Nara interpreting and translation

Nara interpreting with discretion

Which second language a Nara speaker knows depends on age and schooling. Tigre and Arabic have long been languages of trade and worship in the western lowlands, while younger people schooled after independence often know Tigrinya. We never assume a Tigrinya interpreter will suit; we check first, and for an asylum interview or a counselling session we look for a Nara interpreter.

Nara is a small language, and members of the community may know one another even in exile. Our interpreters are carefully vetted, sign non-disclosure agreements and stay impartial, and remote interpreting can reassure a client who would rather not meet an interpreter from their own town. Telephone interpreting is available round the clock, and video runs in the SILA Linguists® app or on your organisation's platform. When a client prefers a female or male interpreter, for example in counselling or at hospital, we arrange it wherever we can.

Audio first, plus certified Eritrean documents

Nara is written in the Latin alphabet for school use, but there is little printed material. Short texts such as appointment letters, consent information or service updates are often more useful as recorded audio in Nara, and we produce these for community outreach. We also translate statements and letters from Nara into English.

Eritrean civil documents arrive in Tigrinya, Arabic or English. We translate them with certification, signed to confirm accuracy and accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office, courts and universities, and we keep Nara names spelled exactly as on the client's identity papers.

Nara transcription and LADO

Interviews, voice messages and recorded evidence in Nara are transcribed with timestamps and then translated into English, with Tigre, Arabic or Tigrinya passages identified. For contested origin, SILA Linguists® offers language analysis to establish origin (LADO) through specialist analysts.

Sectors we support in Nara

Our vetted, trained and qualified Nara linguists can support asylum caseworkers and solicitors, mental health and counselling services, hospitals, legal advisers and community outreach teams. Each request goes through one coordinator, every linguist is vetted, and data is handled under UK GDPR, so even a small, close-knit community can speak with confidence.