THE COMMUNITY INTERPRETOR EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What is community interpreting? - CORRECT ANSWERS A specialization of interpreting
that facilitates access to community services.
Define medical interpreting - CORRECT ANSWERS Interpreting for patients, their families
and healthcare providers.
A medical interpreters are community interpreters? - CORRECT ANSWERS Yes
What is the purpose of interpreting? - CORRECT ANSWERS To facilitate communication
between two parties who do not share a common language.
Describe communicative autonomy - CORRECT ANSWERS The capacity of each party in
the encounter to be responsible for and in control of her or her own communication.
Which area of community interpreting has become the most professionalized? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Medical or healthcare interpreting
List the minimum requirements for a community interpreter to practice as an interpreter? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Be 18 years old, Have a high school or secondary school diploma or
equivalent, Have proof of language proficiency, Have a certificate for 40 hours of interpreter
training
Describe the difference between a certificate and certification. - CORRECT ANSWERS Both
are credentials. But a certificate is a piece of paper. A certificate might attest that you attended
a program or workshop or conference. Certification is a process. It involves a rigorous evaluation
of interpreter skills and usually includes written exam followed by and oral skills exam.
, Which kinds of organizations develop recognized certification programs for interpreters? -
CORRECT ANSWERS The interpreting professions broadly, at least in North America,
recognize only those certification programs developed by federal or state/provincial
governments and professional bodies.
If you graduate successfully from a 40-hour interpreting program, are you certified? - CORRECT
ANSWERS No. You are professionally trained. If you have also been tested for language
proficiency, you can refer to yourself as qualified.
Name the organizations in the United States that provide national medical interpreter
certification. - CORRECT ANSWERS CCHI (Certification for Healthcare Interpreters and
NBCMI (The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters)
Is there national U.S. certification for community interpreters? - CORRECT ANSWERS No.
But there is state certification, in the state of Washington only, for bother medical and social
services interpreters.
What is code of ethics? - CORRECT ANSWERS A set of directives that specifies the
requirements or expectations intended to guide the conduct of practitioners of a profession. In
other words, ethics are the strictest requirements of any profession.
Why do ethics matter? - CORRECT ANSWERS They help you make decisions in difficult
situations. They guide you about "right and wrong" in your work and conduct.
What are standards of practice? - CORRECT ANSWERS A set of formal guidelines that offer
practitioner of a profession clear strategies and courses of action to support professional
conduct. In other words, standards are the guidelines on how to support your ethics and
perform at a professional level.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What is community interpreting? - CORRECT ANSWERS A specialization of interpreting
that facilitates access to community services.
Define medical interpreting - CORRECT ANSWERS Interpreting for patients, their families
and healthcare providers.
A medical interpreters are community interpreters? - CORRECT ANSWERS Yes
What is the purpose of interpreting? - CORRECT ANSWERS To facilitate communication
between two parties who do not share a common language.
Describe communicative autonomy - CORRECT ANSWERS The capacity of each party in
the encounter to be responsible for and in control of her or her own communication.
Which area of community interpreting has become the most professionalized? - CORRECT
ANSWERS Medical or healthcare interpreting
List the minimum requirements for a community interpreter to practice as an interpreter? -
CORRECT ANSWERS Be 18 years old, Have a high school or secondary school diploma or
equivalent, Have proof of language proficiency, Have a certificate for 40 hours of interpreter
training
Describe the difference between a certificate and certification. - CORRECT ANSWERS Both
are credentials. But a certificate is a piece of paper. A certificate might attest that you attended
a program or workshop or conference. Certification is a process. It involves a rigorous evaluation
of interpreter skills and usually includes written exam followed by and oral skills exam.
, Which kinds of organizations develop recognized certification programs for interpreters? -
CORRECT ANSWERS The interpreting professions broadly, at least in North America,
recognize only those certification programs developed by federal or state/provincial
governments and professional bodies.
If you graduate successfully from a 40-hour interpreting program, are you certified? - CORRECT
ANSWERS No. You are professionally trained. If you have also been tested for language
proficiency, you can refer to yourself as qualified.
Name the organizations in the United States that provide national medical interpreter
certification. - CORRECT ANSWERS CCHI (Certification for Healthcare Interpreters and
NBCMI (The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters)
Is there national U.S. certification for community interpreters? - CORRECT ANSWERS No.
But there is state certification, in the state of Washington only, for bother medical and social
services interpreters.
What is code of ethics? - CORRECT ANSWERS A set of directives that specifies the
requirements or expectations intended to guide the conduct of practitioners of a profession. In
other words, ethics are the strictest requirements of any profession.
Why do ethics matter? - CORRECT ANSWERS They help you make decisions in difficult
situations. They guide you about "right and wrong" in your work and conduct.
What are standards of practice? - CORRECT ANSWERS A set of formal guidelines that offer
practitioner of a profession clear strategies and courses of action to support professional
conduct. In other words, standards are the guidelines on how to support your ethics and
perform at a professional level.
