Language Requirements
An accreditation candidate should be able to accurately transcribe, translate, and abstract documents from a variety of time-periods and with a variety of script styles, from their chosen region. Applicants will be expected to accurately translate and abstract documents of genealogical significance from the primary language into English. For regions that have documents in multiple languages, candidates will be required to abstract and translate information of genealogical value (names, dates, places, events) in all the languages used in a region.
Applicants will be required to identify all documents by type and language, if other than English.
The table below shows the relevant language skills needed for accreditation in each region.
| Testing Region | Transcribe & Translate | Abstract |
|---|---|---|
| African-American (Specialty) | English | English |
| Argentina-Uruguay | Spanish | Spanish |
| Austria | German, Latin | German, Latin |
| Belgium | French, Dutch, Latin | French, Dutch, German, Latin |
| Brazil | Portuguese | Portuguese |
| Canada - Atlantic Provinces (coming in 2025) | English, French | English, French |
| Canada - Ontario | English | English |
| Canada - Quebec | English, French | English, French, Latin |
| Canada - Western Provinces | English | English |
| Central America | Spanish | Spanish |
| Chile | Spanish | Spanish |
| Colombia-Panama | Spanish | Spanish |
| Czechia | Czech, German | Czech, German, Latin |
| Denmark | Danish | Danish, German |
| England | English, Latin | English, Latin |
| Finland | Finnish, Swedish | Finnish, Swedish |
| France | French | French, German, Latin |
| Germany East | German, Latin | German, Latin, Polish |
| Germany Northwest | German, Latin | German, Danish, Latin, French |
| Germany South | German, French, Latin | German, French, Latin |
| Ireland | English | English, Latin |
| Italy | Italian, Latin | Italian, Latin |
| Luxembourg | French, German, Latin | French, German, Latin |
| Mexico | Spanish | Spanish |
| Netherlands | Dutch, Latin | Dutch, French, Latin |
| Norway | Norwegian | Norwegian |
| Peru | Spanish | Spanish |
| Poland | Polish, German, Latin | Polish, German, Russian, Latin |
| Portugal | Portuguese | Portuguese |
| Russia | Russian | Russian |
| Scotland | English | English, Latin |
| Spain | Spanish | Spanish, Catalan |
| Sweden | Swedish | Swedish |
| Switzerland | French, German, Latin | French, German, Italian, Latin |
| US - Great Lakes | English | English, German |
| US - Mid-Atlantic | English | English, German |
| US - New England | English | English |
| US - North Central | English | English, German, Swedish |
| US - Northwest | English | English |
| US - South Central | English | English, French, German, Spanish |
| US - Southeast | English | English |
| US - Southwest | English | English, Spanish |
| US - Upper South | English | English |
| Venezuela | Spanish | Spanish |
| Wales | English | English, Welsh |