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To Be Or Not To Be Certified
By Judy A. Abrahams Most of us, if not all, are familiar with the famous words uttered by William Shakespeare’s character Hamlet – “to be or not to be – that is the question.” These much quoted words serve as the foundation for examining the topic of certification, or “to be or not to be certified – that is the question”. A Common Purpose? Several organizations worldwide offer certification. A look at the primary goals of four such organizations reveals that they share the same basic goals, namely, to maintain high standards of work and to maintain the level of competence of translators. Following are their own summaries of their services. “The Chartered Institute of Linguists serves the interests of professional linguists throughout the world and acts as a respected language assessment and accreditation awarding body. It aims to … improve the status of all professional linguists; establish and maintain high standards of work; ensure professional standards among language practitioners through its Code of Conduct…” Chartered Institute of Linguists, United Kingdom. “The main purpose of the Association is to promote a high level of competence in the fields of translation, conference interpretation, court interpretation and terminology by… promoting the professional development of its members, and applying standardized, national criteria to recognize the competence of professional translators, conference interpreters, court interpreters and terminologists.” Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), Canada “To set and maintain high national standards in Translating and Interpreting to enable the existence of a pool of accredited translators and interpreters responsive to the changing needs and demography of the Australian culturally and linguistically diverse society. National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), Australia. “ATA is a professional association founded to advance the translation and interpreting professions and foster the professional development of individual translators and interpreters.” American Translators Association (ATA), United States of America From these common aims comes the need for certification or accreditation, as it is sometimes referred to. Two principal paths are available for accreditation:
In some countries, the translation business is regulated by the government, while in others it is not. Some examples are summarized below. Australia: The translation industry is State regulated. The Federal Government’s National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) is responsible for monitoring translation services. Canada: Association of Translators & Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), and the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC). Interestingly, the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO), founded in 1920, is the oldest organization of translators, conference interpreters, court interpreters and terminologists in Canada. Also noteworthy is the fact that the ATIO is the first translators’ association in the world whose certified members are deemed professionals by law. In February 1989, the Province of Ontario granted a reserved title for certified members of ATIO through the Association of Translators and Interpreters Act, 1989. New Zealand: The New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters (NZSTI) recognizes the Australian NAATI qualification mentioned previously. Some government agencies require translations to be done by NAATI–accredited translators or full members of NZSTI. South Africa: The South African Translators' Institute (SATI), established in 1956, has a system of accreditation consisting of a written exam open to members, who can apply after three months of membership. In light of the fact that various organizations offer certification, it useful to take a closer look at two such bodies, namely, the American Translators Association (ATA), based in the United States of America, and the Institute of Linguistics (IOL), based in the United Kingdom. AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION (ATA) The ATA is a professional association founded in 1959 to advance the translation and interpreting professions and foster the professional development of translators and interpreters. It has over 9,500 members in more than 70 countries. Among its members are translators, interpreters, project managers, web and software developers, government agencies, and universities, to mention a few. Association membership is available to individuals (Active, Corresponding, Associate, Student) and organizations (corporate, institutional). Besides offering certification, the ATA offers a variety of programs, benefits and support services for its members. The ATA is a member of the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs (FIT). CERTIFICATION PROGRAM According to the ATA web site, its certification, among other things,
Anyone wishing to gain certification must be a member of the ATA for at least four weeks and meet Eligibility Requirements, which are described below. Once the ATA approves eligibility, the candidate must pass a Certification Exam. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS The Form is available at: http://www.atanet.org/certification/eligibility_requirementsform.php Once awarded, certification is valid and may be claimed only as long as the certified person remains a member of ATA in good standing and fulfills the continuing education requirements. CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS THE EXAMINATION GRADING SYSTEM SUCCESS RATE FOR CERTIFICATION Translators Association Comparison of ATA Members with Certification in eight language pairs
Additional information on ATA’s certification program is available at www.atanet.org/certification/index.php INSTITUTE OF LINGUISTS (IOL) The Institute has about 6,500 Fellows, Members and Associate Members. It aims to:
EXAMINATIONS One positive aspect of the examinations is flexibility. Besides offering a wide range of languages, there are general and semi-specialized units with options in various disciplines, including Business and Law. The examination is available in more than 30 language combinations. Also appealing is the fact that Examination centers are available worldwide and sittings are offered in more than 35 countries. Candidates have up to five years to complete the exam. FORMAT OF EXAM Unit 01: General Translation, 3 hours A text of about 600 words of a demanding but non-specialized nature will be provided. Candidates will be required to translate the text to a professional standard of accuracy in their target language. Unit 02: Semi-specialized Translation, 2 hours Three texts of a semi-specialized nature, each of approximately 450 words, will be presented from the following broad subject areas: Technology, Business, Literature. Candidates must choose one of the texts to translate to a professional standard of accuracy in their target language. Unit 03: Semi-specialized Translation 2 hours Three texts of a semi-specialized nature, each of approximately 450 words, will be presented from the following areas: Science, Social Science, Law. Candidates must choose one of the texts to translate to a professional standard of accuracy in their target language. It must be noted that Unit 01 must be passed before proceeding to Units 02 and 03. Once candidates are successful in Unit 01, they can proceed to Units 02 & 03, which must be passed within 5 years to qualify for the award of the Diploma. EXAMINATION COSTS ALL UNITS SAT IN THE SAME SESSION: ₤ 440 (2007) - ₤ 460 (2008) AMERICAN TRANSLATORS ASSOCIATION (ATA) NATIONAL ACCREDITING AUTHORITY FOR TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS (NAATI)
To be or not to be certified? Interestingly, a brief investigation of 50 translation companies in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. indicated that of 50 companies, in addition to years of experience/education, 11 listed certification or accreditation under their “special requirement” for translators/interpreters (ATA, ATIO or equivalent). Understandably, in the case of Canada where the industry is State regulated, clearly translators/interpreters must have certification. It is evident that education, experience and being a native speaker are among the key factors in selecting translators and interpreters. Having certification is not mandatory – but it is a plus. One owner of a translation agency indicated that 90% of his translators are ATA certified. He stated that although the exams do have their flaws at least certification serves as a benchmark of the person’s ability. In conclusion, it is clear that each translator or interpreter has to decide whether he or she will seek certification in addition to their formal education and training. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the trend where it appears that employers, translation agencies, government agencies and other groups are in favor of certification, any smart translator or interpreter is going to seek said certification which would, in effect, make them more “attractive”. Therefore, the answer to the question “to be or not to be certified” remains elusive. The need – the requirement – is in the eye of the beholder. Reference Materials
About the Author: Judy Abrahams holds the Certificate in Translation from New York University, and has done additional coursework in Translation. She has nearly 2 decades of translation experience in her native Jamaica, particularly in diplomacy and international relations. She can be reached at transjam@yahoo.com. |
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