform interpreting, why is it important for the interpreter to be positioned slightly to the side and slightly in front of the speaker rather than directly beside them?
- To allow the audience to choose which visual stimulus to focus on without one blocking the other
- To make the interpreter's signing more visible while keeping the speaker in the audience's peripheral view (Correct answer)
- To give the speaker more room on stage
- To comply with ADA platform requirements for interpreter placement
Correct answer: To make the interpreter's signing more visible while keeping the speaker in the audience's peripheral view
Positioning that keeps the interpreter visible without obstructing the speaker ensures Deaf audience members receive both the signed interpretation and speaker cues.
NIC Interpreting & Transliterating Skills 4
Which of the following scenarios calls for the use of a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) rather than a hearing interpreter alone?