Inuktitut, Eastern Canadian

IKE

provincial

Alternate Names: “Eastern Arctic Eskimo” (pej.), “Eastern Canadian Eskimo” (pej.), Inuit

Dialects: Labrador Inuttut (“Labrador Eskimo” (pej.), Labrador Inuttitut), Mittimatalik (“Baffinland Eskimo” (pej.)), Rigolet Inuttut, Tarramiut (“Quebec Eskimo” (pej.)). A member of macrolanguage Inuktitut ,.

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

Genealogy:

Eskimo-Aleut
Eskimo
Inuit-Inupiaq

Demographics: 34,100 (2011 census).

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%. Bible: 1826–2012.

Writing System: Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics

Nation of Origin: Canada

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.