Labrador Inuttitut: Speaking into the future
This paper discusses the issue of language loss in northern Labrador Inuttitut. Like many communities across northern Canada, Labrador is facing the possible complete loss of Inuktitut, demonstrated by the fact that almost no children speak it as a first language any longer. In this paper we outline...
Published in: | Études/Inuit/Studies |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Association Inuksiutiit Katimajiit Inc.
2005
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/013939ar https://doi.org/10.7202/013939ar |
Summary: | This paper discusses the issue of language loss in northern Labrador Inuttitut. Like many communities across northern Canada, Labrador is facing the possible complete loss of Inuktitut, demonstrated by the fact that almost no children speak it as a first language any longer. In this paper we outline a number of linguistic properties which make Labrador Inuttitut and a related dialect spoken in Rigolet distinct from neighbouring dialects of Inuktitut. We also report on a number of initiatives taken up by community organizations, school and individuals in their growing efforts to reverse language shift. These include a language survey, dictionaries, youth camps, a language nest, etc. Cet article examine la question de la perte de la langue dans l’inuttitut du nord du Labrador. Comme de nombreuses communautés à travers le Nord canadien, le Labrador est menacé par la perspective d’une perte totale de l’inuktitut, ce que démontre l’absence ou presque d’enfants qui le parlent encore comme première langue. Dans cet article nous exposons brièvement plusieurs propriétés linguistiques qui rendent l’inuttitut du Labrador et un dialecte apparenté que l’on parle à Rigolet, distincts des dialectes inuktitut voisins. Nous rendons compte aussi de plusieurs initiatives prises par les organisations communautaires, les écoles et des individus qui s’activent de plus en plus pour inverser le changement langagier. Ces initiatives incluent un sondage sur l’usage de la langue, des dictionnaires, des camps de jeunes, un programme de renaissance de la langue, etc. |
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