Wolaytta interpreting and translation

Wolaytta interpreting for a fuller account

For clients who speak Amharic well, an Amharic interpreter may sometimes be acceptable, but a Wolaytta speaker will usually give a fuller, more accurate account in their own language, particularly in an asylum interview or a medical history. We check the client's preference first. Respectful forms of address towards elders and officials are expected, and an interpreter who knows these conventions builds trust from the opening greeting.

We often recommend video or telephone interpreting for Wolaytta, because it lets us work with linguists in different countries. The phone service operates at every hour, and video takes place in the SILA Linguists® app or on Teams, Zoom or your own system. Relay through Amharic can be arranged with your agreement, and in-person interpreting is provided where an interpreter can attend. Community health sessions and research interviews can be covered consecutively, and female or male interpreters are available for sensitive appointments.

Wolaytta translation and Ethiopian documents

Wolaytta is written mainly in the Latin alphabet taught in Ethiopian schools, although Ge'ez script has also been used, and we confirm the reader's preference. Typical work includes community health information, research consent forms and questionnaires, and personal statements translated into English.

Official Ethiopian documents are normally issued in Amharic, so certification usually involves Amharic records. Ethiopian calendar dates are converted carefully, names are kept consistent, and each certified translation is signed to confirm its accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as the Home Office, courts and universities, and by employers.

Transcription and LADO

Our transcribers are prepared for recorded Wolaytta interviews. We transcribe them with time codes and an English version alongside, noting passages in Amharic, Sidama or Oromo so that researchers and caseworkers can see exactly who said what, and in which language. For asylum applicants, SILA Linguists® also offers language analysis for the determination of origin (LADO).

Where we can help in Wolaytta

Our vetted, trained and qualified Wolaytta linguists can support healthcare and community health teams, immigration and asylum services, development agencies, universities and research projects in southern Ethiopia. You deal with one coordinator, linguists are vetted, and all information remains confidential under NDAs and UK GDPR.