Prism Linguistics provides certified translation and Sylhetti interpreting across Canada, where the document work is usually Bengali and the spoken need is Sylhetti itself, for medical, IRB and settlement appointments. Sylhetti, also written Sylheti or Siloti, is an Indo-Aryan language of the Sylhet region of Bangladesh and the neighbouring Barak Valley in Assam, India. Canada's Bangladeshi community is concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area, and Sylhetti speakers are a substantial part of it.
Last reviewed September 6, 2026 by the Prism Linguistics editorial team
Spoken Sylhetti is where the language genuinely stands apart, and this is a common source of trouble. Sylhetti is often treated as a dialect of Bengali, but the two have limited mutual intelligibility, and a Standard Bengali interpreter can miss part of what a Sylhetti-dominant speaker says, which is a real risk in a medical history or a hearing. At booking we confirm whether a speaker is more comfortable in Sylhetti or Standard Bengali rather than assume Bengali covers both.
Sylhetti interpreters attend hospital and clinic appointments under PHIPA and PIPEDA, where an elderly speaker is most likely to be left relying on a family member, along with IRB hearings, IRCC interviews and school and settlement meetings, in person where one is available and by telephone or video anywhere in the country.
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.
Sylhetti once had its own script, Sylheti Nagri, which is now nearly extinct, so present-day speakers write in Bengali or in English rather than in a Sylhetti script. A family's birth and marriage certificates, national identity records, school papers and court documents are therefore issued in Bengali or English.
A request framed as Sylhetti translation is in practice a certified Bengali to English translation for an IRCC, IRB or provincial file. We render exactly what the record shows, by a certified translator or with a sworn affidavit before a commissioner of oaths, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
For documents rather than spoken interpreting, see certified Sylhetti translation, our full Sylhetti 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 Sylhetti 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 Sylhetti translation in the same cities:
Or browse every city we cover.
Sylhetti is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by around 10 million people in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh and northeastern India, plus a substantial UK diaspora. It's often classified as a Bengali dialect, though Sylhetti speakers regard it as a distinct language with its own historical Syloti Nagri script. The Sylhetti-speaking community in Canada is small relative to the UK community, with concentrations within the Bangladeshi-Canadian population of the Toronto area. Our Sylhetti translation work is mostly IRCC family-sponsorship documents from Bangladeshi-Sylhet sources.
Yes. The old Sylheti Nagri script is nearly extinct, so Sylhetti speakers write in Bengali or English. We provide a certified Bengali to English translation, and acceptance ultimately depends on the receiving institution.
For spoken interpreting, no. Sylhetti has limited mutual intelligibility with Standard Bengali, and a Bengali interpreter can miss part of what a Sylhetti-dominant speaker says. We confirm the speaker's stronger language before booking, which matters most in medical and legal settings.
Yes, in person where one is available and otherwise by telephone or video, so an elderly speaker is not left relying on a family member.
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 Sylhetti interpreter and a firm price.