Face-to-face
Domari interpreters on site for appointments, hearings and meetings.
Middle Eastern and Central Asian
Domari interpreting and translation
Domari is the heritage language of the Dom, a people with South Asian roots who have lived in the Middle East for many centuries. We provide Domari interpreters, and Arabic interpreters for Dom clients who prefer Arabic.
Domari
Domari
- Script
- Arabic (informal), Latin (research transcription)
- Direction
- Left to right
- ISO 639-3
rmt
Domari belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family, the same branch as Hindi and Punjabi. The ancestors of the Dom left the Indian subcontinent many centuries ago, and the language has kept its Indo-Aryan grammar and core vocabulary while taking in a large number of Arabic words, and in some areas Kurdish and Turkish ones. Because of that shared Indian origin it is often compared with Romani, and a historical link between the two has been suggested, but they are separate languages and their speakers do not understand one another.
The most thoroughly described variety is that of the Dom community of Jerusalem, documented by the linguist Yaron Matras. Other Dom communities live in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, and some families have moved to Europe in recent years. Domari is endangered: in many households younger people speak mainly Arabic, and the language is kept up by older relatives or used in a form mixed with Arabic.
- Main areas: Palestinian Territories
- Also used: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan
Communities abroad are not shown. Point to an area to see its name.
How we help
Domari services
Video (VRI)
Secure video interpreting when people are in different places.
Telephone, 24/7
Telephone interpreting 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Certified translation
Certified Domari translation accepted by UK authorities.
SILA Linguists®
Domari interpreting, transcription and community language support from SILA Linguists®
Domari is the language of the Dom, an Indo-Aryan language whose speakers' ancestors left the Indian subcontinent many centuries ago. It keeps Indo-Aryan grammar while absorbing many Arabic words, and in places Kurdish and Turkish ones. Dom communities live in Jerusalem, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, with some families now in Europe. Domari is endangered, and in many households younger people mainly speak Arabic. SILA Linguists® provides Domari and Arabic interpreters, transcribers and translators for asylum services, healthcare providers, social care, police, courts and researchers in Britain, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Domari or Arabic? Matching the client
Most Dom adults are bilingual and use Arabic, or Turkish or Kurdish in Turkey, with officials, so an Arabic interpreter who knows the client's dialect is often a sound choice. Domari helps when an older person is more at ease in it, or when family history, names and personal detail must come across exactly. Varieties from Jerusalem, Syria and Turkey differ in vocabulary and borrowed words, so we ask where the client grew up. Our interpreters work impartially and respectfully with a community that has often faced prejudice.
We provide face-to-face interpreting for asylum interviews, health and social care appointments, police interviews and court hearings, phone interpreting at any hour, and video sessions on the SILA Linguists® app or your platform. Gender preferences are respected.
Documents and Domari texts
Domari is often compared with Romani because of the shared Indian origin, but the two are separate languages and their speakers do not understand one another, so a Romani interpreter is never a substitute. Domari has no standard written form. Researchers transcribe it in Latin letters, and speakers who write it informally tend to use Arabic script. Identity, residence and court documents from the region are in Arabic, Hebrew or Turkish, so certified translation is from those languages, each certified version signed as accurate, accepted by UK authorities such as courts and universities.
Transcription for oral history and research
Most Domari written work is transcription and translation of interviews, oral history and community recordings, with the spelling agreed beforehand. We time-code each transcript, mark Arabic, Turkish or Kurdish passages, and provide an English version for researchers, archives and community projects. Where origin is disputed in an asylum case, SILA Linguists® can arrange LADO.
Where we can help in Domari
Our vetted, trained and qualified Domari linguists can support asylum and immigration representatives, healthcare and social care teams, police and courts, oral history and community projects, and linguistic researchers. One coordinating team manages each request, linguists are vetted and sign non-disclosure agreements, and UK GDPR protects personal data.
Good to know
Working with Domari
Interpreting
- Most Dom adults are bilingual and use Arabic, or Turkish or Kurdish in Turkey, with officials. An Arabic interpreter who knows the client's dialect is often a sound choice. Domari helps when an older person is more at ease in it, or when family history, names and personal detail must come across exactly. Ask the client which language they prefer and where they grew up, as varieties from Jerusalem, Syria and Turkey differ in vocabulary and borrowed words.
- Our interpreters work impartially and use the terms the client uses for their own community and language. Video and telephone interpreting suit short appointments, and face-to-face interpreting is available for long interviews and hearings.
Translation
- Domari has no standard written form. Researchers transcribe it in Latin letters, and speakers who write it informally tend to use Arabic script. Identity, residence and court documents from the region are issued in Arabic, Hebrew or Turkish, so certified translation is usually from those languages. Domari work is mainly transcription and translation of interviews, oral history and community recordings, with the spelling agreed beforehand.
Related languages
Domari and its neighbours
Choose a language to see its page. Getting the right variety matters: tell us the region or dialect if you know it.
Where Domari is often needed
- Asylum and immigration
- Healthcare
- Social care
- Police and courts
- Oral history and community projects
- Linguistic research
Explore more middle eastern and central asian or see all languages A to Z.
Get in touch
Need a Domari interpreter or translator?
Our bookings team will confirm the details with you and arrange the right linguist. Have the language (and dialect, if you know it), the type of assignment and the date ready.