Dinka Interpreters and Translators: A Quick Guide

As the Dinka people increasingly migrate to the United States for safety, economic opportunities, and a better quality of life, language access is one of their biggest obstacles. This is where Dinka interpreters and translators step in and help migrants integrate safely into their new surroundings.

For the Dinka, whose cultural and linguistic heritage has stood the test of time, language services play a major role in bridging the gap between their traditional ways of life and the challenges of modern migration.

This blog explores the Dinka language, why the Dinka are migrating, and the help interpreters can provide as they settle in the United States.

Who speaks Dinka?

Dinka is spoken by the Dinka people, one of the largest ethnic communities in South Sudan. Most speakers live in the central and northern parts of the country, where it is used in daily life, local media, and cultural practices. In these areas, Dinka is usually the primary language for communication, even if other languages are also spoken.

Outside South Sudan, Dinka is also spoken in diaspora communities that have settled abroad over several decades in Uganda and Ethiopia, as well as in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. In these countries, Dinka is commonly used within households, churches, and community gatherings.

Dinka is not a single uniform language but rather a cluster of related variants within the Nilotic language family. People who speak neighboring variants can usually understand one another, though mutual intelligibility decreases with geographic distance. Linguists typically group Dinka into five main clusters: Rek, Agar, Twic, Bor, and Padang. They share several features, but each has differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.

The Dinka people have lived in the Nile Basin for centuries, with roots dating back 1,500 to 3,000 years. Over time, they built decentralized communities organized around cattle herding, fishing, and farming along the White Nile. Despite decades of colonial rule and conflict, Dinka communities maintained their social systems and oral traditions. Dinka leaders also played visible roles during Sudan’s civil wars and in South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

Why are the Dinka migrating?

Since its independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced instability primarily from violence related to political rivalry. The new state fell into civil war in late 2013 after a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar escalated into armed conflict. While the 2018 peace agreement brought a temporary pause, the violence began again in 2025.

Within South Sudan, an estimated 2.6 million people are internally displaced. Ongoing conflict between armed groups, local insecurity, and the collapse of basic services have all contributed to this movement. In early 2025 alone, the United Nations reported that roughly 300,000 people fled as violence intensified.

South Sudan experiences some of the highest levels of climate-related risk worldwide. Severe flooding and prolonged drought have disrupted farming and pastoral livelihoods that support many Dinka families. In recent years, flooding has submerged villages and destroyed crops, while unpredictable rainfall has destabilized cattle herding and planting cycles.

Displacement from flooding can also lead to increased competition over land, grazing areas, and water, especially in regions already affected by armed conflict, like the Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity states. In 2024, over 1.4 million people were affected, and 380,000 were displaced. For many Dinka, migrating to safer areas means better access to food, protection, and humanitarian assistance.  

The Roles And Importance Of Dinka Interpreters

Dinka interpreters help migrants to express themselves and understand the information they are given, allowing them to better advocate for themselves and make more informed decisions.

Interpreters act as trusted guides for Dinka migrants, guiding them through the complex U.S. immigration system and helping them get access to medical, legal, and social services. In settings like doctor's appointments, immigration proceedings, and court hearings, qualified Dinka interpreters are indispensable. 

Besides providing language assistance, interpreters are also integral to intercultural communication. Having an interpreter who understands both American and Dinka cultures can help make communication smoother and less stressful for both sides.

Reaching a trained Dinka interpreter is usually not a simple process. Dinka consists of multiple variants, and fluency in one doesn't necessarily mean understanding another. It also relies heavily on oral communication, and relatively few standardized written materials or formal training programs are available. Moreover, only a few Dinka speakers in U.S. diaspora communities have completed professional training, so the majority cannot accept formal interpretation assignments.

This language disparity restricts Dinka speakers' access to healthcare, legal aid, and social services. Without language services, they are at risk of misdiagnoses, unfair asylum decisions, and unjust deportations. Dinka speakers need access to qualified interpreters to have a clear understanding of their circumstances and exercise their fundamental right to language access in the U.S.

Work With A Dinka Interpreter from Maya Bridge 

We offer language services for Dinka and all of its variants. Our Dinka-to-English interpretation services are trusted by government agencies, healthcare providers, and courts across the country. As a small, niche agency specializing in Indigenous languages, we are uniquely equipped to deliver on-demand Dinka interpretation, 24 hours a day.

We offer:

• Video Remote Dinka Interpretation 

• Over-the-phone Dinka Interpretation 

• In-person Dinka Interpretation 

• Court-certified Dinka Interpretation

• Medical-certified Dinka Interpretation

• Dinka Translation

• Dinka Voiceover and Subtitles

Learn more about our language services here. 

Maya Bridge - A Leading Advocate For Indigenous and Lower-resource Language Access In The U.S.

At Maya Bridge Language Services, we’re a mission-driven interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services. We proudly provide interpretation in over 230 languages, including more than 145 Indigenous and low-diffusion languages from Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Native American communities.

Since 2021, we have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world. Our growing network of trained interpreters ensures that Indigenous language speakers are heard and understood in critical moments, from healthcare to legal settings and access to government services.

Contact us to schedule a meeting or call us anytime, day or night, at (801) 753-8568. 

About the Author

Jace Norton is a Q'eqchi' interpreter and linguist with an extensive background in the Q'eqchi' language. Norton lived and worked among the Q'eqchi' people from 2010 to 2012, created a language learning guide for Q'eqchi' in 2014, and worked in Q'eqchi' translation and interpretation from 2017 to 2021. In 2021, Norton founded Maya Bridge Language Services and is now a leading advocate for Mayan language access in the US.