Chaochow (Teochew) interpreters and translators anywhere in the UK, for families from Chaoshan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore. We provide face-to-face, telephone and video interpreting, certified translation between Chaochow and English for the Chinese documents Teochew families bring, and bookings taken 24 hours a day.
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Chaochow interpreting services
Teochew has travelled further than most Chinese languages. From Chaoshan it went with traders and migrants to Bangkok, where it was the language of the Chinese merchant community from the city's founding in the eighteenth century, and on to Phnom Penh, Pontianak, Johor Bahru, Singapore and Hong Kong. A speaker's Teochew is recognisably the same wherever they grew up, but the words they reach for when Teochew runs out may come from Thai, Khmer, Malay, Cantonese or Mandarin, and an interpreter who shares that background will follow them more easily. Interpreting is almost always consecutive.
Face-to-face interpreting
The interpreter comes to you: a hospital ward, a courtroom, a council office, a home visit or a business meeting. It is the best choice when people need to read expressions as well as words, or when the conversation is long or sensitive.
Telephone interpreting
The quickest option to set up. It works well for short calls, triage, appointment reminders and quick checks with a client.
Video interpreting
A Chaochow interpreter joins by video for remote hearings, consultations and meetings, which helps when there is no interpreter near you.
We also provide medical interpreting and conference interpreting.
Certified Chaochow translation
Teochew families' documents follow the country that issued them, not the language spoken at home. Papers from Chaoshan are mainland Chinese documents in Simplified characters; from Hong Kong they are in Chinese and English; from Thailand or Cambodia they are in Thai or Khmer and need a translator of that language, not a Chinese one. Tell us where each document was issued and we will send it to the right translator. Every translator we use translates into their native language, and the certified English version is prepared by a native speaker of English.
- Certified translation of birth, marriage and death certificates, passports, driving licences, degree certificates and bank statements, for the Home Office, courts, universities and employers.
- Legal translation: witness statements, court bundles, contracts and immigration papers.
- Document translation of medical reports, letters, leaflets and patient information.
- Urgent translation when a deadline is close.
- Transcription of Chaochow audio and video recordings, with an English translation if you need one.
English to Chaochow translation
Teochew has no settled written standard: everyday words are written in several competing ways, and romanised systems such as Peng'im, devised in the 1960s on the model of Hanyu Pinyin, are not what most readers learned. For UK readers, choose the language they were educated in: Simplified Chinese for someone schooled in Chaoshan, Traditional for Hong Kong, and Thai or Khmer for many readers from Thailand or Cambodia, whose Chinese schooling may have been short or never happened.
Chaochow court and police interpreters
Few Teochew interpreters in the UK have court experience, so a legal booking needs notice, and the court should be told early that the language is Teochew, not Chinese in general. We look for a Teochew interpreter with legal experience and, where such interpreters exist for Teochew, one who holds the Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (Law) or is registered with the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). For a trial lasting several days, two interpreters may be needed to share the work, and with a language this rare they may come from different parts of the country.
How to book a Chaochow interpreter
- Tell us about the assignment: the date, time and address, or that you need telephone or video; how long it should last; and what it is for, such as a hospital appointment, a hearing or a business meeting.
- Tell us about the speaker: their country or region and, if you know it, their dialect. Mention any preference for a male or female interpreter.
- Get your quote. We email you a quote, with no obligation to book.
Call 0800 2425 125, email info@uklinguisticservices.co.uk or request a quote online.
About the Teochew language
Teochew is a Southern Min Chinese language, spoken mainly in the Chaoshan area of eastern Guangdong, China, and Chinese communities in Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia.
Teochew is written in Chinese characters.
Before you book: Chaochow is usually spelt Teochew. It is related to Hokkien but distinct from it, and it is not intelligible to Mandarin or Cantonese speakers.
| Name in Teochew | 潮州話 |
|---|---|
| Language family | Southern Min Chinese language |
| Where it is spoken | The Chaoshan area of eastern Guangdong, China, and Chinese communities in Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia |
| Writing system | Chinese characters |
| Language code | nan |
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Chaochow interpreters near you
We send Chaochow interpreters to appointments across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and telephone and video interpreting work wherever you are. Choose a town for its local page.
Chaochow interpreter and translator FAQs
How quickly can I book a Chaochow interpreter?
We take bookings 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Telephone and video interpreting are usually the quickest to arrange. For a face-to-face appointment, give us as much notice as you can: same-day cover is often possible, but it depends on where you are and how many Chaochow interpreters work nearby.
How much does a Chaochow interpreter cost?
The price depends on the type of interpreting (face-to-face, telephone or video), how long the appointment lasts, where it is and how much notice you give. We quote before anything is booked, and quotes are free: call 0800 2425 125 or use our online quote form.
Can you certify Chaochow translations for a UK visa or immigration application?
Yes. We translate and certify documents such as birth and marriage certificates, passports and police certificates for visa, settlement and citizenship applications. UK Visas and Immigration asks for each translation to confirm that it is accurate and to show the date and the translator's full name, signature and contact details, so tell us when you order that the document is for an immigration application. Because Teochew is not written in the Latin alphabet, send us the passport spelling of every name so the translation matches it.
Do you provide Chaochow interpreters for courts, tribunals and police interviews?
Yes. Tell us the setting when you book, for example a Crown Court trial, an immigration tribunal hearing or a police interview under caution, so we can match a Chaochow interpreter with the right legal experience and qualifications.
