Talk:Inukshuk

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Merged inuksuk and inukshuk. -- Montrealais 04:38, 29 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I still don't understand the difference between 'inuksugaq and inukshuk. I was hoping the article would clarify what each of them means, how much their meanings overlap, and how the terms can be used contrastively.--Sonjaaa 03:22, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

There is little if any difference between them. It's more or less a variation in spelling due to the large number of Inuktitut dialects that are used across the Arctic. I live in Cambridge Bay and inukshuk is the word used here (and for the most part west of us) and you would never hear inuksugaq used. It would be considered an Eastern Artcic word by the people that live here. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 06:13, 28 April 2006 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Introductory paragraph

Following the debate concensus below (which I would have supported, by the way), I might reword the introductory paragraph. Currently it's describing an 'Inuksuk', and then says that the variation is 'Inukshuk'. I'll change it to describe an 'Inukshuk' and then state that it's a mis-spelling of 'Inuksuk'. It's more logical that way. I'll get around to that maybe tomorrow.

[edit] There is no such thing as an InukSHUK

The common spelling "Inukshuk" is incorrect, as there is no 'H', nor any 'shhh' sound in Inuktitut.

Why is inuksuk redirecting here? Why is "inukshuk" never used in the article, nor in other languages or the commons? I think this page ought to be a redirect to inuksuk, and I think there is evidence enough to move it. -- Sy / (talk) 00:03, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the debate was no consensus. —Nightstallion (?) 11:16, 23 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Requested move

  • Inukshuk → Inuksuk … Rationale: There is no 'h' sound in the Inuktitut language. "Inukshuk" is a common typo. This article in other language as well as on the wikimedia commons all use "inuksuk". … Please share your opinion at Talk:Inukshuk. -- Sy / (talk) 00:09, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Survey

Add *Support or *Oppose followed by an optional one-sentence explanation, then sign your opinion with ~~~~
  • Support -- All other language links and the wikimedia commons use "Inuksuk". -- Sy / (talk) 00:09, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
  • Oppose, this is how it is spelled in English. Adam Bishop 02:34, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
  • Support. There is not an "English" spelling, as it is a non-English word. There are just interpretations of the word into our alphabet, Inuksuk being the one that's actually pronounced correct. -- Consumed Crustacean | Talk | 22:23, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
  • Oppose the common English spelling is "Inukshuk" and it is a borrowed word into English, and appears in Canadian English. 132.205.94.75 01:53, 18 May 2006 (UTC)
  • Opposed The word, at this time, is part of the English language, even if the spelling was borrowed incorrectly. Even the Government of Nunavut, who have the most to gain by using the correct spelling, list it indirectly as an English word. I do suspect that over a period of time the word inuksuk will gain the upper hand, but right now it is only one of at least three different spellings. To move this would also suggest that igloo be moved to iglu as the second is the correct Inuinnaqtun/Inuktitut spelling. This also applies to kayak being moved to kajaq, saqqit or qajavialuk depending on which dialect you wish to use. All of the terms can be searched through the Government supported Asuilaak Living Dictionary CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:14, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Discussion

Add any additional comments

Well it seems the Government of Nunavut supports at least three spellings of it. I was surprised to find that Inukshuk was listed at Asuilaak Living Dictionary but that inuksuk is listed as a North Baffin (Tununiq Dialect) dialect. So it would appear that according to the dictionary inukshuk is the English version and inukhuk is the Inuinnaqtun version. It is of course possible that there may be other versions of the speeling based on other dialects. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 00:58, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

There's no H sound in this word in English either. What is your point? Adam Bishop 02:34, 17 May 2006 (UTC)
Um. "Englishh". There's no "shh" sound in Inuktitut. Inukshhuk isn't the proper pronunciation, so it seems weird to use it as the spelling. -- Sy / (talk) 03:49, 18 May 2006 (UTC)
Yes yes, I was just being pedantic, "sh" is just the spelling, there is no actual "h" sound. Adam Bishop 04:16, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

Here's a widely seen thing showing Canadian English usage of inukshuk :

Note that the inukshuk is the official symbol of the 2010 Winter Olympics and is spelt with an h. The corresponding google search without an h results in a handful of hits [1]. 132.205.45.110 03:04, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

