CILISAT - Community Interpreter Language and Interpreting Skills Assessment Tools Linguistic Competence and Register Questions and Answers

Question 1

An interpreter is working at a parent-teacher conference.
The teacher uses educational jargon, saying, 'We're focusing on improving his executive functioning skills through differentiated instruction.' The parent, new to the country, looks confused.
To maintain linguistic competence, the interpreter's best action is to:

Accepted Answer

Interpret the technical terms accurately and then pause to ask if the parent would like the concepts explained.

Answer

Interpret the jargon literally, assuming the parent will ask for clarification if needed.

Answer

Simplify the message into colloquial language, saying 'We're helping him focus and learn in his own way.'

Answer

Ask the teacher to rephrase the statement in simpler terms for the parent.

Question 2

Which of the following BEST defines 'register' in the context of community interpreting?

Accepted Answer

The level of formality, tone, and word choice appropriate for a specific social setting and the relationship between speakers.

Answer

The official list of certified interpreters in a specific region or country.

Answer

The interpreter's personal vocabulary and dialect.

Answer

A written log of all interpreting assignments an interpreter has completed.

Question 3

During a legal aid intake, a lawyer speaks in a very formal, consultative register. The client, however, speaks in a very informal, casual register using slang. What is the interpreter's primary linguistic responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Accurately convey the messages of both parties, maintaining the original register of each speaker.

Answer

Elevate the client's register to match the lawyer's formality to make a better impression.

Answer

Lower the lawyer's register to match the client's casual speech to ensure comprehension.

Answer

Advise both parties to use a more neutral register to make the interpretation easier.

Question 4

A key component of linguistic competence for a CILISAT candidate is the ability to handle both specialized terminology and:

Accepted Answer

All of the above.

Answer

Idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms.

Answer

Multiple dialects of a single language.

Answer

The speaker's emotional tone and non-verbal cues.

Question 5

You are interpreting for a senior citizen at a social services appointment. The client uses an outdated, very formal term to refer to their financial situation. The social worker is much younger and may not be familiar with the term. The most appropriate way to handle this is to:

Accepted Answer

Interpret the term literally and add a brief, neutral explanation, such as 'The speaker used a term that means X.'

Answer

Interpret the term using a modern, equivalent term without comment.

Answer

Stop the session and explain to the client that their language is outdated.

Answer

Use the outdated term in the interpretation and hope the social worker understands from context.

Question 6

In the CILISAT grading matrix, 'register' is evaluated as a major competency category. This means candidates are expected to demonstrate the ability to:

Accepted Answer

Adapt their language formality and style to match that of the speakers in the test scenario.

Answer

Use a consistently formal tone, regardless of the scenario.

Answer

Speak loudly and clearly at all times.

Answer

Correct the grammatical errors of the speakers.