Inuvialuktun
Encyclopedia
Inuvialuktun, or Western Canadian Inuit language, Western Canadian Inuktitut, Western Canadian Inuktun comprises three Inuit
dialects spoken in the northern Northwest Territories
by those Canadian
Inuit
who call themselves Inuvialuk (plural Inuvialuit).
Inuvialuktun is spoken by the Inuit of the Mackenzie River
delta in the Northwest Territories
, Banks Island
, part of Victoria Island and the Arctic Ocean
coast of the Northwest Territories – the lands of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
. The government of the Northwest Territories considers Inuvialuktun distinct from the Inuktitut spoken in Nunavut
.
Inuvialuktun is one of the eleven official languages of the Northwest Territories
. It is written using the Roman alphabet and has no tradition of using Inuktitut syllabics
. However, the official understanding of Inuvialuktun is somewhat at variance to the way linguists understand it. Rather than a single dialect, Inuvialuktun is a politically motivated grouping of three quite distinct and separate dialects.
Before the 20th century, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
was primarily inhabited by Siglit Inuit who spoke the Siglitun
dialect, but in the second half of the 19th century, their numbers were dramatically reduced by the introduction of new diseases. Inuit from Alaska moved into traditionally Siglit areas in the 1910s and 20s, enticed in part by renewed demand for furs from the Hudson's Bay Company
. These Inuit are called Uummarmiut
– which means people of the green trees – in reference to their settlements near the tree line. Originally, there was an intense dislike between the Siglit and the Uummarmiut, but these differences have faded over the years, and the two communities are thoroughly intermixed these days.
's 2001 Census report is only slightly better, reporting 765 self-identified Inuktitut speakers out of a self-reported Inuvialuit population of 3,905. Considering the large number of non-Inuit living in Inuvialuit areas and the lack of a single common dialect among the already reduced number of speakers, the future of the Inuit language in the NWT appears bleak.
From east to west, the dialects are:
In addition, Uummarmiutun
, the dialect of the Uummarmiut
which is essentially identical to the Inupiatun dialect spoken in Alaska
and so considered an Iñupiaq language, has conventionally been grouped with Inuvialuktun because it's spoken in Canada. Uummarmiutun is found in the communities of Inuvik
and Aklavik
.
's 2001 Census reports 765 self-identified Inuvialuktun speakers out of a self-reported Inuvialuit population of 3,905.
With only a few hundred speakers and already divided into diverse dialects, Inuvialuktun's future appears bleak.
Inuit language
The Inuit language is traditionally spoken across the North American Arctic and to some extent in the subarctic in Labrador. The related Yupik languages are spoken in western and southern Alaska and Russian Far East, particularly the Diomede Islands, but is severely endangered in Russia today and...
dialects spoken in the northern Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
by those Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
who call themselves Inuvialuk (plural Inuvialuit).
Inuvialuktun is spoken by the Inuit of the Mackenzie River
Mackenzie River
The Mackenzie River is the largest river system in Canada. It flows through a vast, isolated region of forest and tundra entirely within the country's Northwest Territories, although its many tributaries reach into four other Canadian provinces and territories...
delta in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, Banks Island
Banks Island
One of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Banks Island is situated in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is separated from Victoria Island to its east by the Prince of Wales Strait and from the mainland by Amundsen Gulf to its south. The Beaufort Sea lies...
, part of Victoria Island and the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
coast of the Northwest Territories – the lands of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Inuvialuit Settlement Region
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region , located in Canada’s western Arctic, was designated in 1984 in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada for the Inuvialuit people...
. The government of the Northwest Territories considers Inuvialuktun distinct from the Inuktitut spoken in Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
.
Inuvialuktun is one of the eleven official languages of the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
. It is written using the Roman alphabet and has no tradition of using Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics is a writing system used by the Inuit in Nunavut and in Nunavik, Quebec...
. However, the official understanding of Inuvialuktun is somewhat at variance to the way linguists understand it. Rather than a single dialect, Inuvialuktun is a politically motivated grouping of three quite distinct and separate dialects.
