Inuktitut

I love learning little bits of new languages. If to only to get the locals to laugh. Learning the language of a place also helps me get to know the people and understand a bit more about the culture. In fact the name of the Inuit language, Inuktitut, means "in the manner of the Inuk". So the name of the language itself shows the close relationship to culture and how they act. Pretty cool.

Here are a few phrases that I have found useful:
qanuippit (can-oo-ee-pee>): How are you?
qanuingi (can-oo-een-gee): I'm fine
ii (ee): yes
aagga (ah-gah): no
namimiutauvit (nah-mee-mee-oo-tow-vee): Where are you from?
--miutaujunga (mee-oo-tow-yoon-gah): I'm from--
qakuguttauq (kow-poo-tow): see you later
qujannamiik (coo-yan-ah-mee) : thank-you
ilaali (ee-lah-lee): thank-you
mamianaq (mah-mee-ah-nah): sorry
Kinauvit (kee-now-vee): What is your name?
--ujunga(oo-yoon-ga): My name is--
ivvilli (ee-vee-lee): and you?
Inuk (ee-noo): person
Inuit (ee-noo-ee): people
nanuq(nah-noo): polar bear
kappiasuktunga (cah-pee-ah-soo-koon-gah): I am afraid
ullaligit (oo-lah-lee-gee): run fast!
*the last consonent IS slightly pronounced. Kind of like the french "n" in "an,on,en,in..."

Inuktitut isn't easy for me. The complex sentence structure alone throws me off. In Inuktitut there are roots and affixes. The roots are the verb part of the word and the affixes represent who is involved.

Taku: to see junga: I
Takujunga: I see

Alright, simple enough. BUT if you have the object of the verb the affix will change.

Taku: to see jara: I----her
Takujara: I see her

In fact, the affix changes for every combination of subject and object. I--you I--her I--you (2) I--you (3+) I--them ...

Suffice it to say I am not yet fluent. But I have fun trying and they have fun teaching (the same words...over and over again)

Some things that I have noticed about Inuktitut. Their are more classificatons for personal pronouns than we have in English. So there is a different word for we (2 people) we (three or more) and you (2 people) you (three or more). This occurs in the family group as well. There are different words for "my sister" and "my brother" depending on the gender of the speaker AND depending on their age relation to the speaker. ie. My older brothers would be called angijuit and my older sisters would be called najait (different from younger brothers and younger sisters)

These characteristics may reflect the small nomadic family groups of the inuit people. There were fewer people to be in contact with and the relationships between these people were central to their lives, therefore their vocabulary expanded around these central characters.

Inuktitut was an oral language until the 19th century. As such many words do not have particular spelling. Last names in the phone book are amorphous. Nakashook, Nagashuk, Nagashut, etc.

In closing I will say isumajunnailittiaqtunga (I can't think of anymore). And if you can say that word, you're a finer linguist than I.