There are many dialects of Inuktut spoken across Inuit Nunangat. This diversity of dialects is part of the richness of the language. The below map gives a broad idea of regional dialects.

Inuit Nunangat Inuktut

Inuvialuit
1
Inuvialuktun
Nunavik
4
Inuktitut
Nunavut
2
Inuinnaqtun
3
Inuktitut
Nunatsiavut
5
Inuttitut
Map of Inuit Nunangat showing the broad regional dialects of Inuktut.
Close-up of igloo blocks with light streaming through the cracks.

ITK’s work on Inuktut

As the national representational organization for Inuit, part of ITK’s mandate is to promote and strengthen Inuktut at the national level. ITK’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan builds on work completed under the 2020-2023 Strategic Action Plan to improve Inuktut revitalization, maintenance, protection and promotion (Objective 3).

Upcoming objectives include developing an online library of Inuktut language educational resources and publishing a long-term Inuktut Policy Strategy.

Unified writing system

Inuktut Qaliujaaqpait is a unified orthography for Inuktut that is representative of sounds across all dialects.

Learn more about the orthography and see ITK’s converter tool here:
https://itk.ca/projects/inuktut-qaliujaaqpait/

Inuktut Qaliujaaqpait chart showing the unified orthography for Inuktut sounds across all dialects
Field of Arctic cotton under a clear blue sky in the tundra

Indigenous Languages Act

ITK works alongside the Government of Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, and the Metis National Council to ensure the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act (2019) reflects the wishes and needs of all Inuit and acts effectively to strengthen and maintain Inuktut in Canada.

Inuktut is also a shared priority area of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee. ITK and the regional representatives work alongside the Federal Government to support the revitalization, reclamation, maintenance, and strengthening of Inuktut. A key deliverable of the Working Group was the Inuktut Costing Model, which was endorsed by the ITK Board of Directors in December 2023.

Various issues of Inuktitut Magazine spread out on a table, showcasing colorful covers and cultural stories.

Inuktitut Magazine

ITK publishes a magazine featuring stories from across Inuit Nunangat, published in dialects from all four regions using Inuktut Qaliujaaqpait.

Read Inuktut Magazine here: https://itk.ca/category/inuktitut-magazine-issues/

Green street signs written in Inuktut syllabics and Roman orthography under a blue sky.

Inuit Language Funding Model

The Inuit Language Funding Model of the Indigenous Languages Component supports the four Inuit Land Claim Organizations across Inuit Nunangat to build and implement the programs and services that advance Inuit self-determined language priorities over the next five years.

Since 2020, Inuit have been working through the four Land Claim Organizations, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Makivvik and Nunatsiavut Government, alongside the Department of Canadian Heritage, to determine the best approaches to resourcing for Inuktut maintenance, revitalization, and reclamation. The aim of this new funding approach is to support the work of these organizations through their own strategies.

This new approach is multi-year funding that is accessed by the Inuit Land Claim Organizations through five-year work plans. This will provide more predictability and flexibility to Inuit communities in their efforts to maintain, revitalize, and reclaim Inuktut languages.

Between 2023 and 2028, the four ITOs are eligible for funding. It will be up to the individual Inuit Regions to determine partnerships and mechanisms for funding Inuktut maintenance, revitalization, and reclamation.

Inuit organizations located outside of Inuit Nunangat should contact their appropriate ITO for information on how to apply.

Links to Language Funding