Achagat Inupiatun Alphabet

Uvlullautaq Nalauġmiut nunaŋatnin,
Good day from the south.

I put together this simple overview of our alphabet pronunciation to assist with literacy development. We have our own writing system - we don't need to improvise spelling.

Pisangitkikpin for the chipmunk sound files - not sure what happened there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0JRawdXTpc

+tlavik? "May/Can I do X?"

This grammar is useful if you're asking someone or a group of people if you can do something.

Isiqattaatlaviik? Can I visit?

from Isiqattaaq- to visit

Isitlaviik? May I come in/enter?

from isiq- to enter

Niġitlaviik? Can I eat?

from niġi- to eat

Uqatlaviik? Can I talk/speak?

from uqaq- to speak

Makitlaviik? Can I stand?

from makit- to stand

Savatlaviik? Can I work?

from savak- to work

Minġuiqsiatlaviik? Can I rest?

from minġuiqsiaq- to rest

Igatlaviik? Can I cook?

from iga- to cook

-llasisuk- "To want to be able to"

Iñupiaraaq- To speak Iñupiatun

Iñupiaraallasisukpiich? Do you want to be able to speak Iñupiaq?

Atuq- To sing

Atullasisukpa? Does he want to be able to sing?

Makit-To stand

Makillasisukpisi? Do you (3+) want to be able to get up?

Agliqi- To read

Agliqillasisukpat? Do they (3+) want to be able to read?

Key phrases

Quyagikpin iḷisuataipŋa.
Thank you (1) for teaching me.

Quyagikpin niġipqaglugikma
Thank you (1) for feeding me.

Uvlaakunlu
I’ll see you tomorrow.

Uvlaakutqigunlu
I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.

Ikpaksraaġunlu
I’ll see you in a few days.

Matnugunlu/Iḷaatnilu
I’ll see you later.

Key questions

Pagmapak aptaviich?
Are you busy now?

Aptaviich?
Are you busy?

Sunauna?
What is this?

Suna taamna?
What is that (away from both speakers)

Qanuq taiñiaqpa “bike” Iñupiatun?
How is “bike” said in Iñupiatun?

Kaŋiqsillaitchikpin, sukaiḷippayaaġutin
I don’t understand you, speak slowly.

Sugalaqavich?
What have you been up to?

Suvich?
What are you doing?

Suniaqpich uvlupak?
What are you going to do today?

Common time indicators

Sumulikpan?
What time?

Qanuq sassaq iḷiva?
What time is it?

Atausiġuqtuq..........One o’clock

Malġuguqtuq..........Two o’clock

Piŋasuguqtuq..........Three o’clock

Sissamaguqtuq..........Four o’clock

Tallimaguqtuq..........Five o’clock

Itchaksraguqtuq..........Six o’clock

Tallimat malġuguqtuq..........Seven o’clock

Tallimat piŋasuguqtuq..........Eight o’clock

Quliŋŋuġutaiḷaġuqtuq..........Nine o’clock

Quliguqtuq..........Ten o’clock

Qulit atausiġuqtuq..........Eleven o’clock

Qulit malġuguqtuq..........Twelve o’clock

Qakugu?
When? (future: can mean day or general time)

Qaŋa?
When (past)

Akkupak
Right now

Pagmapak
Now

Iḷaatni
Later/Sometime

Aqagu
Later on/in a little while

Uvlaaq
Morning

Uvlaapak
This morning/all this morning

Uvlaami
At a specific point this morning/in the morning

Uvluq
Day/afternoon

Uvlupak
Today/all day today

Uvlumi
At a specific point in time today/in the day

Anaqapak
This evening

Anaqami
In the evening

Common greetings

Uvlaallautaq
Good morning

Uvlullautaq
Good day/afternoon

Anaqaksrallautaq/Anaqallautaq
Good evening

Qaŋa tai!
It’s been a long time (since I’ve seen you)!

Qanuqitpich?
How are you?

Quviasuktuŋa
I am happy (in the state of being)

Iqaisuktuŋa
I am feeling lazy

Alaisuktuŋ
I am lonely

Nakuuŋitchuŋa
I am not doing well (lit. I am not good)

Nakuuruŋa
I am good

Aptaruŋa
I am busy

Piichigiga nuliaġa/uiġa
I miss my wife/my husband

Kiña atqin?
What’s your name? (literally: “Who is your atiq?” This typically asks for your Iñupiaq name)

Atiġa Aqukkasuk // Uvaŋa Aqukkasuk
My atiq (namesake) is Aqukkasuk // I am Aqukkasuk

Iñupiaqsisiqaqpich?
Do you have an Iñupiaq name?

Kiña Iñupiaqsisin?
What is your Iñupiaq name?

