Iñupiaq or Inupiaq ( , ), also known as Iñupiat, Inupiat ( ), Iñupiatun or Alaskan Inuit, is an Inuit language, or perhaps group of languages, spoken by the Iñupiat people in northern and northwestern Alaska, as well as a small adjacent part of the Northwest Territories of Canada. The Iñupiat language is a member of the Inuit–Yupik–Unangan language family, and is closely related and, to varying degrees, mutually intelligible with other Inuit languages of Canada and Greenland. There are roughly 2,000 speakers. Iñupiaq is considered to be a threatened language, with most speakers at or above the age of 40. Iñupiaq is an official language of the State of Alaska, along with several other indigenous languages.

The major varieties of the Iñupiaq language are the North Slope Iñupiaq and Seward Peninsula Iñupiaq dialects.

The Iñupiaq language has been in decline since contact with English in the late 19th century. American territorial acquisition and the legacy of boarding schools have created a situation today where a small minority of Iñupiat speak the Iñupiaq language. There is, however, revitalization work underway today in several communities.

History

The Iñupiaq language is an Inuit language, the ancestors of which may have been spoken in the northern regions of Alaska for as long as 5,000 years. Between 1,000 and 800 years ago, Inuit migrated east from Alaska to Canada and Greenland, eventually occupying the entire Arctic coast and much of the surrounding inland areas. The Iñupiaq dialects are the most conservative forms of the Inuit language, with less linguistic change than the other Inuit languages.

In the mid to late 19th century, Russian, British, and American colonists made contact with Iñupiat people. In 1885, the American territorial government appointed Rev. Sheldon Jackson as General Agent of Education. Under his administration, Iñupiat people (and all Alaska Natives) were educated in English-only environments, forbidding the use of Iñupiaq and other indigenous languages of Alaska. After decades of English-only education, with strict punishment if heard speaking Iñupiaq, after the 1970s, most Iñupiat did not pass the Iñupiaq language on to their children, for fear of them being punished for speaking their language.

In 1972, the Alaska Legislature passed legislation mandating that if "a [school is attended] by at least 15 pupils whose primary language is other than English, [then the school] shall have at least one teacher who is fluent in the native language".

Today, the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers bachelor's degrees in Iñupiaq language and culture, while a preschool/kindergarten-level Iñupiaq immersion school named Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat teaches grades PreK–1st grade in Kotzebue.

In 2014, Iñupiaq became an official language of the State of Alaska, alongside English and nineteen other indigenous languages.

In 2018, Facebook added Iñupiaq as a language option on their website. In 2022, an Iñupiaq version of Wordle was created.

Dialects

There are four main dialect divisions and these can be organized within two larger dialect collections:

  • Iñupiaq
  • Seward Peninsula Iñupiaq is spoken on the Seward Peninsula. It has a possible Yupik substrate and is divergent from other Inuit languages.
  • Qawiaraq
  • Bering Strait
  • Northern Alaskan Iñupiaq is spoken from the Northwest Arctic and North Slope regions of Alaska to the Mackenzie Delta in Northwest Territories, Canada.
  • Malimiut
  • North Slope Iñupiaq

{| class="wikitable"

!Dialect collection

!Dialect

|Kobuk River Valley, Selawik

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|Coastal

|Pittaġmiut, Kaŋiġmiut, Qikiqtaġruŋmiut

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|-

|Point Hope

|Tikiġaġmiut

|Point Hope However, it can be assumed that, within a word, if a palatal consonant is preceded by an ⟨i⟩, it is strong. If an alveolar consonant is preceded by an ⟨i⟩, it is weak.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!colspan=2|

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!Alveolar

!Retroflex / Palatal

!Velar

!Uvular

!Glottal

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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

!colspan=2|

!Labial

!Alveolar

!Palatal

!Retroflex

!Velar

!Uvular

!Glottal

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!colspan=2|Nasals

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!rowspan=2|Stops

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!rowspan=2|Fricatives

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!rowspan=2|Lateral

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!colspan=2|Approximant

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Phonological rules

The following are the phonological rules:

In 1946, Roy Ahmaogak, an Iñupiaq Presbyterian minister from Utqiaġvik, worked with Eugene Nida, a member of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, to develop the current Iñupiaq alphabet based on the Latin script. Although some changes have been made since its origin—most notably the change from 'ḳ' to 'q'—the essential system was accurate and is still in use.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Iñupiaq alphabet (North Slope and Northwest Arctic)

