Using an interpreter

CLEAR Exam Review (Summer 1995)
Norman R. Hertz

Question: How are the outcomes of examinations affected when interpreters are used or the examination is translated into a language other than the one in which it was written?

Answer: The first issue to be addressed is the extent to which the act of translating the examination may actually change the examination in subtle or not so subtle ways. If an examination is translated to a language other than the one in which it was written, the examination should be retranslated (backtranslated) into the original language to ensure that the difficulty or reliability of the translated version matches that of the original version. The Standards for Education and Psychological Testing state "when a test is translated from one language or dialect to another, its reliability and validity for the uses intended in the linguistic groups to be tested should be established." The Standards point out that psychometric properties cannot be assumed to be comparable across languages. Many licensing examination programs apply the criterion-referenced passing score to the translated versions that was established for the original language (usually English) of the examination. The application may not be appropriate and should be applied cautiously. At a minimum, statistical procedures should be applied to determine if there are differences among various forms of the examination. Often, however, the number of candidates taking the translated examinations is not sufficient to derive stable statistics.

The use of interpreters creates additional problems. At least when the examinations are translated into a written form, they are standardized. When multiple interpreters are used in a one-on-one situation, the examinations are probably not standardized. Also, one cannot assume that all interpreters are equally fluent in the language they are interpreting.

To reduce the licensing program's responsibility for incorrect oral interpretations, some programs require candidates to bring their own interpreters. This does not resolve the problem of ensuring that the candidates are administered equivalent tests, it simply shifts the responsibility. Further, it greatly increases the opportunity for comprising examination security because the interpreter has access to the examination. Also, interpreters may provide hints to the candidates about the correct answer without the proctors noticing.

In summary, it is problematic to administer an examination in a language other than the one in which it was written. If necessary, each examination should be validated for the language into which it was translated. A proper validation study for the translated test may legitimately cost as much as the validation study for the original test.

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