Inuvialuktun

Inuvialuktun is the umbrella term for the Inuit languages spoken by the Inuvialuit in the western Canadian Arctic. It belongs to the Inuit-Yupik-Unangan subgroup of the Eskimo-Aleut language family and is related to other Inuit languages spoken across the Arctic, though it forms a distinct regional variety.

Linguists typically distinguish three main dialect groups within Inuvialuktun: Western Inuvialuktun, Central Inuvialuktun (also known as Uummarmiutun), and Eastern Inuvialuktun. The dialects differ in pronunciation and vocabulary, but they share core grammatical features and a common cultural context.

Orthography for Inuvialuktun is primarily Latin-based in modern education and official use, with communities employing slightly different conventions for spelling and transcription. Historically, related Inuit languages have explored various scripts, but contemporary usage in the Inuvialuit settlements emphasizes a unified Latin alphabet for writing and literacy programs.

The language status varies by community, with many speakers bilingual in English and some younger people having limited fluency. Like many Indigenous languages in North America, Inuvialuktun faces challenges from language shift, but revitalization efforts are ongoing. Initiatives include school instruction in Inuvialuktun, language nests and after-school programs, community Radio and media programming, and the development of dictionaries, teaching materials, and online resources.

Inuvialuktun plays a central role in preserving traditional knowledge, storytelling, place names, and cultural practices of the Inuvialuit, supporting intergenerational transfer of language and identity in the western Canadian Arctic.