CPI Sight Translation Techniques and Practice 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is sight translation in the context of interpreting?
- Translating a written document orally in real time (Correct answer)
- Interpreting a speaker's words while looking at notes
- Providing a written translation of a spoken passage
- Reading a pre-translated document aloud to the client
Correct answer: Translating a written document orally in real time
Sight translation is the process of rendering a written source-language document into a spoken target language in real time.
Question 2: In which of the following settings is sight translation most commonly requested of a CPI?
- International diplomatic conferences
- Legal, medical, and social service appointments (Correct answer)
- Literary readings and book tours
- Live broadcast journalism
Correct answer: Legal, medical, and social service appointments
CPI candidates most frequently encounter sight translation requests in legal, medical, and social service contexts where written documents must be quickly conveyed to limited-English-proficient individuals.
Question 3: What is the 'eye-voice span' and why does it matter in sight translation?
- The distance between the interpreter and the speaker during a session
- The gap between where the eye reads on the page and where the voice is in the spoken rendition (Correct answer)
- The volume level an interpreter uses to project over background noise
- The time it takes to scan a full page before beginning to speak
Correct answer: The gap between where the eye reads on the page and where the voice is in the spoken rendition
The eye-voice span is the ahead-reading distance that allows the interpreter to process upcoming text before vocalizing it, which improves fluency and accuracy.
Question 4: How does sight translation differ from consecutive interpretation?
- Sight translation is performed simultaneously with a speaker; consecutive is not
- Sight translation involves rendering a written text orally; consecutive renders spoken speech after a pause (Correct answer)
- Consecutive requires note-taking, whereas sight translation never does
- They are identical except for the language pair involved
Correct answer: Sight translation involves rendering a written text orally; consecutive renders spoken speech after a pause
Sight translation works from a written source document, while consecutive interpretation works from a spoken source rendered after the speaker pauses.
Question 5: Which technique helps an interpreter manage complex sentence structures during sight translation?
- Skipping subordinate clauses to maintain speed
- Chunking — breaking the text into meaningful units before vocalizing (Correct answer)
- Summarizing paragraphs rather than translating sentence by sentence
- Replacing all passive constructions with active voice automatically
Correct answer: Chunking — breaking the text into meaningful units before vocalizing
Chunking involves segmenting text into grammatically and semantically coherent units, which helps the interpreter maintain accuracy and natural delivery.
Question 6: What should a CPI do before beginning a sight translation of a lengthy legal document?
- Begin translating immediately to respect the client's time
- Ask permission to briefly scan the document to identify its structure and key terminology (Correct answer)
- Summarize the document's purpose without reading the full text
- Decline and request a certified written translation instead
Correct answer: Ask permission to briefly scan the document to identify its structure and key terminology
Requesting a brief review period allows the interpreter to anticipate specialized vocabulary and structural complexity, improving accuracy and fluency.
Question 7: When an interpreter encounters an unfamiliar term during sight translation, what is the best course of action?
- Omit the term and continue without interruption
- Invent a plausible translation based on context
- Pause, render the original term, and note that clarification may be needed (Correct answer)
- Stop the session and refuse to continue until a glossary is provided
Correct answer: Pause, render the original term, and note that clarification may be needed
Transparency is an ethical obligation; vocalizing the original term and flagging it preserves accuracy and informs all parties of the limitation.
CPI Sight Translation Techniques and Practice 1
What is sight translation in the context of interpreting?