Uummarmiut dialect

Uummarmiutun or Canadian Iñupiaq is the variant of Iñupiaq (or Inuvialuk) spoken by the Uummarmiut, part of the Inuvialuit, who live mainly in the communities of Inuvik and Aklavik in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

This dialect is essentially the same as Alaskan Inupiatun, and is present in Canada because of migration from Alaska in the 1910s, reoccupying traditionally Siglit Inuit lands abandoned during the devastating disease outbreaks of the previous century.^[1]

Because Inuvik and Aklavik are ethnically mixed communities where English is the near exclusive language of communication, few young people speak Uummarmiutun and the language is very endangered. It is one of the three dialects of Inuit language grouped together under the label Inuvialuktun.

Phonology

Uummarmiutun has three vowels:

• Short vowels: a i u
• Long vowels: aa ii uu
• Diphthongs: ai ui au iu ua ia

Uummarmiutun has 19 consonants: ch, f, g, h, dj, k, l, ł, m, n, ñ, ng, p, q, r, ȓ, t, v, y.

Vocabulary comparison

The comparison of some animal names in the two dialects of Iñupiaq language:

See also

• Kangiryuarmiutun
• Siglitun

References

Further reading

• Lowe, Ronald. Uummarmiut Uqalungiha Mumikhitchirutingit = Basic Uummarmiut Eskimo Dictionary. Inuvik, N.W.T., Canada: Committee for Original Peoples Entitlement, 1984. ISBN 0969159714
• Lowe, Ronald. Basic Uummarmiut Eskimo Grammar = Uummarmiut Uqalungiha Ilihaur̂r̂utikr̂angit. C.O.P.E, 5. Inuvik, N.W.T.: Committee for Original Peoples Entitlement, 1985. ISBN 0969159749

External links

• Inuvaluit Region - Languages