Before the 20th century, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Inuvialuit Settlement Region
The Inuvialuit Settlement Region , located in Canada’s western Arctic, was designated in 1984 in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement by the Government of Canada for the Inuvialuit people...
was primarily inhabited by Siglit Inuit who spoke the Siglitun
Siglitun
The Siglit dialect, or Siglitun, is the dialect of Inuvialuk language spoken by the Siglit Inuit. It is mainly used in the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk...
dialect, but in the second half of the 19th century, their numbers were dramatically reduced by the introduction of new diseases. Inuit from Alaska moved into traditionally Siglit areas in the 1910s and 20s, enticed in part by renewed demand for furs from the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. These Inuit are called Uummarmiut
Uummarmiut
The Uummarmiut is the name given to the Inuvialuit who live predominantly in the Mackenzie Delta communities of Aklavik and Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada...
– which means people of the green trees – in reference to their settlements near the tree line. Originally, there was an intense dislike between the Siglit and the Uummarmiut, but these differences have faded over the years, and the two communities are thoroughly intermixed these days.
Dialects
The Inuvialuktun dialects are seriously endangered, as English has in recent years become the common language of the community. Surveys of Inuktitut usage in the NWT vary, but all agree that usage is not vigorous. According to the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre, only some 10% of the roughly 4,000 Inuvialuit speak any form of Inuktitut, and only some 4% use it at home. Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
's 2001 Census report is only slightly better, reporting 765 self-identified Inuktitut speakers out of a self-reported Inuvialuit population of 3,905. Considering the large number of non-Inuit living in Inuvialuit areas and the lack of a single common dialect among the already reduced number of speakers, the future of the Inuit language in the NWT appears bleak.
From east to west, the dialects are:
- North Baffin (Qikiqtaaluk uannangani) is spoken on the northern part of Baffin IslandBaffin IslandBaffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
, at Iglulik and the adjacent part of the Melville PeninsulaMelville PeninsulaMelville Peninsula is a large peninsula in the Canadian Arctic. Since 1999, it has been part of Nunavut. Before that, it was part of the District of Franklin. It's separated from Southampton Island by Frozen Strait. The narrow isthmus connecting the peninsula to the mainland is styled the “Rae...
, and in Inuit communities in the far north of Nunavut, like ResoluteResolute, NunavutResolute or Resolute Bay is a small Inuit hamlet on Cornwallis Island in Nunavut, Canada. It is situated at the northern end of Resolute Bay and the Northwest Passage and is part of the Qikiqtaaluk Region....
and Grise Fiord. This dialect is the one heard in the film Atanarjuat: the Fast Runner. The South Baffin dialect is (East) Inuktitut. - Aivilingmiutut is spoken in the area traditionally known as Aivilik: Southampton IslandSouthampton IslandSouthampton Island is a large island at the entrance to Hudson Bay at Foxe Basin. One of the larger members of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Southampton Island is part of the Kivalliq Region in Nunavut, Canada. The area of the island is stated as by Statistics Canada . It is the 34th largest...
and Repulse BayRepulse BayRepulse Bay is a bay in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, located in the Southern District, Hong Kong.-Geography:Repulse Bay is located in the south of Hong Kong Island, to the east of Deep Water Bay and to the west of Middle Bay and South Bay...
in Kivalliq, and part of the Melville PeninsulaMelville PeninsulaMelville Peninsula is a large peninsula in the Canadian Arctic. Since 1999, it has been part of Nunavut. Before that, it was part of the District of Franklin. It's separated from Southampton Island by Frozen Strait. The narrow isthmus connecting the peninsula to the mainland is styled the “Rae...
in the Qikiqtaaluk Region. This area was settled by Inuit after the disappearance of the SadlermiutSadlermiutThe Sadlermiut were an Eskimo group living in near isolation mainly on and around Coats Island, Walrus Island, and Southampton Island in Hudson Bay...
