The Inuktitut group of dialects is spoken throughout Nunavut (except for the Inuvialuktun areas), and in Northern Quebec and Labrador. It is one of the official languages of Nunavut. Much of the information on this page is from Dorais (1990). The dialects of InuktitutThere are six main dialect divisions:
These six dialects can be organised into three larger dialect groups: Kivalliq-Aivilik, Baffin, Nunavik-Labrador. Generally speaking, all these dialects write in syllabics, except for Labrador Inuttut which has its own unique Roman orthography. In the phonetic charts on this page, the Inuit Cultural Institute (ICI) Roman orthography will be used. Note: There are several Roman Orthography conventions on this site that may require further explanation. On the charts below, there is lots of phonetic terminology that may not be familiar to everyone. This page uses no characters outside the Unicode standard. |
There are over 14,500 speakers in Canada in 1981 (Dorais 1990). The Canadian Census counts 35,695 Inuktitut speakers in 2006, up from 32,775 speakers of all dialects (Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Inupiaq) in 2001.
Inuktitut Syllabics
Community Names:Kivalliq: ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᖅ (Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake), ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔭᖅ (Tikirarjuaq/Whale Cove) Aivilik: ᓴᒡᓕᖅ (Sagliq/Southampton Island), ᐃᒡᓗᓪᓕᒑᕐᔪᒃ (Igluligaarjuk/Chesterfield Inlet), ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᖅ (Qangiqłiniq/Rankin Inlet). North Baffin: ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒃ (Iglulik/Igloolik), ᓴᓂᕋᔭᖅ (Sanirajaq/Hall Beach), ᒥᑦᑎᒪᑕᓕᒃ (Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet), ᑲᖏᖅᑐᒑᐱᒃ (Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River), ᐃᒃᐱᐊᕐᔪᒃ (Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay), ᓇᓂᓯᕕᒃ (Nanisivik), ᖃᐅᓱᑦᑐᖅ (Qausuittuq/Resolute), ᐊᐅᔪᐃᑦᑐᖅ (Aujuittuq/Grise Fiord) South Baffin: ᑲᖏᖅᑐᒑᐱᒃ (Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River), ᕿᑭᖅᑕᕐᔾᔪᐊᖅ (Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island), ᐸᖕᓂᖅᑐᐅᖅ (Pangniqtuuq/Pangnirtung), ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ (Iqaluit/Frobisher Bay), ᑭᖕᒥᕈᒃ (Kingmiruk/Lake Harbour), ᑭᙵᐃᑦ (Kinngait/Cape Dorset) Nunavik: ᑰᑦᔪᐊᕌᐱᒃ (Kuujjuaraapik/Great Whale River)*, ᐅᒥᐅᔭᖅ (Umiujaq), ᐃᓄᑦᔪᐊᖅ (Inujjuaq/Inukjuak), ᐳᕕᕐᓂᑐᐅᖅ (Puvirnituq), ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ (Sanikiluaq), ᒣᓚᓯᒃᑯᑦ (Mailasikkut/Chisasibi)*, ᐊᑯᓕᕕᒃ (Akulivik), ᐃᕗᔨᕕᒃ (Ivujivik), ᓴᓪᓗᐃᑦ (Salluit), ᑲᖏᖅᓱᔪᐊᖅ (Kangiqsujuaq), ᖁᐊᖅᑕᖅ (Quaqtaq), ᑲᖏᕐᓱᒃ (Kangirsuk), ᐊᐅᐸᓗᒃ (Aupaluk), ᑕᓯᐅᔭᖅ (Tasiujaq), ᑰᑦᔪᐊᖅ (Kuujjuaq/Fort Chimo), ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᑦᔪᐊᖅ (Kangiqsualujjuaq), ᑕᕐᐸᖓᔪᖅ (Tarpangajuq), ᑭᓪᓕᓂᖅ (Killiniq/Port Burwell)†. Labrador Inuttut: Naini (Nain), Hopedale, Maqûvik (Makkovik), Ukkusitsalik (Davis Inlet)*†, Vaali (Goose Bay–Happy Valley), Nutâk (Nutak)†, Hebron†, Tikirarsuarusik (Rigolet), Northwest River* * Primarily a Cree, Naskapi, or Innu community. |
bilabial | alveolar | alveolar lateral | palatal | velar | uvular | glottal | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
voiceless stop | p | t | k | q | |||
voiced stop | b1 | ||||||
voiceless fricative | ł2 | s3 | h3 | ||||
voiced fricative | v | l | g | r | |||
approximant | j4 | ||||||
nasal | m | n | ng |
front | central | back | |
---|---|---|---|
high | i | u | |
low | a |
Notes:
|
bilabial | alveolar | alveolar lateral | palatal | velar | uvular | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
voiceless stop | p | t | k | K | ||
voiceless fricative | f | dl | s | |||
voiced fricative | v | l | g | |||
approximant | j | |||||
nasal | m | n | ng |
front | central | back | |
---|---|---|---|
high | i (e) | u (o) | |
low | a |
Notes:
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Last Update:
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