Page Type: languageInuktitut, Eastern Canadian | Ethnologue

IKE ISO 639-3

Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian

ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ‎ (Inuktitut) Autonym

A language of Canada

ISO 639
ike
Alternate Names
Canadian Inuit, Inuit, Inuit of Quebec, “Eastern Arctic Eskimo” (pej.), “Eastern Canadian Eskimo” (pej.)
Autonym
ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ‎ (Inuktitut)
Population
35,200 (2016 census).
Location:
Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, and Quebec provinces: Hudson Strait, east through Nunavut, southern Baffin Island; northern coastal settlements in Quebec, and along North Atlantic coast.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Nunavut Territory (1988, Inuit Language Protection Act, Chapter 17). 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
Quebec-Labrador Inuktitut (“Labrador Eskimo” (pej.), Labrador Inuktitut, Labrador Inuttitut, “Quebec Eskimo” (pej.), Rigolet Inuktitut, Tarramiut), Rigolet Inuktitut, Kivalliq, Baffin Inuktitut (Mittimatalik). A member of macrolanguage Inuktitut [iku].
Typology
SOV; dual number; polysynthetic; ergativity.
Language Use
Vigorous except in Labrador, where less than half are speakers. In Labrador average is over 20 years old; possibly a few children at Nain. Also use English [eng].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 10%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1826–2012.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian
Writing
Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics script [Cans], uses eastern finals.
Other Comments
In Northern Quebec and the Northwest Territories to the Central Arctic, it is spoken by over 90% of the population. Inuit is the name of the people, Inuktitut of the language.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, and Quebec provinces: Hudson Strait, east through Nunavut, southern Baffin Island; northern coastal settlements in Quebec, and along North Atlantic coast.