! A a || Ch ch || G g || Ġ ġ || H h || I i || K k || L l || Ḷ ḷ || Ł ł || Ł̣ ł̣ || M m

|-

| a || cha || ga || ġa || ha || i || ka || la || ḷa || ła || ł̣a || ma

|-

| || || || || || || || || || || ||

|-

! N n || Ñ ñ || Ŋ |Ŋ ŋ || P p || Q q || R r || S s || Sr sr || T t || U u || V v || Y y

|-

| na || ña || ŋa || pa || qa || ra || sa || sra || ta || u || va || ya

|-

| || || || || || || || || || || ||

|}

Extra letter for Kobuk dialect: ʼ

{| class="wikitable"

|+Iñupiaq alphabet (Seward Peninsula)

!A a

!B b

!G g

!Ġ ġ

!H h

!I i

!K k

!L l

!Ł ł

!M m

!N n

!Ŋ ŋ

!P p

|-

|a

|ba

|ga

|ġa

|ha

|i

|ka

|la

|ła

|ma

|na

|ŋa

|pa

|-

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!Q q

!R r

!S s

!Sr sr

!T t

!U u

!V v

!W w

!Y y

!Z z

!Zr zr

!ʼ

| rowspan="3" |

|-

|qa

|ra

|sa

|sra

|ta

|u

|va

|wa

|ya

|za

|zra

|

|-

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|}

Extra letters for specific dialects:

  • Diomede: e
  • Qawiaraq: ch //

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Canadian Iñupiaq alphabet (Uummarmiutun)

! A a || Ch ch || F f || G g || H h || Dj dj || I i || K k || L l || Ł ł || M m

|-

|a

|cha

|fa

|ga

|ha

|dja

|i

|ka

|la

|ła

|ma

|-

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! N n || Ñ ñ || Ng ng || P p || Q q || R r || R̂ r̂ || T t || U u || V v || Y y

|-

|na

|ña

|ŋa

|pa

|qa

|ra

|r̂a

|ta

|u

|va

|ya

|-

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|}

Morphosyntax

Due to the number of dialects and complexity of Iñupiaq morphosyntax, the following section discusses Malimiutun morphosyntax as a representative. Any examples from other dialects will be marked as such.

Iñupiaq is a polysynthetic language, meaning that words can be extremely long, consisting of one of three stems (verb stem, noun stem, and demonstrative stem) along with one or more of three endings (postbases, (grammatical) endings, and enclitics). North Slope Iñupiaq does not have the vocative case. These noun classes are "based on morphological behavior. [They] ... have no semantic basis but are useful for case formation ... stems of various classes interact with suffixes differently".

{|class=wikitable

|-

!1||2||3||4||5

|-

|atausiq

|malġuk

|piŋasut

|sisamat

|tallimat

|-

!6||7||8||9||10

|-

|itchaksrat

|tallimat malġuk

|tallimat piŋasut

|quliŋŋuġutaiḷaq

|qulit

|-

!11||12||13||14||15

|-

|qulit atausiq

|qulit malġuk

|qulit piŋasut

|akimiaġutaiḷaq

|akimiaq

|-

!16||17||18||19||20

|-

|akimiaq atausiq

|akimiaq malġuk

|akimiaq piŋasut

|iñuiññaġutaiḷaq

|iñuiññaq

|}

The sub-base of five shows in the words for 5, tallimat, and 15, akimiaq, to which the numbers 1 to 3 are added to create the words for 7, 8, 16, 17 and 18, etc. (itchaksrat '6' being irregular). Apart from sisamat '4', numbers before a multiple of five are indicated with the subtractive element -utaiḷaq: quliŋŋuġutaiḷaq '9' from qulit '10', akimiaġutaiḷaq '14' from akimiaq '15', iñuiññaġutaiḷaq '19' from iñuiññaq '20'.

Etymology

The numeral five, tallimat, is derived from the word for hand/arm. The word for 10, qulit, is derived from the word for "top", meaning the ten digits on the top part of the body. The numeral for 15, akimiaq, means something like "it goes across", and the numeral for 20, iñuiññaq means something like "entire person" or "complete person", indicating the 20 digits of all extremities.

Verbal morphology

Again, Malimiutun Iñupiaq is used as a representative example in this section. The basic structure of the verb is [(verb) + (derivational suffix) + (inflectional suffix) + (enclitic)], although Lanz (2010) argues that this approach is insufficient since it "forces one to analyze ... optional ... suffixes".

