Prism Linguistics arranges Jola, or Diola, interpreters and translation across Canada, chiefly for refugee and immigration matters tied to the Casamance region of Senegal and neighbouring Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Because those countries issue civil records in French, English or Portuguese, document work usually runs from those languages, while interpreting turns on matching the right Jola variety. The community in Canada is small, so much of the work is handled remotely.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
The Jola need in Canada is chiefly spoken, and the variety matters. Jola-Fonyi, the Fogny form, is the most widely understood, but Kasa, Banjal and other varieties have limited mutual intelligibility, so we ask which a speaker uses at intake for an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing or an IRCC interview. Many speakers also use French, Wolof or English, but are clearer giving an account in their own Jola, so we do not assume a fallback language will serve.
Interpreting is available across Canada, in person where an interpreter is within reach and by telephone or video elsewhere. The community is small and often linked to Casamance refugee matters, so remote sessions are common and let us reach a speaker of the specific variety rather than the nearest available one. An interpreter renders in the first person, and Prism Linguistics is a private agency, not a court-appointed body.
Common settings include legal and court interpreting, medical and hospital interpreting, IRCC and Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) interviews, and police and enforcement work. See all on-site interpreting options or start a free quote.
Jola, spelled Diola in French sources, is not a single language but a group of related Niger-Congo languages of the Casamance and its neighbours. It is written in the Latin alphabet where it is written at all, but it is mainly spoken: Senegal issues civil records in French, Gambia in English, and Guinea-Bissau in Portuguese. A Jola speaker's birth, marriage and identity documents are therefore in one of those languages, and that is what we translate into English or French.
Jola itself appears mostly in a village attestation, a church record or a handwritten letter, which we translate where present. The larger job for an IRCC or refugee file is usually a French, English or Portuguese record, and we set out names and Casamance place names consistently so a file reads as one person across documents that may spell a name differently. Translations are issued by a certified translator or carry a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution, such as IRCC, the IRB or a provincial registry.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Jola translation, our full Jola translation services, or general document translation. Every translation moves through our TEP workflow — translation, editing and proofreading by separate linguists — with free revisions.
An interpreter attends in person for hearings, medical appointments and meetings. On-site interpreting
Same-day, often within minutes, for calls, intake and urgent situations. Phone interpreting
Telehealth, remote hearings and sign language, anywhere in Canada. Video interpreting
Simultaneous interpreting for events and multilingual meetings. Conference interpreting
Legal consultations, settlement services and private appointments. Private interpreting
ASL and LSQ interpreting for accessible appointments and events. Sign language
We arrange Jola interpreters in cities across every province and territory — on site in the major centres and by telephone or video everywhere else:
Need documents translated locally? We provide certified Jola translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Jola (Diola) is a group of related Senegambian languages spoken by around 600,000 people primarily in the Casamance region of southern Senegal, plus parts of Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. The Casamance has been the site of a long low-intensity conflict, which has driven some Jola-speaker migration. The Jola-speaking community in Canada is very small, and speakers are served through our national interpreter network. Our Jola translation work is rare and typically tied to refugee-protection claims before the Immigration and Refugee Board.
No. Senegal issues civil records in French, Gambia in English, and Guinea-Bissau in Portuguese. We translate those into English or French and handle any Jola that appears in a village attestation or church record.
We ask at intake, because Jola is a group of varieties. Jola-Fonyi is the most widely understood, but Kasa and others differ, so we match the specific variety for a hearing or a medical visit.
Yes. The community is small, so interpreting is often by telephone or video, which lets us reach a speaker of the right variety. In-person attendance is arranged where an interpreter is within reach. We are a private agency, not a court-appointed vendor.
Tell us the language, the setting and the date through our quote form or by phone. We return a written quote with the exact price and turnaround, usually within 60 minutes during business hours, before you commit.
Tell us the setting, the city and the date, and we will confirm a qualified Jola interpreter and a firm price.