in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some linguists consider it too close to North Baffin to merit separate treatment. - Kivallirmiutut is spoken in the Kivalliq Region down to the ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
border, south of Natsilingmiutut (next). - Natsilingmiutut consists of 3 subdialects: Natsilik, Arviligjuaq, Utkuhiksalik. Because it is spoken in NunavutNunavutNunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, it is often counted as InuktitutInuktitutInuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
. - InuinnaqtunInuinnaqtunInuinnaqtun , is an indigenous Inuit language of Canada and a dialect of Inuvialuktun. It is related very closely to Inuktitut, and some scholars, such as Richard Condon, believe that Inuinnaqtun is more appropriately classified as a dialect of Inuktitut...
is transitional with InuktitutInuktitutInuktitut or Eastern Canadian Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian Inuit language is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada...
, and is sometimes classified as Inuktitut. It consists of 4 subdialects: KangiryuarmiutunKangiryuarmiutunThe Kangiryuarmiut dialect, or Kangiryuarmiutun , is the name of the dialect of Inuit language spoken in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, Canada by Kangiryuarmiut people of Copper Inuit. The dialect is part of the Inuvialuktun language...
, Coppermine, Bathurst, Cambridge. The Kangiryuarmiutun subdialect is spoken in the small community of UlukhaktokUlukhaktok, Northwest TerritoriesUlukhaktok is a small hamlet on the west coast of Victoria Island, in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The 2006 census indicated a population of 398 of which 360 were Inuvialuit or Inuit along with 7.5% non-Aboriginal and 2.5% North American Indian...
. Essentially the same as Natsilingmiutut, and also often counted as Inuktitut. - SiglitunSiglitunThe Siglit dialect, or Siglitun, is the dialect of Inuvialuk language spoken by the Siglit Inuit. It is mainly used in the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk...
: Until the 1980s, it was believed that the Siglitun dialect was extinct, but it is still spoken by people in PaulatukPaulatuk, Northwest TerritoriesPaulatuk is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located adjacent to Darnley Bay, in the Amundsen Gulf...
, Sachs HarbourSachs Harbour, Northwest TerritoriesSachs Harbour is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Situated on the southwestern coast of Banks Island in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, the population according to the 2006 census count was 122 people. The two principal languages in the town are...
and TuktoyaktukTuktoyaktuk, Northwest TerritoriesTuktoyaktuk, or Tuktuyaaqtuuq , is an Inuvialuit hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Commonly referred to simply by its first syllable, Tuk, the settlement lies north of the Arctic Circle on the shore of the Arctic Ocean...
.
In addition, Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun
Uummarmiutun or Canadian Iñupiaq is the variant of Iñupiaq spoken by the Uummarmiut, part of the Inuvialuit, who live mainly in the communities of Inuvik and Aklavik in the Northwest Territories of Canada....
, the dialect of the Uummarmiut
Uummarmiut
The Uummarmiut is the name given to the Inuvialuit who live predominantly in the Mackenzie Delta communities of Aklavik and Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada...
which is essentially identical to the Inupiatun dialect spoken in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and so considered an Iñupiaq language, has conventionally been grouped with Inuvialuktun because it's spoken in Canada. Uummarmiutun is found in the communities of Inuvik
Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Inuvik is a town in the Northwest Territories of Canada and is the administrative centre for the Inuvik Region.The population as of the 2006 Census was 3,484, but the two previous census counts show wide fluctuations due to economic conditions: 2,894 in 2001 and 3,296 in 1996...
and Aklavik
Aklavik, Northwest Territories
Aklavik is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Until 1961, the community served as the regional administrative centre for the territorial government...
.
