ATA Certification Program
Certification Exam
How the Exam is Graded
Incomplete passage
A substantially unfinished passage is not graded. Missing titles, headings, or sentences within a passage may be marked as one or more errors of omission, depending on how much is omitted.
Illegible
It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the graders can clearly understand what is written. Candidates are instructed to use pen or dark pencil and to write firmly enough to produce legible photocopies. Deletions, insertions, and revisions are acceptable if they do not make the intent unclear.
Misunderstanding of original text
This category applies when the grader can see—usually by back-translating the target-language text—that the error arises from misreading a word, for example, or misinterpreting the syntax of a sentence. In other words, the result is wrong because the translation was based on a misunderstood source text.
Examples:
Die große Versuchung, die die chinesischen Reichtümer auf die Hunnen ausübten…
The great temptation that the Chinese riches exerted on the Huns…
The great experiment [Versuch] that the Chinese kingdoms [Reiche] practiced upon the Huns…The deal's complexity is mind-bending, involving six countries charged with putting down no fewer than nine guerrilla outfits that operate inside Congo.
Here, the phrase charged with means responsible for, not accused of.
Mistranslation into target language
The meaning of the original text is not conveyed properly in the target language. For example, a term in the translated text might be much more general (scientists instead of researchers, protein instead of albumin) or more specific (stallion instead of horse) than the original term. Mistranslations can also involve the choice of prepositions, the use of definite and indefinite articles, and the choice of verb tense and mood.
In the context of this examination, regionalisms should be avoided if a more generally used word is available. (Although graders should be alert to the possibility of regionalisms and make allowances for those they recognize or can identify by research, candidates are advised not to present them with unnecessary challenges.)
Addition or omission
Something is inserted that is not clearly expressed in the original text, or something essential to the meaning is left out. The tendency to insert “clarifying” material should generally be resisted. It is permissible to shorten the ponderous modes of expression that are common in some source texts, so long as the meaning does not suffer.
Terminology, word choice
This error often involves terms used in various technical contexts. In an article about a nuclear reactor, for example, the German word Brüter should be translated as breeder rather than incubator. This also applies to legal and financial contexts where words often have very specific meanings. In more general texts, the candidate might not have selected the most appropriate word among several that have similar (but not identical) meanings.
Register
The register (language level, degree of formality) of the source text should be preserved in the translation. Examples of errors include using everyday words instead of medical terms (spit instead of saliva), translating a legal text into a journalistic style, using the familiar rather than the polite form of address (French tu/vous, German du/Sie), and using anachronistic or culturally inappropriate expressions.
Too freely translated
Candidates are asked to translate the meaning and intent of the source text, not to rewrite it or improve upon it. The grader will carefully compare the translation to the source text. If a “creative” rendition changes the meaning, an error will be marked. If recasting a sentence—i.e., altering the order of its major elements—destroys the flow, changes the emphasis, or obscures the author’s intent, an error may be marked.
Example in English:
Because she was so sensitive, Susan thought her classmates were teasing her.
Susan thought her classmates were teasing her because she was so sensitive. (obscures meaning)
Example (German into English):
Die Entscheidung der baden-württembergischen Kultusministerin Annette Schavan, die muslimische Referendarin Fereshta Ludin, 25, nicht in den Schuldienst zu übernehmen, weil sie darauf besteht, auch während des Unterrichts ein Kopftuch zu tragen, hat herkömmliche ideologische Muster und Koalitionen in Deutschland durcheinandergebracht.
Sentence not recast: The decision of Baden-Württemberg Minister of Education Annette Schavan not to admit the Muslim teaching candidate Fereshta Ludin, 25, to a teaching position in the schools because she insists on wearing a headscarf even during class has thrown traditional ideological patterns and coalitions in Germany into a state of confusion.
Sentence recast acceptably: The Minister of Education of Baden- Württemberg, Annette Schavan, has decided not to accept the Muslim student teacher Fereshta Ludin, 25, for service in the schools, because she insists upon wearing a headscarf even while she is teaching. This decision has brought confusion to conventional ideological patterns and coalitions in Germany.
Sentence recast unacceptably: The decision of the Minister of Education of Baden-Württemberg, Annette Schavan, not to accept the Muslim student teacher, Fereshta Ludin, 25, into the teaching profession has muddled ideological patterns and coalitions in Germany. The reason is that she insists on wearing a headscarf while teaching.
Too literal, word-for-word translation
Translations that follow the source text exactly may result in awkward, often incorrect renditions. Translate literally when it works, but not at the expense of clarity and natural syntax.
