Translation Translation Ethics and Professional Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'fidelity' mean in the context of translation ethics?
- Translating every word literally
- Remaining loyal to the meaning and intent of the source text (Correct answer)
- Never changing sentence structure
- Copying the source text formatting exactly
Correct answer: Remaining loyal to the meaning and intent of the source text
Fidelity refers to faithfulness to the meaning, tone, and intent of the source text, not necessarily word-for-word literalism.
Question 2: A client asks a translator to 'improve' the source text by removing negative product reviews. What should the translator do?
- Comply since the client is always right
- Refuse, as altering source content violates the translator's neutrality (Correct answer)
- Remove only the most damaging reviews
- Add a translator's note explaining the omissions
Correct answer: Refuse, as altering source content violates the translator's neutrality
Translators must render the source text faithfully and should not alter, censor, or embellish content at a client's request.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of professional competence in translation?
- Accepting all projects regardless of subject matter
- Declining projects outside one's language pairs or specialization (Correct answer)
- Using a bilingual dictionary as the sole reference for legal texts
- Completing a legal translation without legal background
Correct answer: Declining projects outside one's language pairs or specialization
Professional competence requires translators to decline work that exceeds their language abilities or subject-matter expertise.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in translation work?
- To prevent the translator from working for competitors
- To legally bind the translator to maintain client confidentiality (Correct answer)
- To set maximum word counts for projects
- To define the payment schedule
Correct answer: To legally bind the translator to maintain client confidentiality
An NDA legally formalizes the translator's obligation to keep client information and materials confidential.
Question 5: Why should translators disclose the use of machine translation (MT) to clients?
- MT always produces inferior results
- Transparency about methods used is required by professional standards (Correct answer)
- Clients can then pay a lower rate
- MT output is considered plagiarism
Correct answer: Transparency about methods used is required by professional standards
Professional ethics require transparency about the tools and methods used in a translation, including the use of machine translation.
Question 6: Which scenario best illustrates impartiality in legal translation?
- Softening the wording of an incriminating confession
- Rendering the document accurately regardless of which party it may benefit (Correct answer)
- Adding context to help the judge understand cultural nuances
- Skipping ambiguous passages to avoid misinterpretation
Correct answer: Rendering the document accurately regardless of which party it may benefit
Impartiality requires the translator to produce an accurate rendering without favoring any party involved in legal proceedings.
Translation Translation Ethics and Professional Standards 2
What does 'fidelity' mean in the context of translation ethics?