ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Analyse LOTE general-purpose source texts

1.1 Receive and manage source texts according to client requirements and conditions and confirm that it is complete and legible.

1.2 Review personal skills and experience required to undertake assignment and meet client requirements.

1.3 Identify areas of content and language requiring additional research and gather reference material in suitable format and timeframe.

1.4 Identify suitable tools and equipment to aid in translation.

1.5 Analyse source texts and apply knowledge of subject and context and experience in related texts to determine key elements and potential translation quality issues.

1.6 Restructure source texts to clarify meaning and discuss issues arising with clients.

1.7 Choose approach to translation suitable to target audience and purpose of translation.

2 Translate LOTE texts to English texts

2.1 Research and apply established translation precedents and information from resources to ensure consistent outcomes.

2.2 Analyse and adapt cultural and linguistic content of source texts as appropriate for document end use.

2.3 Identify areas requiring further research or assistance and seek and incorporate additional information.

2.4 Produce draft translations of source texts that are accurate, coherent, and appropriate for document end use and assignment requirements.

2.5 Record translation decisions and justification in glossary.

3 Check draft translations

3.1 Critically evaluate consistency, accuracy and functional equivalence of translated text.

3.2 Identify and correct errors, distortions and unsupported translation decisions.

3.3 Use tools and equipment to check translations, refine and improve target texts and manage and correct errors.

4 Revise translations

4.1 Assess and incorporate advice from checking translator and subject advisers.

4.2 Discuss and resolve outstanding issues with appropriate persons.

4.3 Undertake further revision until target text is functionally equivalent to source text.

5 Finalise and evaluate general-purpose translations

5.1 Use technology to format translated texts according to agreed specifications and end use requirements, and liaise with clients where required.

5.2 Proofread formatted texts using standard methods to annotate proof corrections.

5.3 Certify translation as required using standard methods.

5.4 Return final version of translated text and supporting documentation to clients according to agreed procedures and within suitable timeframe.

5.5 Discuss issues and solutions with colleagues and subject advisors and explore process improvement strategies.

Required skills

analytical skills to:

analyse the requirements of assignments in terms of personal skills and capability

identify and resolve translation difficulties in general purpose LOTE source texts

interpret and apply quality assurance parameters

interpret and apply style guides, glossaries and reference material

communication skills to:

consult effectively with clients and colleagues

discuss and resolve agreed processes and translating requirements with clients

liaise with colleagues to obtain independent quality control and discuss and agree on recommended changes

seek assistance from field or subject advisors and peer help groups

language skills to produce accurate and coherent translated general purpose texts in English, including use of:

consistent register and style appropriate to end use

correct and idiomatic collocation, lexis and syntax

current and consistent vocabulary, including foreign loan words

factual correctness, including at the level of tense, gender and singular or plural

plain language

punctuation, including paragraphing

spelling appropriate to audience

textual devices that create cohesion and coherence

literacy skills to:

analyse source texts written in plain language and dealing with concepts accessible to the general public

assess and use subject information

read and apply instructions concerning client needs and end user requirements

record translation decisions and justification in glossaries

proofread target texts

organisational skills to:

access and return documentation according to client requirements

build, use and manage assignment-specific glossaries

problem-solving skills to address discrepancies in the LOTE that affect transfer to English

research skills to:

identify translation precedents relevant to assignment

make critical use of reference material and resources

undertake further research in response to challenges encountered in translation

self-management skills to:

organise and use tools and equipment suitable to task

ensure suitable work environment, including adequate light, physical comfort and ergonomic work practices

meet time and contract commitments

technology skills to:

use office equipment and information and communications technology for translating, formatting, proofreading and file management purposes

develop templates for non-narrative target texts

format target texts

time management skills to ensure source texts are translated, checked, revised, formatted, proofread and returned within required timeframes

translating skills to translate general purpose LOTE texts into functionally equivalent English texts, including:

adaptation

contrastive analysis of meaning and language

equivalence at the level of discourse, pragmatics, syntax and word

grammatical function transposition

localisation

Required knowledge

certification procedures, including underpinning legal and ethical principles

customs, cultures and socio-political systems and their terminology relevant to assignments

discourse analysis techniques

document, file and information management practices and procedures

awareness of competency and limitations in work role, responsibility and professional abilities

