Scheduling an exam

• Fill out the google form on the Language Proficiency website to register for the exam.
• Email languages@brown.edu to confirm receipt.

• Virtual exams conducted remotely are also scheduled using the registration form on the website.

Exam Guidelines

Prior to the exam:

• Pack away all electronic devices for the duration of your test (except for the laptop provided for your exam)
• You will be given a secure laptop to use for the exam. 
• If your department only allows a paper dictionary, please bring a hard-copy source language / English translation dictionary to consult during your test.
• Please confirm whether your exam should be written out by hand or if the use of the locked-down CLS computer is approved.

During the exam:

• We will provide you with a quiet space.
• Please do not use a phone or other electronic device such as a smart watch, camera, etc.
• Open up the google doc that has been shared with you to begin your translation exam.

• For virtual exams conducted remotely, print out a hard-copy of the source text; position a camera so that you are in-view during the test; complete your translation by hand only, using only a hard-copy dictionary.

After the exam:

• When you have finished translating, save your work by going to the dropdown menu under File, select download, select Microsoft Word Document.  
• Submit your exam as a Word Document to your grader via e-mail, and to languages@brown.edu.
• If your department only allows hand-written translations, please submit a clean copy to CLS staff upon completion of the exam.
• Please do not discuss your translation text with others.
• Results of the exam will be returned to you within a reasonable time.

• For virtual exams conducted remotely, scan or take a photo of your  hand-written translation; e-mail translation to grader and languages@brown.edu.

Exam Instructions

• Please translate as much as you can into accurate and idiomatic English. Words in other foreign languages besides those in the source language need not be translated.
• You have up to three hours for the exam.

         Translation Exam Rubric

Detailed Rubric for Graders and Test-Takers

General Understanding of Source Text and Transfer of Meaning:

5 (Excellent) = Demonstrates near exact understanding of Source Text (ST) through a keen sensitivity to nuances of meaning; registers are precisely and sensitively captured in Target Language (English) translation; sophisticated understanding of field-specific context

4 (Very Good) = Demonstrates full comprehension of ST through substantial degree of sensitivity to nuances of meaning, register, and field-specific context in TL (English) translation

3 (Acceptable) = Demonstrates general comprehension of ST, although there is a lack of sustained attention to nuances of meaning, register, and field-specific context in TL (English) translation

2 (Needs Significant Work) = Noticeable gaps in understanding of ST, and there is scant attention to nuances of meaning, and field-specific context; register is not accurately conveyed in TL (English) translation

1 (Lost in Translation) = There is no appreciable understanding of basic of ST meaning, register, and field-related context in TL (English) translation

Fluency / Flow:

5 (Excellent) = TL (English) translation is highly idiomatic and reads nearly like a draft of a publishable version comparable to ST; punctuation is not only precise, but also reflects English-language usage; sentences flow seamlessly, and text could be easily and intelligibly read aloud

4 (Very Good) = TL (English) translation is idiomatic, and reads like a solid first draft; punctuation is accurate, and sentences move logically from one to the next; precision and accuracy of translation does not significantly disrupt fluency or intelligibility

3 (Acceptable) = TL (English) translation reads like a rough draft; punctuation usage is usually thoughtful and idiomatic; translation is accurate, but literalness of TL translation can result in somewhat choppy sentences

2 (Needs Significant Work) = Literality of TL (English) translation significantly disrupts fluency of text

1 (Lost in Translation) = Choppy sentences and continually disrupted textual flow impair basic meaning conveyance

Word Choice / Terminology:

5 (Excellent) = Words are chosen skillfully, and TL (English) lexis are a precise reflection of ST; where applicable, field-specific terminology has been precisely conveyed from ST to TL translation

4 (Very Good) = TL (English) lexis are an accurate reflection of ST; where applicable, field-specific terminology presents occasional difficulty in TL translation

3 (Acceptable) = TL (English) lexis are occasionally inaccurate; where applicable, translation inaccuracies with field-specific terminology create some sense-confusion

2 (Needs Significant Work) = TL (English) lexis are frequently inaccurate; where applicable, field-specific terminology is often mistranslated

1 (Lost in Translation) = TL (English) lexis are usually inaccurate; where applicable, field-specific terminology is mistranslated

Grammar and Syntax:

5 (Excellent) = Advanced reading-level grammatical facility with source language is evident in TL (English) translation; very precise conveyance of grammatical elements including verb tenses, possessives, cases, singular v. plural, grammatical person, prepositions, adjectives, and pronouns etc. are idiomatically rendered in TL (English); syntax is rendered idiomatically in TL (English), but does not all impede meaning of ST

4 (Very Good) = Advanced-intermediate reading-level grammatical facility is evident, despite some minor errors; accurate conveyance of grammatical elements including verb tenses, possessives, cases, singular v. plural, grammatical person, prepositions, adjectives, and pronouns etc. are idiomatically rendered in TL (English); syntax could more idiomatically reflect the TL, but does not read like a highly “foreignized” translation

3 (Acceptable) = Intermediate reading-level grammatical facility is evident, despite somewhat frequent errors; mostly accurate conveyance of grammatical elements including verb tenses, possessives, cases, singular v. plural, grammatical person, prepositions, adjectives, and pronouns etc. are idiomatically rendered in TL (English); syntax often does not reflect idiomatic English-language word-order, but does not impair understanding of translation

2 (Needs Significant Work) = Demonstrates beginner reading-level grammatical ability; errors are numerous; frequently inaccurate translation of grammatical elements including verb tenses, possessives, cases, singular v. plural, grammatical person, prepositions, adjectives, and pronouns etc.; syntax is somewhat jumbled, and occasionally affects ability to understand the translated text

1 (Lost in Translation) = Reading-level grammatical ability is not demonstrated; errors are ubiquitous; inaccurate translation of grammatical elements throughout including verb tenses, possessives, cases, singular v. plural, grammatical person, prepositions, adjectives, and pronouns etc.; syntax is disorganized, and affects ability to understand translation throughout

(The Brown CLS Translation Exam Rubric is adapted from the results of a study on holistic translation quality assessment practices, published by in 2018 by Rudy Sofyan and Bahagia Tarigan in the journal Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, vol. 254)

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