CATTI Level 2 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

CATTI Level 2 笔译实务

The practical translation paper of CATTI Level 2: one English-to-Chinese and one Chinese-to-English passage of roughly 300–400 source units each, completed in 180 minutes and graded mainly on accuracy of meaning.

重大错译

A serious mistranslation that reverses or distorts the source proposition, such as a flipped negation, inverted causality, or wrong subject. It is penalized far more heavily than awkward but faithful wording.

意合与形合

Chinese favors parataxis (意合), linking clauses by meaning and sequence, while English favors hypotaxis (形合), marking relations with connectives and subordinate structures. Direction of translation determines whether to add or delete these markers.

流水句

A Chinese sentence pattern of short clauses in sequence, typical of narrative and expository prose. English long sentences are often recast into this pattern in English-to-Chinese translation.

四字格

Four-character Chinese expressions, often idiomatic and parallel. They should be translated by their underlying meaning, not character by character, and redundant parallel items may be merged in English.

亿与万亿换算

One 亿 equals 100 million; one 万亿 equals one trillion. These conversions are a frequent source of error when translating Chinese figures into English.

增长到与增长了

增长了 means increased by a given amount, while 增长到 means increased to a given level. Confusing the two changes the meaning of the figure and counts as a serious error.

术语一致性

Using one fixed rendering for a technical term or proper name throughout a passage. Inconsistent equivalents for the same concept are treated as terminology errors in formal translation.

官方固定译名

Established renderings for organizations, treaties, and technical terms, such as those published by the UN, WTO, or IMF. Translators should follow these rather than coin new equivalents.

省译与增译

Omitting words that are redundant in the target language, or adding words needed for target grammar and clarity. Both are legitimate techniques as long as no source information is lost.

转换法

A translation technique that changes word class or sentence member, for example turning an English noun into a Chinese verb, to satisfy target-language norms without altering meaning.

语域

The level of formality and the stylistic register appropriate to a text type. Government reports and contracts require formal, consistent register, while press features allow more idiomatic phrasing.

回译检查

Checking a draft by mentally back-translating the target into the source to see whether the original proposition survives. It catches reversed logic, dropped negation, and shifted figures.

单位与数字核对

A final review step that verifies units, dates, percentages, and currency conversions against the source. Figures are among the most heavily penalized errors in translation grading.

专有名词处理

Proper nouns should follow established official or conventional renderings. Where no standard equivalent exists, translate the meaning and add a brief gloss instead of a blind transliteration.

综合能力科目

The objective paper of CATTI Level 2, lasting about 120 minutes and covering vocabulary, grammar, cloze, and reading comprehension. It is taken alongside the practical translation paper.

CATTI Level 2 口译实务

The practical interpreting paper of CATTI Level 2, mainly consecutive interpreting in both directions with segments of about one to two minutes, delivered after the speaker pauses.

交替传译

Consecutive interpreting: the interpreter listens to a segment, takes notes, and delivers the full rendering after the speaker stops. Level 2 consecutive segments typically run one to two minutes.

同声传译

Simultaneous interpreting, delivered while the speaker continues, with a lag of roughly one clause. In CATTI it is a separate Level 2 subject tested apart from consecutive interpreting.

Gile 精力模型

An interpreting model holding that listening and analysis, short-term memory, production, and coordination all draw on limited capacity. When total demand exceeds capacity, quality collapses, so effort must be allocated.

口译笔记

A note-taking system using symbols, abbreviations, and layout to record propositions, numbers, names, and logical markers. Notes serve as retrieval cues and are not read aloud verbatim.

笔记竖排法

A note layout that writes each proposition on a new line, indented by logical level and linked by arrows for causality or contrast. The diagonal layout helps rapid retrieval during delivery.

数字口译

Converting and delivering figures accurately across 万, 亿, million, and billion. It is the most frequent error source, so conversions such as 亿 ×100 = million should be automatic.

预测

Anticipating likely content from context, collocations, and speaker stance before it is fully uttered. It supports fluency in simultaneous interpreting but must be revised if the source contradicts the prediction.

脱离源语外壳

De-verbalization: grasping the meaning of a segment independently of its original wording, so the interpreter can reformulate it naturally in the target language instead of producing a calque.

信息重组

Reorganizing source information into target-language sentence structure, for example moving a condition before its consequence, when a literal order would break target grammar or clarity.

顺句驱动

The simultaneous-interpreting strategy of following source word order and cutting sentences into chunks, adding connectives or pronouns to keep the target grammatical without waiting for the full sentence.

语流与停顿

Delivery fluency measured by filled pauses, false starts, and self-repair. Excessive hesitation lowers the score even when the content is accurate, so short silent pauses are preferred.

信息完整度

The proportion of source propositions delivered in the target. Omission of a whole proposition is a major deduction, while omission of redundant ornament is usually acceptable.

未知术语策略

Handling an unfamiliar term by keeping the original with a generic classifier or describing its function. Inventing a technical equivalent or stopping to explain is not acceptable.

自我修正

Correcting a slip immediately after it occurs and continuing without long backtracking. A brief correction is acceptable, but a long retro-correction disrupts the whole segment.

开场与收尾

Standard formulas such as greeting, introducing oneself, and thanking the audience, delivered fluently and at appropriate register. They frame the interpreted speech and set the tone for grading.