Kiña Nalauġmiusisin?
What is your English name?

Kiña iḷvich?
Who are you?

Kaŋiqsi- "To understand"

Kaŋiqsiruŋa I understand
Kaŋiqsiruq He/she understands
Kaŋiqsigiga I understand it (whatever you are talking about)
Kaŋiqsigaa He/she understands it

Kaŋiqsiva? Does he/she understand?
Kaŋiqsivich? Do you understand?
Kaŋiqsivisik? Do you (2) understand?
Kaŋiqsivisi? Do you (3+) understand?

Kaŋiqsilaitchikpin I don't understand you
Kaŋiqsilaitchipsi I don't understand you (3+)
Kaŋiqsilaitchitka I don't understand them (3+)
Kaŋiqsilaitchiga I don't understand him
Kaŋiqsitlagiga I can understand him

Kaŋiqsilaitchikpuk We (2) don't understand him
Kaŋiqsitlagitka I can understand them
Kaŋiqsilaitchikput We (3+) can't understand him

Uvagut kaŋiqsilaitchivut We (3+) don't understand them
Uvaguk kaŋiqsitlagikpuk We (2) can understand him

-quplugu "so he/she can/could x"

aggiq- to come

savak- to work

aggiqsuq savakquplugu he came so he could work.

aggiqsuk savakquplugik they (2) came so they (2) could work.

aggiqsut savakquplugich they (3) came so they (3) could work.

aglaq- to attend school

i!it- to learn

aglaqtuq i!itchquplugu she is in school so she can learn.

aglaqtuk i!itchquplugik they (2) are in school so they can learn (2)

aglaqtut i!itchquplugich they (3) are in school so they can learn (3)

ai- to return home

iga- to cook

airuq igatquplugu he came home so he could cook.

airuk igatquplugik they (2) came home so they (2) could cook.

airut igatquplugich they (3) came home so they (3) could cook.

-suk/guq/tchuk/ġuq- to want to x

Think of Iñupiatun sentences as puzzles or math equations, with strict rules that need to be observed and codes that if broken, become pretty predictable across the whole language. Sentences are made up of roots and "affixes", or parts that get added on to modify the meaning of the root, and then an ending bit to wrap it all up. Here's an example.

niġi-

Niġi- is a root word meaning to eat, and stuff can be added after it to modify that meaning. So:

Aqukkasuk niġiniaġugnaqtuq iqaluŋmik anaqapak.

Aqukkasuk might eat the fish (iqaluk > iqaluŋmik) this evening (anaqapak).

The part that got added was -niaġugnaq- (may) and the ender -tuq- (indicating that the part before describes one person).

Got it?

Now one of the most useful grammar forms for beginners: to indicate wanting to x.

Here are some examples:

niġisukpiich? Do you want to eat? (niġi-)

ii, nigisuktuŋa iqaluŋmik Yes, I want to eat fish.

aullaġuqpiich? Do you want to go? (aullaq-)

ii, aullaġuqtuŋa Anchorage-mun. Yes, I want to go to Anchorage.

utiġuqpiich? Do you want to return? (utiq-)

ii, utiġuqtuŋa uvlaakun. Yes, I want to return tomorrow.

i!itchukpiich? Do you want to learn? (i!it-)

ii, i!itchuktuŋa Inupiałiġmik Yes, I want to study Iñupiaq.

makitchukpiich? Do you want to get up/stand up? (makit-)

ii, makitchuktuŋa akkupak. Yes, I want to get up right now (either from bed or from sitting..

savaguqpiich? Do you want to work? (savak-)

ii, savaguqtuŋa NANA-tkutni Yes, I want to work at NANA.

maliguqpiich? Do you want to follow? (malik-)

ii, maligugikpin. Yes, I want to follow you.

isiġuqpiich? Do you want to come in? (isiq-)

ii, isiġuqtuŋa tupimnun. Yes, I want to enter your house.

imiġuqpiich? Do you want water/to drink/are you thirsty? (imiq-)

ii, imiġuqtuŋa imiġviŋmi. Yes, I want to drink at the bar.

As you probably figured out, the last letter of each root word changes. Here's the pattern:

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i!it- > 't' become -chuk- aullaq- > 'q' becomes -ġuq-

savak- > 'k' becomes -guq- and vowel endings like niġi - 'i' become -suk-

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Here is how it might be used in context:

Uvlupak uqaqatigisukkivsi isumagikamnik.

Today I want to talk to (all of you) about my thoughts.

Qakugu aullaġniaġuqpa?

When does she want to go? (in the future).

John niġitquguqtuq, aglaan niġisuiqsuŋa.

John wants to eat again, but I'm full.

