Specification for Translation Service Part 2

Specification for Translation Service Part 2: Interpretation


“Specification for Translation Service—Part 2: Interpretation, presented by the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China, issued on September 4, 2006 by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China and implemented from December 1, 2006.


I.    Purpose

This Specification for Translation Service—Part 2: Interpretation (hereinafter referred as the “Specification”) is specially formulated for field interpreting and lays down standards of field interpreting which all members of the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China shall be bound to respect in their work as field interpreters. This Specification is recommended for evaluating field interpreting services.

 

II.  Scope

This Specification only applies to members of the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China.

 

III.Definition

The field interpreting in this Specification only refers to all kinds of interpreting services provided in the whole process of construction projects that involve overseas business, which includes engineering construction, technical exchange, the introduction of technology and industrial equipment. And the field interpreting mentioned in this Specification is categorized as engineering construction interpreting.

 

IV. The quality of field interpreting is a testament to the quality of the interpreter. Thus, the interpreter’s qualification and quality must be checked before the evaluation of field interpreting.

Article 1 The qualification and quality of interpreters.

a. According to the National Classification of Professional Titles, translators are categorized into four levels: associate translator, translator, associate professor of translation and professor of translation.

b. The qualification of interpreters shall be certified by the preliminary, intermediate and advanced-level certificates for English interpretation issued by foreign affairs or human resources authorities in provinces, cities or autonomous regions of China.

c. The qualification of simultaneous interpreters shall be certified by the qualification certificates for simultaneous interpreting issued by authorities concerned at the state level or by foreign affairs or human resources authorities in provinces, cities or autonomous regions of China.

d. Interpreters who have years of field interpreting experience and are as equally qualified as interpreters who have certain titles or certificates mentioned in the subparagraphs “a”, “b” and “c” of Article 1.

 

Article 2 The categories of and requirements for field interpreting

Field interpreting are categorized as: construction site interpreting, business and technical contract negotiation interpreting, escort interpreting on delegations’ overseas trips, etc.

 

a. Requirements for construction site interpreting

  • Interpreters shall know the equipment on the construction sites very well, interpret accurately and timely for both parties of the construction project in the process of setting up relevant facilities, the installation of electromechanical instruments, equipment testing, driving and acceptance check.

  • Interpreters shall accurately translate relevant materials including minutes of meetings, memorandums and work logs.

  • Interpreters shall strictly abide by regulations on the construction sites and work responsibly, assiduously and actively.

 

b. Requirements for business and technical contract interpreting

  • Interpreters shall know technical materials and documents in the construction project very well, and offer standard translation of these materials and documents without mistakes or distortion of the source language.

  • The interpreters shall proofread the Chinese and English version of the contract and its attachment to ensure no distortion of the source language.

  • The interpreters shall honor their promises of confidentiality and not leak the talks, business plans or the contracts between the two parties of the construction project to a third party.

 

c. Requirements for escort interpreting on delegations’ overseas trips

  • Interpreters shall know very well the culture, customs and conditions of the foreign country and the purpose and background information of the trip, in a bid to work as a consultant for the delegation leader.

  • Interpreters shall abide by foreign affairs-related regulations, honor their promises of confidentiality, assist the delegation leader in keeping the delegation safe in terms of politics, transportation and personal belongings, such as money and passport.

  • Interpreters shall be well prepared for all kinds of overseas trips (such as investigation, internship and training, equipment procurement, exchanges of designs and technology, etc.) so as to interpret accurately.


d. Requirements for other interpreting services

Other interpreting services refer to those in activities that are relevant to the construction project, including technical exchanges, training, lectures and meetings, the requirements for which can be referred to subparagraphs “b” and “c” of Article 2.


Article 3 Levels of field interpreting quality

a. Field interpreting that meets the requirements listed in Article 2 is classified as “qualified”.

b. Field interpreting that fails to meet the requirements listed in Article 2 is classified as “unqualified”.

 

Article 4  Evaluation criteria of a qualified interpreter

Interpreters are evaluated based on the following five aspects: bilingual competence, attitude at work and in services, professional ethics, the ability to ensure smooth exchanges between different parties and the evaluation and feedbacks from their clients, which constitute the requirements for the basic quality of interpreters and serve as the preconditions for evaluating interpreters of all kinds.

 

V.  The requirements for the translation quality of paperwork and documents (such as memorandum, work logs and minutes of meetings) on the construction site shall be referred to the Quality Standards of Construction Projects and Technical Materials stated in the Translation Services Standards.

 

VI. The quality of field interpreting is evaluated by the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China through the videotape of the field interpreting.

 

VII.        This Specification is approved by the steering group of the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China.

 

VIII.      The steering group of the Translation Service Committee of Translators Association of China reserve the right of final interpretation of this Specification.