Transcript Overview of the LS Translation Testing Program

Overview of the LS
Translation Testing Program
Translating Division
Office of Language Services
U.S. Department of State
Excellence in Human Resources
Needs
Analysis
& Recruiting
Trends + statistics
Standards
Active & passive
recruiting
Outreach
Train &
Maintain
Feedback
Training courses
Reward/Reform/
Reject
Roster, clearance, &
record updating
Testing
Materials selection
Grading procedure
Logistics + equipment
Pre-screening
Test Tracking
Contracting
Clearance
Paper and electronic
records
Rates
BOA/PO issuance
Periodic mailings
Testing Standards and Principles
• Evaluative standards directly linked to job
requirements
• Clearly defined standards and evaluation
criteria
• Equitable testing environment
• Non-discriminatory
Evaluative Process
•
•
•
•
Review of résumé
Sample translation
Invitation to test
Waiver of candidate’s right to challenge
results
• Testing
• Evaluation
• Clearance
2001 Translation Testing Reform
1. Evaluative standards directly linked to
job requirements
- Contractors: work may not always be
reviewed – may work in isolation
- Staff: translate at highest level of difficulty
and sensitivity
- Staff and contractors are called upon to
certify translations of U.S. treaties
2001 Translation Testing Reform
2. Clearly defined standards and evaluation
criteria
-
Error categories (defined)
Major/minor errors (defined)
Documentation and justification
Comprehensive reform charter
2001 Translation Testing Reform
3. Equitable testing environment
- Proctored testing on LS premises, in most
cases
- State-of-the-art equipment
- No CD-ROM or Internet access
- Uniform test passages: 3 texts / 300
words
- Uniform time: 4 hours
2001 Translation Testing Reform
4. Non-discriminatory
-
Test grading is double blind
Grading done by staff wherever possible
Test taking open to all qualified candidates
Pre-screening is based on documentary
evidence
- Uniform notification before and after
testing
2001 Translation Testing Reform
5. Other concerns
-
Security/integrity of test passages
Special tests: graduate-level interns
Replenishment of test passages
Cooperation with Interpreter testing
program
- Training for test graders
How to Prepare for an LS
Translating Test
- Read current foreign-language texts as
much as possible
- Keep abreast of current events,
especially on the international level
- Translate as much as possible,
especially texts dealing with international
affairs
- Find a mentor
- Review rules of style and usage in your
target language
Top Twelve Topics in
LS Translation Work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Conflict resolution
Drug control
International security
Environment
Agriculture
International
business and trade
7. Democracy, human
rights, and labor
8. International finance
and development
9. Maritime/fisheries
issues
10. Legal issues
11. S&T
12. Transportation
COMMON MISTAKES
- Either slavish adherence to original,
or over-interpretive renditions
- Following punctuation of source
text, rather than following rules of
target language
- Omissions
- Outright mistranslation: use the
plausibility test
- Failure to read over translation to
check for errors