Gilaki interpreting and translation

When a Gilaki interpreter makes the difference

Almost all Gilaki speakers also speak Farsi, and many are happy with a Farsi interpreter for routine matters. Older people, those with limited schooling and anyone in distress often express themselves far more fully in Gilaki, however, and in an asylum interview or a mental health assessment that fuller account matters. We ask the client which language they prefer and book accordingly.

Video interpreting through the SILA Linguists® app or your own platform, and telephone interpreting at any time of day or night, all year round, are the most practical ways to reach a Gilaki speaker from the right part of Gilan. We distinguish eastern and western Gilaki and mountain speech such as Galeshi. Relay through Farsi is possible if the client agrees, and face-to-face sessions can be arranged where an interpreter is available. Tell us the town or district the person comes from, Rasht, Lahijan, Fuman or a mountain village, and we will look for an interpreter from the same part of the province.

Gilaki and Farsi translation

Gilaki is written right to left in Arabic-based script, with extra marks for sounds Farsi lacks, and has no single official spelling. Official documents from Iran are issued in Farsi, so a Gilaki speaker's birth certificate, diplomas or court papers are handled by our Farsi translators, with a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts and universities.

Translation into Gilaki is mostly requested for community information, oral history and research. We agree spelling conventions with you first and keep them consistent across every file.

Transcription of Gilaki recordings

Our Gilaki transcription suits researchers, archives and legal teams working with interviews, oral history recordings, poetry and music. Each transcript is time-stamped and comes with an English translation, with passages in Farsi clearly marked. Where origin is part of an asylum case, SILA Linguists® can also arrange language analysis (LADO).

Sectors we support in Gilaki

Our vetted, trained and qualified Gilaki linguists can support healthcare teams, immigration and asylum representatives, universities and oral history projects, and organisations producing community information. A small Gilaki team coordinates your work, our specialists are vetted, and every recording and document is protected by non-disclosure agreements and UK GDPR.