ATA - American Translators Association Target Language Proficiency Questions and Answers

Question 1

A translator is adapting a user manual for a complex piece of industrial machinery from German into English.
The German source text is dense and highly technical.
To demonstrate strong target language proficiency, what should be the translator's primary focus for the English text?

Accepted Answer

Using clear, concise, and unambiguous language appropriate for a technical user manual, even if it means restructuring sentences.

Answer

Replicating the source text's sentence structure as closely as possible to maintain fidelity.

Answer

Substituting highly formal vocabulary for the technical terms to make the text sound more sophisticated.

Answer

Adding personal comments and clarifications to help the user understand the machinery.

Question 2

According to the ATA's criteria for certification, what is the most critical demonstration of target language proficiency?

Accepted Answer

The ability to write at a level comparable to a well-educated native speaker, producing a text that is ready for publication.

Answer

The use of an extensive and obscure vocabulary to show linguistic range.

Answer

A literal, word-for-word rendering of the source text into the target language.

Answer

The ability to speak the target language fluently without a foreign accent.

Question 3

Which of the following errors most directly points to a fundamental deficiency in target language proficiency according to the ATA's Framework for Standardized Error Marking?

Accepted Answer

A poor word choice that is grammatically correct but not idiomatic.

Answer

A misunderstanding of a complex source-text concept.

Answer

An incorrect formatting choice that deviates from the source text layout.

Answer

A minor punctuation mistake, such as a missing comma in a complex sentence.

Question 4

A translator is translating a French marketing slogan, 'jeter l'argent par les fenêtres,' into English for a financial services company's blog post. A literal translation is 'to throw money through the windows.' How can the translator best demonstrate high target language proficiency?

Accepted Answer

Find a well-known, stylistically equivalent English idiom, such as 'to pour money down the drain.'

Answer

Translate it literally and add a translator's note explaining the French idiom.

Answer

Refuse to translate the idiom because it has no perfect one-to-one equivalent.

Answer

Use a simple, non-idiomatic phrase like 'to waste money,' even if it loses the original's stylistic flair.

Question 5

In the context of the ATA exam, a 'grammar' error in the target language refers to a mistake related to:

Accepted Answer

The relationship between words in a sentence, such as subject-verb agreement or incorrect case.

Answer

The spelling of a common word.

Answer

The choice of a word that is inappropriate for the context.

Answer

The failure to convey the meaning of the source text accurately.

Question 6

Beyond the absence of errors, which of the following is the clearest indicator of a superior command of the target language for a professional translator?

Accepted Answer

The skillful use of cohesive devices, varied sentence structures, and precise vocabulary to create a fluent and elegant text.

Answer

The ability to translate the source text at an extremely high speed.

Answer

Strictly adhering to the sentence length and structure of the source text.

Answer

Owning the latest translation memory and terminology management software.

A translator is adapting a user manual for a complex piece of industrial machinery from German into English.The German source text is dense and highly technical.To demonstrate strong target language proficiency, what should be the translator's primary focus for the English text?

A translator is adapting a user manual for a complex piece of industrial machinery from German into English.
The German source text is dense and highly technical.
To demonstrate strong target language proficiency, what should be the translator's primary focus for the English text?