German Sign Language (DGS) interpreting and translation

DGS interpreting with Deaf interpreters where needed

German interpreters are usually state-certified or university-trained, and long assignments use teams of two. Deaf interpreters (taube Dolmetscher) are used in courts, police interviews, psychiatry and with Deaf refugees who are still learning DGS, and we include one whenever the setting or the Deaf person's language background calls for it. DGS has regional variation, so tell us where the Deaf person grew up.

We provide DGS interpreting face to face, by video remote interpreting and for conferences, covering court hearings and dealings with public authorities, hospital and specialist appointments, job training and workplace meetings, schools and universities, and migration services. Many Deaf people who arrive in Germany as refugees use another sign language first; we can pair a DGS interpreter with a Deaf interpreter who knows that language. Our interpreters follow recognised good practice for working with Deaf people from other countries.

Written German into DGS video

We translate written German or English, including official letters, patient information, workplace policies, course material and accessible web content, into recorded DGS video produced with Deaf translators, and translate signed DGS video into written German or English. German civil, academic and legal documents are translated and certified by our German team.

Public bodies in Germany frequently publish information in DGS and in Leichte Sprache, easy-to-read German. We can deliver both formats from the same source text, keeping the message consistent for Deaf readers and for readers who need simpler written German.

Captions and transcripts

We caption films, webinars and recorded meetings in German or English and produce written transcripts that include signed and spoken content. For live conferences, real-time captions can run alongside the DGS interpreters, which helps deafened and hard of hearing participants who do not sign.

Where we can help in DGS

Our vetted, trained and qualified DGS interpreters can support courts and public authorities, hospitals and medical practices, employers and training providers, schools and universities, refugee and migration services, and conference organisers. SILA Linguists® coordinates interpreters, Deaf interpreters and translators through one project team, with vetted professionals, confidentiality agreements and UK GDPR safeguards.