Taking the Russian→English Certification Exam

Nora S. FavorovJames E. Walker

ATA Certification Graders

Core Documents

•Introduction to the ATA Certification Exam

•Flowchart for Error Point Decisions

•Framework for Standardized Error Marking

•Rubric for Grading

•Point System Conventions

•Into English Grading Standards

General Advice

• Seek out editors

Unless you’ve had many thousands of words of your English language writing edited and critiqued by a competent native English speaking editor, it is hard to know whether or not you write sufficiently well in English to be a professional translator.

General Advice

• Take the practice test

You have the option of taking a graded practice test in up to three passages (A – general, B – technical, medical, scientific, & C – business/legal). You will get to see how the test has been graded and what kinds of errors you made. It costs $50/passage to have a practice test graded.

General Advice

Replicate the ExperienceAt least one time take the practice test:• By hand;• Without electronic or internet resources;• Time yourself: give yourself no more

than 1 hour per passage.

General Advice

• When you take the test: Read the passage carefully and understand the logical flow

Many failing candidates clearly did not take the time to appreciate the point being made in the passage. If your translation doesn’t make sense to you, it’s probably wrong.

General Advice

• Bring all you basic references. Even if you consider yourself more or a sci/tech (B passage) type than a business/law (C passage) type or vice versa, you might wind up deciding to select a passage in one of your “weaker” areas. Be sure to have a sci/tech dictionary, a business/law dictionary, and an idiom dictionary.

General Advice

• Pay attention to the Translation Instructions

Test passages must be written in a style that is appropriate to the ultimate purpose of the passage. The instructions should help you decide how formal your style should be, whether colloquialisms are permissible, and guide you in choosing between specialized and lay terminology.

2004 Source Text Example

С точки зрения идейной и практической борьбы по поводу отношений между работниками и работодателями современную переходную эпоху в России (с конца 1980-х годов) правомерно разделить на три периода. Они отличаются друг от друга как по основному содержанию представлений и требований, так и по главным противоборствующим силам.

Example 1: No Points Deducted

From the perspective of the ideological and practical struggle over relations between workers and employers, the present transitional era in Russia (from the late 1980s) can rightfully be divided into three periods. They differ from one another on the basis of the fundamental content of their concepts and demands, as well as the main forces in conflict.

Although I did not deduct points for the underlined wording, it is possible another grader would have. In the first case “(beginning in the 1980s)” would be more natural in English. In the second case, “in terms of” would have been preferred.

Example 1: 5 pts. deducted

From the point of view of the ideological and practical struggle regarding the relationship between workers and employers, it is legitimate to divide the contemporary transitional epoch in Russia (from the end of the 1980’s [1P]) into three periods. They differ from one another both in the basic content of supply and demand [4MT] and in the main opposing forces.

Example 1: 10 pts. deducted

From the point of view of the ideal [8MT/AMB] and practical struggle…. They differ from each other both in the main content [2ST] of ideas….

Example 1: 14 pts. deducted

From the [1G] point of view of the [1G] theoretical [2MT] and practical struggle on the occasion [2U] of the relationships between employees and employers, the modern transitional period of Russia (since the late 1980th [2P]) lawfully [2T] can be divided into three periods. The periods differ from each other as for [2U] basic content of conceptions and requirement [2WF] and for the main opposed forces as well.

2006 Source Text Example

Но Кремль равно принадлежит ратникам Куликова поля, торжествовавшим в нем победу в 1380 году, и участникам парада Победы мая 1945. Поэтому он нуждается не столько в «портрете», сколько в «биографии», в повествовании о том, как под влиянием роста русского государства, народных движений, политических расчетов, военных побед складывались его достопримечательности.

Example 2: 2 pts. deducted

But the Kremlin belongs equally to the warriors of Kulikovo Field who celebrated their victory there in 1380 and to the participants in the victory parade of May 1945. It needs, therefore, more of a biography than a portrait, informing us how its sights were formed [2U] under the influence of the growth of the Russian state, national movements, political reckonings, and military victories.

Example 2: 4 pts. deducted

But the Kremlin equally belongs to the soldiers of Kulikov field, who celebrated their 1380 victory there, [1P] and to the participants in the May 1945 victory parade. Therefore, it does not need a “portrait” so much as a “biography” that tells how its sights developed [1AMB] under the influence of the growth of the Russian state, the movements of the people [2 AMB], political calculations , and military victories.

Example 2: 5 pts. deducted

But the Kremlin belongs equally to the fighters of Kulikov Field, who triumphed there [4MT] in 1380, and to participants of the Victory Parade of May 1945. For this reason, it requires not so much a “portrait” as a “biography,” a narration about how its sights developed [1AMB] under the influence of the growth of the Russian state, popular movements, political calculations, and military victories.

Example 2: 6 pts. deducted

But the Kremlin belong [2WF] in equal measure to the soldiers of the Kulikov field celebrating there their victory in 1380 as well as to those marching in the 1945 WWII Victory Parade. That’s why it requires not just a “portrait” but a biography, [2O] a narrative on how the influences of a growing Russian state, populist [2MT] movements, political calculations and military victories have shaped its monuments and landmarks.

Faithfulness vs. Literalness

Be faithful to overall meaning, not to individual words or syntax.•Учебные предметы ≠ School objects(Academic subjects)•Придуманные им правила игры ≠Thought up by him rules of the game(The rules of the game that he thought up…)