Prism Linguistics arranges Krio interpreters and, less often, certified translation across Canada, mainly for refugee, immigration and medical matters. Krio is the English-based creole that serves as the lingua franca of Sierra Leone, and because Sierra Leone conducts official business in English, most files are interpreting-led, and a good deal of the work runs nationwide by telephone and video.
Krio matters are almost entirely interpreting, because Krio has its own grammar and a Krio account is not the same as an English one; an interviewer needs a Krio interpreter to hear it accurately. We arrange interpreters for Immigration and Refugee Board hearings, IRCC interviews, legal aid, and hospital and mental-health appointments; we confirm what a court requires beforehand.
An interpreter is briefed to keep Krio and English distinct in the record, so a speaker's Krio testimony is rendered in full rather than waved through as if it were standard English. Where the speaker's language is Mende, Temne or another Sierra Leonean language rather than Krio, telling us at booking lets us match it. Attendance is in person in the larger centres and by telephone or video elsewhere.
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.
Certified Krio translation is light, because Sierra Leone issues birth, marriage and death certificates and school records in English already. It helps to remember that Krio is a full creole with its own grammar, not broken English, so a Krio sentence can be misread by someone expecting standard English.
The document work that does come up is usually verification, or the translation of an older, handwritten or damaged record. Where a rural birth was registered late, a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths can accompany a translation to record how a name or date was established, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution such as IRCC or the IRB.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Krio translation, our full Krio 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 Krio 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 Krio translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Krio is an English-based creole and the lingua franca of Sierra Leone, spoken across the country. It's closely related to the English-based creoles of West Africa (Pidgin Nigeria, Cameroonian Pidgin) and the Caribbean (Jamaican Patois). Krio speakers in Canada are served through our national interpreter network, and Krio work is mostly interpreting for IRB, IRCC and medical matters, since Sierra Leone issues its records in English.
Usually not, since Sierra Leone issues records in English. We can review the file and translate only an older or non-English record a receiving institution needs.
No. Krio is a full creole language with its own grammar, and treating it as English can distort testimony, which is why a Krio interpreter is used.
Tell us at booking. We confirm the language and arrange a Mende, Temne or Krio interpreter to match, rather than assume one covers the other.
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 Krio interpreter and a firm price.