Inuinnaqtun

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A language of Canada

ISO 639-3
ikt
Alternate Names
Western Canadian Inuit, Western Canadian Inuktitut
Population

410 (2011 census). All Inuktitut languages 32,800 (2001 census).

Location

Central Canadian Arctic, west to Mackenzie delta and coastal area, including Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast north of Inuvik (but not Inuvik and Aklavik, and coastal area).

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in NWT (1988, NWT Official Languages Act, Chapter 56(Supplemented), Section 4), restricted official use.

Classification
Eskimo-Aleut, Eskimo, Inuit-Inupiaq
Dialects

Caribou Eskimo (Keewatin), Copper Inuktitut (“Copper Eskimo” (pej.), Copper Inuit), Netsilik, Siglit (Siglitun).

Language Use

Vigorous in Caribou and Netsilik. In Commer and west, used by parent and grandparent generations (1995 M. Krauss). Also use English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 25%–50%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. NT: 1983.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Inuinnaqtun
Writing
Latin script. Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics script.