Mer (Meriam Mir) interpreting and translation

Meriam Mir interpreting with cultural protocol in mind

Many Meriam people also use Torres Strait Creole (Yumplatok) and English, so we ask the client which language they prefer for detailed or sensitive conversations, and whether the family is from Mer, Waier and Dauar or from Erub and Ugar, so that the dialect matches. Respect for Elders, kinship obligations and Sorry Business after a death can affect timing and who should be present, and our interpreters plan around these protocols.

We provide interpreting for health appointments in the Torres Strait and across Queensland, native title, land and other legal matters, community consultations and government service meetings. Video interpreting through the SILA Linguists® app or your own platform connects clients in the islands with services on the mainland and further afield, and telephone interpreting is available at any hour. Face-to-face and consecutive interpreting can be arranged for consultations and meetings. For Mer of West Papua, interpreting is usually arranged by video or telephone with a linguist from the region, and any relay through Indonesian is agreed with you first.

Translation for communities and heritage projects

Meriam Mir is written in the Latin alphabet, and word lists, learning materials and scripture portions exist, but spelling varies between writers and dialect areas. We follow the conventions your community partners prefer and have culturally sensitive material checked by a Meriam reviewer. Requests usually involve health information, community notices and cultural heritage or language revitalisation projects, and recorded audio or video often reaches more people than print. Where an Australian authority requires NAATI-certified translation, we arrange it through NAATI-certified translators.

Official documents from the Torres Strait are in English. For Mer of West Papua, which has very little written material, translation is limited to short texts and recordings prepared with a community speaker and checked against Indonesian.

Transcription for documentation and research

Recordings of Elders, songs, oral histories and consultation meetings can be transcribed with time references, then translated into English, with Yumplatok or English passages marked, supporting language documentation, archives and research.

Where we can help in Meriam Mir

Our vetted, trained and qualified Meriam Mir linguists can support health services, legal and native title practitioners, government agencies, cultural organisations, researchers and archives. You get one project team, carefully vetted linguists and confidentiality agreements covering every recording and document. Meriam Mir interpreters can support Australian courts, health services, councils and heritage projects, in person or remotely.