Examples:
Dutch into English: |
stond op het punt (was about to) translated as stood at the point of er is sprake van een syndroom (we are dealing with a syndrome) translated as there is talk of a syndrome |
| French into English: | Ne restez pas sous la pluie! (Come in out of the rain!) translated as Don’t stay under the rain!
|
False cognate
In some language pairs, this is the most common type of error.
Examples:
| Dutch into English: | advocaat (lawyer, counsel) translated as advocate proeven (to taste) translated as to prove stof (dust) translated as stuff |
| English into Spanish: | officials (funcionarios) translated as oficiales |
Indecision—gave more than one option
Graders will not choose the right word for the candidate. Even if both options are correct, an error will be marked. More points will be deducted if one or both options are incorrect. Candidates should not add clarifications unless readers from the target-language culture will surely miss the meaning without them; nor should they use asterisks, footnotes, brackets, or other hedging devices.
Example: Spanish: al comienzo [al principio]
English: in the beginning [at first]
Inconsistency (same term translated differently)
In general, a term that is used consistently in the source text should be translated consistently into the target language. Conversely, if the source text uses different terms for the same idea interchangeably, the candidate should attempt to come up with a similar variety in the target language. (Of course, graders recognize that this is not always possible.)
Example (German into English):
Die Bäume flüstern es, die Gräser zischeln es, die Winde raunen’s.
The trees whisper it, the grasses rustle it, the winds whisper it. (Another option is murmur.)
Ambiguity
If the meaning is clear in the source text but ambiguous in the translation, an error may be marked. The reader should not have to puzzle out the meaning.
Examples in English:
To reduce risks to the human embryo, in-depth studies on suitable laboratory animals are needed. (clear)
In-depth studies on suitable laboratory animals are required to reduce risks to the human embryo. (ambiguous)
The probability of birth defects in humans increases as more animal species react with developmental defects. (clear)
The probability of birth defects in humans increases the more animal species react with developmental defects. (ambiguous)
Grammar
Grammatical errors include lack of agreement between subject and verb, incorrect verb tenses or verb forms, incorrect case of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives, and use of an adjective where an adverb is needed.
Syntax
The arrangement of words or other elements of a sentence should conform to the rules of the target language. Errors in this category include sentence fragments, improper modification, lack of parallelism, and unnatural word order. If incorrect syntax changes or obscures the meaning, the error is more serious.
Examples in English:
The cupboard was infested with moths that organic foods enjoy.
Climbing the mountain, the cabin came into view.
She skis, plays tennis, and rock climbing.
The from Berlin coming and now on platform 12 arriving express train is two hours late.
Punctuation
The conventions of the target language should be followed, including those governing the use of accents and other diacritical marks, quotation marks, commas, semicolons, and colons. Incorrect or unclear paragraphing is counted as an error.
Spelling
There is less tolerance of spelling errors in some languages than in others, for reasons that derive from the language itself as well as from the national culture. In all languages, a spelling error that causes confusion about the intended meaning is more serious.
Examples in English:
The student disagreed with the principle / principal.
The specialists agreed that systemic / systematic treatment was required.
The men set out early to peddle / pedal their bicycles through the town.
Also, if a word has alternate spellings (such as periodo or período in Spanish, scanner or scanneur in French), the candidate should be consistent throughout the passage.
Accents and other diacritical marks
The conventions should be followed consistently. If incorrect or missing diacritical marks obscure the meaning, the error is more serious.
Case (upper/lower)
The conventions of the target language should be followed.
Examples:
Cien años de soledad (correct Spanish title)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (correct English title)
die deutsche Sprache (correct German)
the German language (correct English)
UNESCO (correct English)
Unesco (correct Spanish)
Word Form
The root of the word is correct, but the wrong form is used.
Examples in English:
The product has been tampered with and is no longer safety.
los sitios de interés turístico translated as the touristic sites
The new Beetle is an economic car.
Usage
Correct and idiomatic usage of the target language is expected. Errors include use of the wrong preposition or misuse of a grammatical form.
Example in English:
He is married to (not with) my sister.
They were suspected of breaking (not to break) the rules.
I am going to take (not make) a walk.
He committed (not performed) a crime.
Style
If the source text is characterized by a distinctive manner of expression—flowery, staccato, conversational, instructional—this should be reflected in the translation. Awkward or clumsy renditions that obscure the meaning may also be penalized.
Revised October 2002