!Northwest Alaska Iñupiaq

!Qawiaraq Fish River dialect

!English

|-

|atausiq

|atausriq

|atausiq

|atauchiq

|1

|-

|malġuk

|malġuk

|maġluuk

|malġuk

|2

|-

|piŋasut

|piñasrut

|piŋasut

|piŋachut

|3

|-

|sisamat

|sisamat

|sitamat

|chitamat

|4

|-

|tallimat

|tallimat

|tallimat

|tallimat

|5

|-

|itchaksrat

|itchaksrat

|aġvinikłit

|aġvinilġit

|6

|-

|tallimat malġuk

|tallimat malġuk

|tallimat maġluuk

|malġunilġit

|7

|-

|tallimat piŋasut

|tallimat piñasrut

|tallimat piŋasut

|piŋachuŋilġit

|8

|-

|quliŋuġutaiḷaq

|quliŋŋuutaiḷaq

|qulinŋutailat

|quliŋŋuġutailat

|9

|-

|qulit

|qulit

|qulit

|qulit

|10

|-

|qulit atausiq

|qulit atausriq

|qulit atausiq

|qulit atauchiq

|11

|-

|akimiaġutaiḷaq

|akimiaŋŋutaiḷaq

|agimiaġutailaq

|akimiaġutailaq

|14

|-

|akimiaq

|akimiaq

|agimiaq

|akimiaq

|15

|-

|iñuiññaŋŋutaiḷaq

|iñuiñaġutaiḷaq

|inuinaġutailat

|inuinaġutailat

|19

|-

|iñuiññaq

|iñuiñaq

|inuinaq

|inuinaq

|20

|-

|iñuiññaq qulit

|iñuiñaq qulit

|inuinaq qulit

|inuinaq qulit

|30

|-

|malġukipiaq

|malġukipiaq

|maġluutiviaq

|—

|40

|-

|tallimakipiaq

|tallimakipiaq

|tallimativiaq

|—

|100

|-

|kavluutit, malġuagliaq qulikipiaq

|kavluutit

|kabluutit

|—

|1000

|-

|nanuq

|nanuq

|taġukaq

|nanuq

|polar bear

|-

|ilisaurri

|ilisautri

|iskuuqti

|ilichausriri

|teacher

|-

|miŋuaqtuġvik

|aglagvik

|iskuuġvik

|naaqiwik

|school

|-

|aġnaq

|aġnaq

|aġnaq

|aġnaq

|woman

|-

|aŋun

|aŋun

|aŋun

|aŋun

|man

|-

|aġnaiyaaq

|aġnauraq

|niaqsaaġruk

|niaqchiaġruk

|girl

|-

|aŋutaiyaaq

|aŋugauraq

|ilagaaġruk

|ilagaaġruk

|boy

|-

|Tanik

|Naluaġmiu

|Naluaġmiu

|Naluaġmiu

|white person

|-

|ui

|ui

|ui

|ui

|husband

|-

|nuliaq

|nuliaq

|nuliaq

|nuliaq

|wife

|-

|panik

|panik

|panik

|panik

|daughter

|-

|iġñiq

|iġñiq

|qituġnaq

|—

|son

|-

|iglu

|tupiq

|ini

|ini

|house

|-

|tupiq

|palapkaaq

|palatkaaq, tuviq

|tupiq

|tent

|-

|qimmiq

|qipmiq

|qimugin

|qimukti

|dog

|-

|qavvik

|qapvik

|qappik

|qaffik

|wolverine

|-

|tuttu

|tuttu

|tuttu

|tuttupiaq

|caribou

|-

|tuttuvak

|tiniikaq

|tuttuvak, muusaq

|—

|moose

|-

|tulugaq

|tulugaq

|tiŋmiaġruaq

|anaqtuyuuq

|raven

|-

|ukpik

|ukpik

|ukpik

|ukpik

|snowy owl

|-

|tatqiq

|tatqiq

|taqqiq

|taqqiq

|moon/month

|-

|uvluġiaq

|uvluġiaq

|ubluġiaq

|ubluġiaq

|star

|-

|siqiñiq

|siqiñiq

|mazaq

|machaq

|sun

|-

|niġġivik

|tiivlu, niġġivik

|tiivuq, niġġuik

|niġġiwik

|table

|-

|uqautitaun

|uqaqsiun

|qaniqsuun

|qaniqchuun

|telephone

|-

|mitchaaġvik

|mirvik

|mizrvik

|mirvik

|airport

|-

|tiŋŋun

|tiŋmisuun

|silakuaqsuun

|chilakuaqchuun

|airplane

|-

|qai-

|mauŋaq-

|qai-

|qai-

|to come

|-

|pisuaq-

|pisruk-

|aġui-

|aġui-

|to walk

|-

|savak-

|savak-

|sawit-

|chuli-

|to work

|-

|nakuu-

|nakuu-

|naguu-

|nakuu-

|to be good

|-

|maŋaqtaaq

|taaqtaaq

|taaqtaaq

|maŋaqtaaq, taaqtaaq

|black

|-

|uvaŋa

|uvaŋa

|uaŋa

|uaŋa, waaŋa

|I, me

|-

|ilviñ

|ilvich

|iblin

|ilvit

|you (singular)