privacy and confidentiality requirements

professional procedures and guidelines, ethical practices and business standards applicable to assignments

purpose and implications of translation

source language required to analyse and restructure text to clarify meaning

target language required to produce a functionally equivalent translation that is accurate, coherent and appropriate to end use

research methodologies and sources of reference material suitable to translating assignments

subject, specialist area and culture-specific knowledge relevant to subject of assignments

tools and equipment relevant to assignments, including relevant conventional technologies

translating theories and techniques relevant to assignments, including principles of:

formal and dynamic translation

literal and free translation

form based and meaning-based translation

direct and oblique translation

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

In addition to integrated demonstration of the elements and their related performance criteria, look for evidence that confirms the ability to translate a general-purpose text from LOTE to English, conveying the purpose and use of the source information in a functionally equivalent translated text. This includes:

applying language and translating skills required to convey the purpose and use of source texts where there are limited equivalence problems

using a range of techniques to produce a translation that is accurate and appropriate for the context, target audience and end use

applying sound subject and context knowledge of the material being translated and a broad general knowledge during the translation process

using relevant language and research skills and the ability to critically apply resources, including glossaries

checking and correcting content and formatting of translated text for consistency and accuracy through the exercise of revision and proofreading

of using a range of word processing and document management technology to produce a target text in required format and within suitable and agreed timeframe

incorporating revised content and feedback from clients, checking translator and appropriate advisers

certifying translations using standard methods

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Evidence for assessment of this unit of competency will make use of scenarios, case studies, translation copy, assignment experiences and, where possible, examples of interactions with colleagues and clients which illustrate a range of skills and strategies for translating general purpose texts from LOTE to English.

Resources for assessment include:

a range of narrative and non-narrative general purpose LOTE texts and their translated English texts

examples of critical use of resources such as glossaries and dictionaries, written and memorised

client feedback and product evaluations

sources of content information and research

part and fully completed translated

general purpose texts in a range of content and subject areas

translated texts which have addressed cultural and limited equivalence issues

texts which require further research on content, language and presentation

evidence of checking, revising, formatting and proofreading

certified translations

While the content and scenarios may be simulated, evidence for assessment should reflect the conditions of real assignments in translating a range of narrative and non-narrative texts presenting limited equivalence problems and requiring limited research.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

General-purpose source texts may include:

documents which are in general use by the wider community such as:

product labels and user information

public journal and reference documents

other narrative texts, including newspapers, magazines, posters and brochures

internal and public newsletters

information provided in plain English to the general public in texts related to:

medical

legal

welfare

transport

housing

education

community services

product or service publications and advice

general reports and correspondence

non-narrative texts such as transportation schedules and transcripts of personal and general information such as:

educational and academic records

licences

immigration documents

births, deaths and marriage records

employment records and CV

Reference material may include:

contextual information, including general information relating to personal and community support systems

bilingual and monolingual dictionaries and glossaries

parallel texts

style guides or manuals

presentation, document lay out and graphics

thesaurus

topic and assignment-specific references

Tools and equipment may include:

dictionaries and glossaries, including:

bilingual and monolingual

electronic and hard copy

hardware, including:

computers

printers

scanners

templates

tools and equipment including:

internet

voice-operated keyboards

video recording and editing equipment

Analysing source text may include:

key elements, including:

context

regional, specialist and technical aspects

style

topic

meaning in context

punctuation

purpose

semantic structure

syntactic problems

transfer problems

writing conventions

non-text elements

research and clarification

Restructured text may address:

anomalies in terminology

ambiguity and confused references

cultural sensitivities and equivalence issues

lexical, linguistic or structural deficiencies

Resources may include

human resources, such as:

field or subject experts

peer help groups and opposite language colleagues

reference material

examples of previously translated texts and presentations

Appropriate may include:

adaptation

extract and certification

localised text

register and style appropriate to audience and purpose of translation

suitable orthography and punctuation, including paragraphing

suitable vocabulary

Standard methods of certification may include:

applying translator authority to translation according to legal, organisational and professional requirements, such as:

across pages

inserted header or footer text

on every page of source and target text

using signature or initials

using such things as:

affidavits

NAATI stamp

separate statement

statutory declarations

Supporting documentation may include:

background information

legal instruments certifying translated text, such as:

affidavits

statutory declarations

source text

updated assignment-specific glossary