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South African Translators’ Institute

Find eligibility details, preparation tips, exam format, time constraints, and important guidelines to excel in the SATI Accreditation General Translation exam. Admission requirements, exam process, and resources are detailed here.

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South African Translators’ Institute

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  1. South African Translators’ Institute

  2. Accreditation:General Translation

  3. Before we begin … • Thank you for deciding to become accredited! • Read everything on the SATI website about accreditation – not all of it is repeated here. • The information here relates only to accreditation in GENERAL TRANSLATION.

  4. Who is eligible to write the exam? You can write the accreditation exam if – • you have been a SATI member for at least three months; • you are not a student member; • you have watched this presentation; and • you have signed the SATI code of ethics. PLUS …

  5. Who is eligible to write the exam? … PLUS … • you have a language practice qualification PLUS two years’ experience in language practice work OR • you do not have a relevant qualification, but you do have at least five years’ experience in language practice work OR • you are a member of, or are accredited by, an appropriate FIT member association

  6. Who is eligible to write the exam? … Alternatively… You may write the exam if you are already accredited in another language combination and have retained your membership since becoming accredited.

  7. How should I prepare for the exam? Attend language practice courses Network with professionals Get to know your dictionaries Practise, practise, practise SUCCESS! Keep up to date on general knowledge Work with a mentor

  8. How should I prepare for the exam? Working as a translator or editor IS your preparation for the exam!

  9. How should I prepare for the exam? The exam is designed to test your competence as a language practitioner, including skills in language, research, time management and computer use.

  10. How should I prepare for the exam? Training in language practice Workshops, seminars and courses offered by SATI, PEG, Prolingua, language schools or universities There is always something new to be learnt!

  11. How should I prepare for the exam? Keep up to date on general knowledge Read, Read, Read in both source language and target language as many different types of texts as you can.

  12. How should I prepare for the exam? Receive constructive feedback Have another professional translator read, edit and correct your work. Write the practice test before the exam – you will not interact with the marker, but you will receive valuable advice.

  13. How should I prepare for the exam? Network with professionals Attend relevant events. Join a SATI chapter if possible. Follow online forums and chat groups. Form a network of colleagues.

  14. How should I prepare for the exam? Get to know your dictionaries Collect hard-copy, electronic and online resources – and use them often!

  15. How should I prepare for the exam? Practise! Texts of a similar length to those in the exam Within the same time constraints To a standard you would present to a client

  16. Where do I write the exam? You decide with the exam officer on the date of your exam. The exam is emailed to you by the exam officer at a specific time on the date stipulated. You use your own computer and resources.

  17. What does the exam paper look like? The exam paper is presented to you electronically. There are between 6 and 8 texts. Text 1 (compulsory) must be translated. Text 1 is a general text – an opinion piece, magazine article or similar. Choose 2 more texts to translate, from a selection of different topics such as: business/finance/economics, law, science/medicine, sport or environment/geography

  18. How long do I have to write the exam? You have 24 consecutive hours to write the exam. You email the edited texts back to the exam office within 24 hours after receipt.

  19. Remember the following! You must sign the Solemn Declaration stating that you will adhere to SATI’s copy rights on the examination material. You must email the Solemn Declaration back to the exam office with your edited texts

  20. How should I approach the exam? Choose a quiet period to write the exam – don’t fit it into a busy schedule. Get a good night’s rest the day before you write. Use the full 24 hours to write – don’t be in a rush to submit! Even if you translate quickly, take the time to proofread your translation the following day.

  21. How should I approach the exam? Read through all the texts before deciding which to translate. Read the instructions carefully. Analyse the text for tone, style, emphasis, context, cotext, etc. Plan time carefully so that you spend enough time on each text. Translate in the same style and register as the source text. Use double spacing and a reasonable font size (preferably size 12).

  22. What am I allowed to use in the exam? You will write the exam on your own computer. Use a spellchecker for your target language. You may – use any dictionaries, glossaries, wordlists, reports, books on language, etc. (hard-copy or electronic); and use the Internet (search engines and any static online resources).

  23. What am I allowed to use in the exam? You may not – contact another person, whether online, telephonically or in person; or post questions on online forums/discussion groups of any kind.

