Freelance Lingala Interpreter and Translator

About the role

Lingala is the main language of Kinshasa and western Democratic Republic of Congo, and is widely used in the Republic of Congo. Kinshasa Lingala borrows heavily from French, while the more formal Lingala of church, radio and older speakers keeps a richer Bantu vocabulary. Many clients also speak French, Kikongo or Swahili, and interpreters who can follow this mix work best.

Assignments include asylum and immigration interviews, legal advice, GP and hospital care, mental health support and children's services. Translators handle Congolese civil documents, which are often in French, and handwritten statements in Lingala.

What you will do

• Interpret in Lingala, recognising the French loanwords in Kinshasa speech and checking meaning where a client switches language.
• Translate Lingala statements and Congolese documents, many of them in French, into clear English.
• Follow professional standards of accuracy, impartiality and confidentiality on every assignment.
• Prepare for each booking by reviewing the brief and researching specialist terminology in advance.
• Take on-site assignments at hospitals, courts, offices and other venues, and remote sessions by video or telephone.
• Take on transcription and translation of Lingala recordings for legal, research and media clients, if this work interests you.

What we are looking for

• Native or near-native fluency in Lingala and English, spoken and written.
• Relevant qualifications such as the DPSI, DPI or a translation degree, or equivalent professional experience; CIOL, ITI or NRPSI membership is welcome.
• Good French is a strong advantage; Kikongo or Swahili is also welcome.
• Willingness to undergo a DBS check, which is required for some assignments, such as those involving children or vulnerable adults.
• For on-site work in the UK, the right to work in the UK.
• Reliable internet access and suitable equipment (computer or phone with headset) for video and telephone work.

What we offer

• Freelance flexibility, accepting work when it suits you.
• Remote and on-site assignments.
• Fair pay that reflects your skills and time.
• Support from our operations team.
• Assignments across sectors, including healthcare, legal and public services.

Lingala work with SILA Linguists®

SILA Linguists® is a language services company providing interpreting, translation and transcription across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, in more than 350 languages and dialects. As a Lingala linguist with us, you can take on the full range of work we offer in Lingala:

• Lingala interpreting of every type: face-to-face, telephone (OPI) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, video (VRI) through the SILA Linguists® app or the client's platform, consecutive, simultaneous, conference and remote simultaneous (RSI), community and escort interpreting.
• Lingala translation of documents into and out of English, from letters, medical reports and school records to contracts, research and websites.
• Certified Lingala translation with a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts, the Home Office, universities and employers.
• Lingala transcription of audio and video recordings, with time stamps, translation of the transcript and subtitling.

Our vetted, trained and qualified linguists work in legal, police and court settings, immigration and asylum matters, NHS and private healthcare, social care, schools and universities, charities and business. Every assignment is covered by confidentiality agreements and UK GDPR.

Questions

Apply for this role