|-

|kiña

|kiña

|kina

|kina

|who

|-

|sumi

|nani, sumi

|nani

|chumi

|where

|-

|qanuq

|qanuq

|qanuġuuq

|—

|how

|-

|qakugu

|qakugu

|qagun

|—

|when (future)

|-

|ii

|ii

|ii'ii

|ii, ii'ii

|yes

|-

|naumi

|naagga

|naumi

|naumi

|no

|-

|paniqtaq

|paniqtaq

|paniqtuq

|pipchiraq

|dried fish or meat

|-

|saiyu

|saigu

|saayuq

|chaiyu

|tea

|-

|kuuppiaq

|kuukpiaq

|kuupiaq

|kuupiaq

|coffee

|}

See also

  • Inuit languages
  • Inuit-Yupik-Unangan languages
  • Edna Ahgeak MacLean, a well-known Iñupiaq linguist
  • Iñupiat people

References

<div style="display:none;">

OBJ:object

INS:instrumental case

</div>

  • Barnum, Francis. Grammatical Fundamentals of the Innuit Language As Spoken by the Eskimo of the Western Coast of Alaska. Hildesheim: G. Olms, 1970.
  • Blatchford, DJ. Just Like That!: Legends and Such, English to Iñupiaq Alphabet. Kasilof, AK: Just Like That!, 2003.
  • Bodfish, Emma, and David Baumgartner. Iñupiat Grammar. Utqiaġvigmi: Utqiaġvium minuaqtuġviata Iñupiatun savagvianni, 1979.
  • Kaplan, Lawrence D. Phonological Issues in North Alaskan Iñupiaq. Alaska Native Language Center research papers, no. 6. Fairbanks, Alaska (Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks 99701): Alaska Native Language Center, 1981.
  • Kaplan, Lawrence. Iñupiaq Phrases and Conversations. Fairbanks, AK: Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska, 2000.
  • MacLean, Edna Ahgeak. Iñupiallu Tanņiḷḷu Uqaluņisa Iḷaņich = Abridged Iñupiaq and English Dictionary. Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska, 1980.
  • Lanz, Linda A. A Grammar of Iñupiaq Morphosyntax. Houston, Texas: Rice University, 2010.
  • MacLean, Edna Ahgeak. Beginning North Slope Iñupiaq Grammar. Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska, 1979.
  • Seiler, Wolf A. Iñupiatun Eskimo Dictionary. Kotzebue, Alaska: NANA Regional Corporation, 2005.
  • Seiler, Wolf. The Modalis Case in Iñupiat: (Eskimo of North West Alaska). Giessener Beiträge zur Sprachwissenschaft, Bd. 14. Grossen-Linden: Hoffmann, 1978.
  • Webster, Donald Humphry, and Wilfried Zibell. Iñupiat Eskimo Dictionary. 1970.

There are a number of online resources that can provide a sense of the language and information for second language learners.

  • Atchagat Pronunciation Video by Aqukkasuk
  • Alaskool Iñupiaq Language Resources
  • Animal Names in Brevig Mission Dialect
  • Atchagat App by Grant and Reid Magdanz—Allows you to text using Iñupiaq characters. (For all Alaska Native languages, including Iñupiaq, see updated Chert app by the same developers.)
  • Dictionary of Iñupiaq, 1970 University of Fairbanks PDF by Webster
  • Endangered Alaskan Language Goes Digital from National Public Radio
  • Iñupiaq Handbook for Teachers (A story of the Iñupiaq language and further resources)
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks Iñupiat Language Community Site
  • North Slope Grammar Second Year by Dr. Edna MacLean PDF
  • Online Iñupiaq morphological analyser
  • Storybook—The Teller Reader, A Collection of Stories in the Brevig Mission Dialect
  • Storybook—Quliaqtuat Mumiaksrat by Alaska Native Language Program, UAF and Dr. Edna MacLean
  • The dialects of Iñupiaq- From Languagegeek.com, includes Northern Alaskan Consonants (US alphabet), Northern Alaskan Vowels, Seward Peninsula Consonants, Seward Peninsula Vowels
  • InupiaqWords YouTube account
  • Linda A. Lanz's Grammar of Iñupiaq (Malimiutun) Morphosyntax — The majority of grammar introduced on this Wikipedia page is cited from this grammar. Lanz's explanations are very detailed and thorough—a great source for gaining a more in-depth understanding of Iñupiaq grammar.