Runyankore (Nkore) interpreting and translation

Runyankore interpreting matched to the client's own language

Runyankore speakers usually understand Rukiga well and can often follow Rutooro and Runyoro, but vocabulary and pronunciation differ. For legal and clinical work we match the client's own language and only book a Rukiga or Rutooro interpreter if the client prefers it after a comprehension check. Many Ugandans also speak English, Luganda or Swahili, yet people often choose their first language when describing symptoms, family circumstances or traumatic events.

Medical and legal vocabulary is not always standardised in Runyankore, so we brief our interpreters on technical terms in advance. We cover immigration and asylum interviews, hospital and GP appointments, court hearings and solicitors' meetings face to face, by telephone at any hour throughout the year, and on screen via our app or the meeting software you already run. Clients who would feel easier with a woman, or with a man, only need to say so, and consecutive interpreting suits community health sessions.

Runyankore and Runyakitara translation

Runyankore uses standard Latin letters, but a shared written standard called Runyakitara, taught at Makerere University, coexists with individual language spellings. Our translators confirm whether readers expect plain Runyankore or Runyakitara before they begin. Public health information for Ugandan communities, school letters and service leaflets are typical projects.

Ugandan civil documents are normally issued in English, so certified work more often runs from Runyankore into English for letters, statements and messages used as evidence. Certified versions come with our signed declaration that the English is complete and accurate, accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office, courts and universities, whether for an immigration file, a court bundle or a university application.

Transcription and language analysis

Recorded interviews and audio evidence in Runyankore are transcribed with time references, then translated into English, with Luganda, Swahili or English passages flagged. For asylum claims, SILA Linguists® offers language analysis to determine origin (LADO) through specialist analysts familiar with the Great Lakes languages.

Sectors we support in Runyankore

Our vetted, trained and qualified Runyankore linguists can support immigration and asylum caseworkers, NHS hospitals and GP practices, courts and solicitors, public health teams and community organisations. A dedicated coordinator looks after each Runyankore request, our linguists sign confidentiality undertakings before they start, and personal data stays within UK GDPR rules.