STC Document Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document element should a translator typically leave untranslated in a Spanish-to-English certified translation?
- Proper nouns that are official names of institutions (Correct answer)
- Numerical figures and dates
- Headings and subheadings
- Footnotes and endnotes
Correct answer: Proper nouns that are official names of institutions
Official proper nouns such as the names of courts, agencies, or companies are generally left in their original form.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a translator's affidavit attached to a certified translation?
- To verify that the translator charges fair market rates
- To swear under oath that the translator is competent and that the translation is accurate (Correct answer)
- To confirm that the source document has been apostilled
- To request payment from the client
Correct answer: To swear under oath that the translator is competent and that the translation is accurate
The affidavit is a sworn statement attesting to the translator's qualifications and the accuracy of the translation.
Question 3: In formatting a certified translation, how should a table in the source document typically be handled?
- Converted to bulleted lists for readability
- Reproduced as a table with translated content maintaining the original structure (Correct answer)
- Summarized in a paragraph
- Omitted and noted in a translator's comment
Correct answer: Reproduced as a table with translated content maintaining the original structure
Tables should be reproduced with the same structure; only the textual content is translated while the format is preserved.
Question 4: A document contains a stamp or seal in the source language. What should the translator do?
- Leave the stamp image with no annotation
- Translate the text of the stamp and include a note indicating it is a stamp or seal (Correct answer)
- Remove the stamp from the translated document
- Reproduce the stamp image and translate nothing
Correct answer: Translate the text of the stamp and include a note indicating it is a stamp or seal
The text within stamps and seals must be translated and identified as such so the reader understands what the marking represents.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'back translation' in quality assurance for certified translations?
- Translating the target text back into the source language to check for accuracy (Correct answer)
- Using a CAT tool to reverse-engineer translation memory
- Proofreading by reading the translation backward
- Having the client verify the translation against the original
Correct answer: Translating the target text back into the source language to check for accuracy
Back translation involves retranslating the target text into the source language so discrepancies from the original can be identified.
Question 6: Under USCIS requirements, which element must a certified translation of a foreign birth certificate include?
- The translator's passport number
- A certification statement with the translator's name, signature, and competency declaration (Correct answer)
- A notary public's stamp regardless of document type
- The original birth certificate affixed to the translation
Correct answer: A certification statement with the translator's name, signature, and competency declaration
USCIS requires a certification statement identifying the translator and affirming competence in both languages.
Question 7: What is the primary risk of omitting a 'translator's note' when a source term has no direct equivalent in English?
- The client may request a refund
- The target reader may misinterpret the translated term or lose culturally significant meaning (Correct answer)
- The document will fail apostille verification
- The ATA may revoke the translator's certification
Correct answer: The target reader may misinterpret the translated term or lose culturally significant meaning
Without a note, readers cannot know that a translated term is an approximation and may misunderstand its meaning or significance.
STC Document Standards 3
Which document element should a translator typically leave untranslated in a Spanish-to-English certified translation?