ATA - American Translators Association General vs. Specialized Terminology Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An ATA exam passage is a consumer-facing article about personal finance. The source text uses the technical term 'amortization schedule.' The Translation Instructions specify the target audience is the general public with no financial expertise. Which of the following translation choices would be most appropriate?
- Use the direct technical equivalent of 'amortization schedule' without explanation.
- Use a simplified, explanatory phrase like 'loan repayment plan showing principal and interest' and omit the technical term entirely.
- Translate it as 'amortization schedule' and add a brief, parenthetical explanation, such as '(a table detailing each loan payment).' (Correct answer)
- Substitute the term with a more general concept like 'payment information.'
Correct answer: Translate it as 'amortization schedule' and add a brief, parenthetical explanation, such as '(a table detailing each loan payment).'
This approach is the most effective because it provides the correct technical term ('amortization schedule') while also ensuring the general audience understands its meaning through a simple explanation. Using only the technical term (A) would confuse the reader. Omitting the term entirely (B) is a loss of fidelity to the source. Substituting it with a vague phrase (D) is imprecise.
Question 2: In the ATA Framework for Standardized Error Marking, a candidate's failure to use a specific term required by a particular subject field (e.g., using 'high blood pressure' instead of 'hypertension' in a medical journal article) would be classified as what type of error?
- Grammar (G)
- Faithfulness (F)
- Usage (U)
- Terminology (T) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Terminology (T)
The ATA Framework explicitly defines a Terminology (T) error as occurring when a term specific to a special subject field is not used when the corresponding term appears in the source text. Grammar relates to morphosyntactic rules, Faithfulness is a broader category about respecting the source text's meaning, and Usage relates to idiomatic phrasing.
Question 3: A translator is working on an exam passage taken from a legal contract. The source text consistently uses a specific, defined legal term. To demonstrate strong professional practice regarding terminology, the translator should:
- Use a variety of synonyms for the term to make the text more engaging for the reader.
- Translate the term consistently with its precise legal equivalent throughout the entire target text. (Correct answer)
- Simplify the term into more general language to ensure readability.
- Provide multiple translation options for the term separated by a slash (e.g., 'plaintiff/claimant').
Correct answer: Translate the term consistently with its precise legal equivalent throughout the entire target text.
In specialized texts like legal documents, consistency in terminology is crucial for precision and clarity. Using the same, accurate equivalent for a repeated key term is essential. Varying the term (A) or oversimplifying it (C) would introduce ambiguity and be considered an error. Providing multiple options (D) is marked as an indecision error.
Question 4: Which of the following scenarios best illustrates a 'Text Type' (TT) error related to terminology choice?
- Using the term 'cephalalgia' instead of 'headache' in a translation of a pharmaceutical advertisement aimed at the general public. (Correct answer)
- Translating a French menu item 'pommes de terre' literally as 'apples of the earth' instead of 'potatoes.'
- Incorrectly spelling a common technical term throughout the translation.
- Using the correct legal term but with inconsistent capitalization.
Correct answer: Using the term 'cephalalgia' instead of 'headache' in a translation of a pharmaceutical advertisement aimed at the general public.
A Text Type (TT) error occurs when a translation is inappropriate for the specified target audience. Using a highly specialized medical term like 'cephalalgia' for a general audience is a clear mismatch of register and terminology for the text type. The other options represent a misunderstanding error (B), a spelling error (C), and a capitalization error (D), not a fundamental mismatch with the audience's expected knowledge.
Question 5: The Translation Instructions (TIs) for a passage state the target text is for a user manual for a new camera, intended for amateur photographers. The source text, written by engineers, uses the term 'variable aperture.' What is the most appropriate strategy?
- Translate it simply as 'lens opening' to avoid technical jargon.
- Use the standard, specialized term 'variable aperture' as it is common in photography. (Correct answer)
- Omit the term and describe its function in a new sentence.
- Invent a new, more user-friendly term for the concept.
Correct answer: Use the standard, specialized term 'variable aperture' as it is common in photography.
Even for an amateur audience, 'aperture' is a standard and fundamental term in photography that users would need to learn. Oversimplifying it to 'lens opening' (A) might be less precise and unhelpful in the long run. Omitting it (C) or inventing a new term (D) would be unfaithful to the source and confusing. The key is recognizing when a specialized term has become common parlance within a specific hobbyist community.
Question 6: When translating a general-interest news article, a translator encounters the term 'black box' referring to a flight data recorder. The most appropriate action is to:
- Translate it literally, even if the resulting phrase is not the standard term in the target language.
- Use the common, everyday term 'black box' if it is also the standard term in the target language for that concept. (Correct answer)
- Use the highly technical term 'flight data recorder' to be more precise.
- Add a footnote explaining the origin and function of a 'black box.'
Correct answer: Use the common, everyday term 'black box' if it is also the standard term in the target language for that concept.
For a general audience, the goal is to use language that is natural and immediately understandable. If 'black box' is the common and accepted term in the target language for this context, it should be used. Translating literally could be wrong if the term is different (A). Using the more technical term (C) might be unnecessarily formal for a general news article. Footnotes (D) are generally not permitted or appropriate in the exam format.
ATA - American Translators Association General vs. Specialized Terminology Questions and Answers
An ATA exam passage is a consumer-facing article about personal finance.
The source text uses the technical term 'amortization schedule.' The Translation Instructions specify the target audience is the general public with no financial expertise.
Which of the following translation choices would be most appropriate?