Inuvialuktun phrases
| English | Inuvialuktun | pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Atitu | /atitu/ |
| Good Bye | Ilaannilu/Qakugulu | /ilaːnilu/ / /qakuɡulu/ |
| Thank you | Quyanainni | /qujanainni/ |
| You are welcome | Amiunniin | /amiunniːn/ |
| How are you? | Qanuq itpin? | /qanuq itpin/ |
| I am fine | Nakuyumi/Nakuyumi assi | /nakujumi assi/ |
| Good morning | Ublaami | /ublaːmi/ |
| Yes | Ii | /iː/ |
| No | Naaggai | /naːɡɡai/ |
| Cold! Brrr! | Alaappa! | /alaːppa/ |
| *Gasp* (an expression used when alarmed or fearful) |
Alii | /aliː/ |
| See you later | Anaqanaallu | /anaqanaːllu/ |
| Wow/Awesome | Aqqali | /aqqali/ |
| Listen! | Ata! | /ata/ |
| See you, too | Ilaanniptauq | /ilaːnniptauq/ |
| It is like this | Imaaniittuaq | /imaːniːttuaq/ |
| Like this | Imanna | /imanna/ |
| Whose? | Kia? | /kia/ |
| Who is this? | Kina una? | /kina una/ |
| Where? | Nani?/Naung?/Sumi? | /nani/ / /nauŋ/ / /sumi/ |
| Where are you from? | Nakinngaaqpin?/Sumiutauvin? | /nakiŋŋaqpin/ / /sumiutauvin/} |
| How much does it cost? | Qanuq akitutigivaa? | /qanuq akitutiɡivaː/ |
| How old is he/she? | Qanuq ukiuqtutigiva? | /qanuq ukiututiɡiva/ |
| What do you call it? | Qanuq taivakpiung? | /qanuq taivakpiuŋ/ |
| What is the time? | Sumukpaung? | /sumukpauŋ/ |
| What for? | Suksaq? | /suksaq/ |
| Why? Or how come? | Suuq? | /suːq/ |
| What? | Suva?/Suna? | /suva/~/suna/ |
| Doesn't matter/It is ok | Sunngittuq | /suŋŋittuq/ |
| What are you doing? | Suvin? | /suvin/ |
| It can't be helped! Too bad. | Qanurviituq! | /qanuʁviːtuq/ |
| in fact, actually | Nutim | [nutim] |
| Do it again! | Pipsaarung! | [pipsaːʁuŋ] |
| Go ahead and do it | Piung | [piuŋ] |
| It is cold out! | Qiqauniqtuaq | /qiqauniqtuaq/ |
| Christmas | Qitchirvik | /qittʃiʁviq/ |
| Candy | Uqummiaqataaq | [/uqummiaqataːq/ |
| Play music | Atuqtuuyaqtuaq | /atuqtuːjaqtuaq/ |
| Drum dancing | Qilaun/Qilausiyaqtuaq | /qilaun/ / /qilausijaqtuaq/ |
| Church | Angaadjuvik | /aŋaːdjuvik/ |
| Bell | Aviluraun | /aviluʁaun/ |
| Jewels | Savaqutit | /savaqutit/ |
| Eskimo ice cream | Akutuq | /akutaq/ |
| That's all! | Taima! | /taima/ |
| Siglitun Inuvialuktun snow terms | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Apiqaun | first snow layer in autumn that stays |
| Apusiqqaun | first fall of snow |
| Aqiuyaq | small, fresh snowdrift |
| Masak | waterlogged snow |
| Mauyaa | deep, soft snow |
| Minguliruqtuaq | blowing wet snow |
| Piangnaq | good snow conditions for sledge travel |
Preservation
English has in recent years become the common language of the Inuvialuit. Surveys of Inuktitut usage in the NWT vary, but all agree that usage is not vigorous. According to the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre, only some 10% of the roughly 4,000 Inuvialuit speak any dialect of Inuvialuktun, and only some 4% use it at home. http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/em-cr/eval/2003/2003_01/11_e.cfm Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
's 2001 Census reports 765 self-identified Inuvialuktun speakers out of a self-reported Inuvialuit population of 3,905.
With only a few hundred speakers and already divided into diverse dialects, Inuvialuktun's future appears bleak.