  24. What dictionaries should I use? • No set rules – use whatever works for you. • Use reputable sources, such as: • general bilingual dictionary • general monolingual dictionaries (both languages) • grammar guide (target language) • specialised dictionaries (monolingual and bilingual) • thesaurus (target language) • glossaries and wordlists

  25. How can I improve my chances of passing? • Use your spellchecker. • Make sure you set the spellchecker to the correct target language. • If translating into English, always use English (UK). • Proofread carefully for typos, extra spacing and other odd formatting. • Double-check that you have not omitted any sentences or important segments of information.

  26. Who are the markers? Professional, experienced, usually accredited Receive a small honorarium for their contribution to accreditation They want you to pass the exam!

  27. How is the paper marked? How many errors will cause you to fail? 2 or more major errors overall OR 20 or more minor errors overall OR 1 major error + 7 minor errors in one question OR 10 or more minor errors in one question

  28. How is the paper marked? What are Major Errors? Gross mistranslation – meaning lost completely Omission of vital information Insertion of information Including alternate translations (instead of making a choice) Failure in target language grammar (e.g. concord, tense, conjugation, prepositions, idiom)

  29. How is the paper marked? What are Minor Errors? Mistranslation – meaning distorted slightly / not changed Omission of less important information Inelegant target language grammar (e.g. word order, spelling, punctuation)

  30. How is the paper marked? What else is considered? The target text must stand as a text in its own right: It must read like an original. The equivalent pass mark (e.g. in an academic examination) would be around 90% (in other words, almost perfect).

  31. How is the paper marked? What if I need to explain my choices? You may use annotations (footnotes) in the exam, if you want to explain to the examiner a particularly difficult decision you have made. But use them sparingly!

  32. How and when do I receive my results? Marking can take six to eight weeks (sometimes longer). You will receive a results report with a selection of markers’ comments. Note: Not all errors will be listed in the report. You will not see your marked script. You cannot discuss your result with the exams officer.

  33. What does a ‘fail’ mean and what should I do next? On the day of the exam, you were not able to produce work to the required standard for accreditation. Read the comments carefully to understand whether you are far off the mark. Follow the advice given. Continue to hone your skills. You may reapply to write after one year.

  34. What if I am unhappy with the result? There is an appeal process you can follow. Submit an application form and proof of payment within 8 weeks of the result. The original exam script will be marked up with an adequate number of errors to substantiate a fail. No further correspondence will be entered into. If the ‘Fail’ result is overturned, you will be refunded for the appeal and will be considered accredited.

  35. What else should I know? • You must adhere to the time constraints. • You must email your exam script back to the accreditation officer within 24 hours after opening the email sent to you with the the exam documentation. • You are not allowed to keep copies of any of the documentation (apart from your own translated script). • You may not discuss the exam paper with anyone else. • Failure to adhere to these rules will compromise your accreditation status.

  36. Does accreditation expire? • No – as long as you remain a member of SATI. • If your membership lapses, so will your accreditation. • If you wish to become re-accredited, you will have to re-apply.

  37. Why is there a practice test? • This is a short test to give you an idea of what the exam will be like. • Writing the test is not compulsory. It is recommended, though, as it will give you an idea of whether you are likely to pass the accreditation exam. Note that passing the test will not guarantee a pass in the exam.

  38. How is the practice test the same as the exam? • The same admission requirements apply. • The same marking guidelines are followed. • The same markers’ pool is used. • The text for the practice test comes from a previous exam.

  39. How does the practice test differ from the exam? • You only have to translate one text . • An invigilator is not required. • The test is emailed to you. • There is no time limit. • In some cases you can choose the topic of the text for translation. • The test is marked by one marker only. • You will be sent a copy of your marked script, with comments from the marker.

  40. What if I fail the practice test? If you fail the practice test, the following waiting periods will apply for rewriting a test or taking an exam: • 0 major errors and up to 15 minor errors = 3 months • 0 major errors and 15+ minor errors = 6 months • 1 or more major errors and up to 10 minor errors = 6 months • 1 or more major errors and 10+ minor errors = 8 months If you fail three consecutive practice tests, you will have to wait two years before being allowed to attempt the test again.

  41. Good Luck! If you have any questions, you can email Erica du Preez at exams@translators.org.za.

  42. South African Translators’ Institute

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