Ethical Questions

1. You have received a translation job from the Australian Federal Police concerning illegal
drug smuggling from overseas. In the process of translation, you found that the list of
suspects included one of your nieces. What would you do?

The question involves the principles of impartiality, confidentiality and accuracy. According to
AUSIT Code of impartiality, a translator shall frankly disclose any possible conflicts of interest,
if necessary, withdraw from assignment. So in this case, I will inform the police promptly that
one of the listed suspects is my niece and offer to withdraw from assignment. If the police
permits, I will withdraw from assignment.

According to the Code of Confidentiality, any information in the translation is strictly

confidential, so after my withdrawal, I still abide by the Code of Confidentiality and keep
everything in strictest confidence.

If the police insist on my translation, according to the Code of accuracy, a translator shall
translate everything accurately and completely and shall not alter, add to or omit anything from
the translation assignment, so I will translate everything accurately and completely.

2. You are an experienced translator and you have done a lot of technical translation in the
mining area. You received a job from the translation agent concerning translation of a
technical document in mining area. You did not begin translating until two days before it
is due. However, when you are translating document, you find that the document is more
technical than any translation that you have done before and you don’t understand some
of the jargon and technical process. What would you do?

The question involves the principles of competence, confidentiality and professional

development.

According to AUSIT Code of competence, a translator shall only accept translation assignment
which he is competent to perform, and shall ascertain beforehand what is required from the
translation work and make necessary preparation. If the translation work is beyond his
competence, a translator shall inform the client promptly and offer to withdraw from assignment.
So in this case, it is my fault not to understand beforehand the requirements and not to make
necessary preparation. I will inform the client promptly and offer to withdraw from assignment.
If the client permits, I will try to recommend a better qualified translator for the job.

According to the Code of Confidentiality, any information in the translation is strictly

confidential, so after my withdrawal, I still abide by the Code of Confidentiality and keep
everything in strictest confidence. According to the Code of professional development, a
translator shall enhance his language skills by further study or experience. So I will take further
and continuous study to promote my language skills and next time I shall understand beforehand
the requirements and make necessary preparation.
3. You are an in-house translator of a company and at the same time you are a freelancing
translator who contracts translating jobs from the translation agents. In one of the
translation jobs, you found that the document contains some important information about
a competitor of your company that is planning a project, which will bring a huge impact
on your company. What would you do?

The question involves the principles of employment, impartiality, confidentiality.

According to AUSIT Code of employment, a translator, no matter freelance or employed, shall

abide by AUSIT Code of Ethics, so I will act on the basis of AUSIT Code of Ethics.

According to AUSIT Code of impartiality, a translator shall frankly disclose any possible
conflicts of interest, if necessary, withdraw from assignments and a translator shall withdraw
from assignments in which impartiality is difficult to maintain because of circumstances. So in
this case, I will inform the translation agent promptly that some important information is about
a competitor of my company and offer to withdraw from assignment because I think it is
difficult to maintain impartiality.

According to the Code of Confidentiality, any information in the translation is strictly

confidential, so after my withdrawal, I still abide by the Code of Confidentiality and keep
everything in strictest confidence.

4. You are translating a birth certificate. You found that some details on the certificate
seemed to have been changed, including the date of birth. What would you do?

The question involves the principles of accuracy, impartiality.

According to AUSIT Code of impartiality, a translator is not responsible for what the client say
or write.

According to AUSIT Code of accuracy, if there is anything unclear, a translator shall ask for
explanation and a translator shall translate everything accurately and completely and shall not
alter, add to or omit anything from the translation assignment, so I will first of all ask the client
whether the details on the certificate are true or not. If the client confirms the details are true, I
will translate everything accurately and completely as it presents.

5. You are an experienced translator and you have done a lot of translation of graduation
certificates. A client approached you to translate a graduation certificate. Looking at the
certificate, you suspect that the certificate is a fake one according to your experience. The
client said that he needed the translation urgently and was willing to pay more if you could
do it as soon as possible. What would you do?
 The question involves the principles of confidentiality, impartiality

According to AUSIT Code of confidentiality, any information in the translation is strictly

confidential, a translator shall not disclose any information to third party without the client’s
permission or ordered by law. So I will seek for an independent and professional service to
make sure whether it is my obligation ordered by law to disclose such a fake graduation
certificate. If I am advised it is my obligation to disclose such a case, I will disclose to relevant
authority. If I am not necessarily to disclose,

According to AUSIT Code of impartiality, a translator shall not accept from assignments in
which impartiality is difficult to maintain because of personal belief. Personally speaking, I hate
such kind of fake graduation certificate, and will not accept such assignment, no matter how
much I will be paid. According to AUSIT Code of confidentiality, any information in the
translation is strictly confidential, though I do not accept, I will keep confidential.

6. You are translating a document that contains severe criticisms about the government of
your home country, which are quite contrary to your opinion. What would you do?

The question involves the principles of impartiality, confidentiality.

According to AUSIT Code of impartiality, a translator shall frankly disclose any possible
conflicts of interest, if necessary, withdraw from assignments and a translator shall withdraw
from assignments in which impartiality is difficult to maintain because of personal belief. So in
this case, I will inform the translation agent promptly that I can’t bear the severe criticisms to
the government of my home country and offer to withdraw from assignment because I think it
is difficult to maintain impartiality.

According to the Code of Confidentiality, any information in the translation is strictly

confidential, so after my withdrawal, I still abide by the Code of Confidentiality and keep
everything in strictest confidence.