Saho interpreting and translation

Saho interpreting with precision on names and places

Most Saho speakers from Eritrea also know Tigrinya or Arabic, and some speak Amharic, but Saho is often the language in which they feel most at ease. An interview conducted in Saho reduces the risk of misunderstanding, and we ask whether the client is from Eritrea or from the Irob area so that the dialect fits.

Our Saho interpreters are prepared for asylum interviews and appeals. Our interpreters are meticulous with the names of villages, clans and regions and never offer opinions about a client's origin. They also attend GP and hospital appointments, social services and housing meetings and legal advice sessions, either in the room or remotely. Telephone interpreting runs throughout the night as well as the day, every day, and video sessions can be held in the SILA Linguists® app or on your organisation's system. Relay through Tigrinya or Arabic is possible by agreement, and Eritrean women who would prefer a female interpreter for health or protection matters can ask for one.

Saho translation in Latin or Ethiopic script

We choose the script that suits the reader: Latin for Eritrean audiences, who learn it in school, and potentially Ethiopic for readers from Tigray. The Latin orthography doubles vowels for length and uses letters such as c and x for sounds English lacks, so a Saho-speaking proofreader always checks the final text. We translate health information, tenancy and benefits letters, appeal statements and personal correspondence.

Eritrean civil documents are normally in Tigrinya, Arabic or English, so we confirm the actual language of each item before certification. Certified translations are signed by us to confirm they are true and complete, and are accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office, tribunals and universities, and by employers.

Saho transcription and origin analysis

Appeal recordings, interviews and voice messages in Saho are transcribed with time codes and rendered into English, with Tigrinya and Arabic segments identified. We also offer language analysis for determining origin (LADO), helping decision-makers distinguish Eritrean Saho from Irob speech in Tigray.

Sectors we support in Saho

Our vetted, trained and qualified Saho linguists can support asylum caseworkers and appeal representatives, health services for Eritrean communities, social services, housing providers and legal advisers. SILA Linguists® offers a single point of contact, linguists vetted for sensitive work and strict confidentiality, backed by NDAs and UK GDPR, for every Saho assignment.