The item used on the Vancouver logo is an inunguak not an inukhut, which is why I changed the picture. CambridgeBayWeather (Talk) 09:14, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

The point I was trying to make, is that Canadians have long used the word and term Inukshuk, as opposed to its appropriate spelling and pronounciation, Inuksuk. I have a problem with the argument that because it is widely found on the internet as being spelled Inukshuk, it must be right. The only ones that can be truly right, are those that speak the language. INUIT. If an Inuk tells you it is spelled InukSUK, then it is right. It is our language. I am hoping that by adding these changes to the Wikipedia encyclopedia we can then teach others the difference. Our language is important to us and using it properly in the media is also important. Also, it is embarrassing that the use of the symbol for the Vancouver Olympics is being so widely broadcasted as an Inukshuk. Its a blatant example of ignorance of minority cultures in Canada. And you'll notice, in the actual Wikipedia Article, I have gone through it and provided all proper spellings, and that my proposal is to change it to Inuksuk, not because there is no 'h' sound, but because there is no letter or symbol representing the 'h' as would be found in english. I pointed out that there is no 'shhh' sound, as in other dialects there is an 'h' sound used. If further clarification is needed, I can offer up some information provided by Inuktitut Linguists, those that have studied the evolution of the language and the intricacies of each syllable and how it is used to portray a SPECIFIC meaning. Tuurnaq1281

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

[edit] The Canadian Press

This should settle the spelling debate. The book CAPS and SPELLING by the Canadian Press uses and recommends Inukshuk, with sh and with always capitalized I. This is the style used by journalists across Canada, which is the country with the most Inukshuks in it. :)--Sonjaaa 19:12, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] comments from 204.60.101.194

the inuksuk portrayed in the olympic logo is IDENTICAL to that which stands at the top of Whistler Mountain, site of the 2010 winter olympic downhill ski competition.

original quote: An inunnguaq forms the basis of the logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics designed by Vancouver artist Elena Rivera MacGregor; its use in this context has been controversial, both among the Inuit and the First Nations of British Columbia. Although the design is under question, it is widely acknowledged that it pays tribute to the inuksuk that stands at Vancouver's English Bay, which was created by artisan Alvin Kanak of Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories (which is now in the territory of Nunavut that separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999.)

[edit] Superfriends

Why is no mention made of the Superfriends superhero Apache Chief in the modern usage section? The phrase 'inukshuk' (with any number of misspellings, such as 'inukchuk' or 'enuch chuck') has become quite popular in geek culture for the way it refers to the cheesy 'minoriteam' heroes added to the Superfriends lineup with no regard to their culture or the meanings of their names. As a sort of followup, 'inukshuk' is also used the activate the Justice League of America character Manitou Raven's superhuman growth powers. 71.232.25.117 17:02, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Sh

I note the above discussion and hope that people are not too bored of the subject, but surely if the word has been determined to be naturalised as 'inukshuk' that form should be used in the body of the article, together with its English plural 'inukshuks'.
I am all for defending the (Canadian) English language and would resist 'iglu' vehemently, but 'igloo' is an honest attempt to represent the original word, whereas 'inukshuk' seems to me to be a simple blunder which does not deserve to be preserved for posterity.
--86.7.17.120 18:40, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] O Canada?

This article suggests inuksuk are endemic to Canada alone.

Not true.

The building of stone cairns, whether called inuksuk or not, extends across Greenland, North America (including Alaska) and into much of Siberia.

I find this article highly partisan to Canadian interests, perhaps in large part because the authors of this piece probably hail from Canada. Even then, it needs serious expansion to include every region in which inuksuks are commonplace and culturally significant.

69.178.38.95 (talk) 09:46, 20 November 2007 (UTC)chuck thompson

This article, though, is specifically about inuksuit in Canada. Wikipedia also has an article about cairns, which has broader scope, and specific culturally-significant cairns, such as Mongolian Ovoo. The inukshuk is culturally and historically important to Canada, so an article specific to this type of cairn exists to describe those details, which would overwhelm the more general article about cairns. There's no reason we can't have both. Mindmatrix 14:46, 20 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] How to make one?

Does any one have tips on making one? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.138.55.15 (talk) 01:13, 14 January 2008 (UTC)