He/She/They are/are not X'ing me/us

Iga - To cook

Igatigaaŋa She is cooking for me

Igatigaatiguk She is cooking for us (2)

Igatigaatigut She is cooking for us (3)

Igatiŋitchaaŋa She isn't cooking for me

Igatiŋitchaatiguk She isn't cooking for us (2)

Igatiŋitchaatigut She isn't cooking for us (3)

Tapkua They (lit. "those ones" as opposed to Tamna "that one/that")

Tapkua igatiŋitchaatigut They aren't cooking for us

Tapkua igatiŋitchaatiguk They aren't cooking for us (2)

Tapkua igatiŋitchaaŋa They aren't cooking for me

Akkupak uiga igatigaaŋa.

My husband is cooking for me right now (this moment).

Akkupak Right now

Uiga My husband

Uqautigaaŋa She is telling me

Uqautigaatiguk She is telling us (2)

Uqautigaatigut She is telling us (3)

Uqautiŋitchaaŋa He isn't/didn't tell me

Uqautiŋitchaatiguk He didn't tell us (2)

Uqautiŋitchaatigut He didn't tell us (3)

Ikayuq - To help

Ikayuġaaŋa He is helping me

Ikayuġaatiguk He is helping us (2)

Ikayuġaatigut He is helping us (3)

Ikayuŋitchaaŋa He isn't helping me

Ikayuŋitchaatiguk He isn't helping us (2)

Ikayuŋitchaatigut He isn't helping me (3)

Tapkua ikayuŋitchaaŋa They aren't helping me

Tapkua ikayuŋitchaatiguk They aren't helping us (2)

Tapkua ikayuŋitchaatigut They aren't helping us (3)

Uvlaapak paniga ikayuġaaŋa.

My daughter is helping me this morning.

Sample sentence:

I!i!ġaavut i!isallaitchut Iñupiaraałiġmik aglaġviŋmi aasiisuli tapkua i!isuatrit ikayuŋitchaatigut.

Our children aren't studying Inupiaq in school and the teachers are not helping us.

I!i!ġaat Children

I!i!ġaavut Our children

I!isaq- To study

I!isaqtuq He is studying

I!isallaitchuq He cannot/is not studying

I!isallaitchut They are not/never/cannot study

I!isallaitchut Iñupiaraałiġmik They are not studying how to speak Iñupiatun.

Aglaġvik School

Aglaġviŋmi At school

Aasiisuli And furthermore

I!isuatri Teacher

Tapkua i!isuatrit Those teachers

Ikayuŋitchaatigut Are not helping us

Paġlagipsi Iñupiaraaġviŋmun Iñupiat!

Paġlagipsi Iñupiat! I started this blog to begin sharing some of what I am learning in Iñupiatun from folks here in Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue).

My hope is that other learners will decide to contribute as blog posters, a virtual Iñupiaraaġvik (Iñupiaq classroom, lit. place to learn Iñupiaq). By sharing we can support each other and make progress faster. If you'd like to become a contributor in any Iñupiaq dialect, you're welcome to cover any area of the language. My hope is that this becomes a porthole for conversational Iñupiaq. I am not an "expert" and acknowledge that there may be errors in what I share in the Malemiut coastal dialect, but I am doing my best and welcome corrections, suggestions, and comments.

The introduction.

This is how we identify ourselves in relation to relatives past and present and others in the community. Here is my basic introduction in Iñupiatun followed by a breakdown. There are many ways you can introduce yourself, of course.

Uvaŋa Aqukkasuk. Nalauġmiusisiga Tim Argetsinger. Anchoragemiuŋuruŋa, aglaan
i!atka Ipnatchiaġmiuŋurut. Aŋayuqaakka Simiitaġlu Nauyaġlu. Iñuuniaqtuŋa Qikiqtaġruŋmi.

Let's deconstruct these sentences.

Uvaŋa Me/I am. Uvaŋa Aqukkasuk = I am Aqukkasuk

Naluġmiu Caucasian person. Nalauġmiutun = English language (literally to be "like" a white person).

Alternatively, Iñupiatun = The Iñupiaq language (lit. "to be like an Iñupiaq person").

Nalauġmiu + sisiga > Nalauġmiusisiga = My English name is ... X

Iñupiaq + sisiga > Iñupiaqsisiga = My Iñupiaq name is ... X

-miut

In most Inuit language dialects this ending is pronounced "mute", but in the Northwest Arctic it's pronounced "meet". So Anchorage-meeng-uhw-roong-uh, "I am from Anchorage."

Anchoragemiut The people of Anchorage/People from Anchorage
Anchoragemiuŋuruq. He/she (one person) is from Anchorage.
Anchoragemiuŋuruk. They (2) are people of/from Anchorage.
Anchoragemiuŋurut. They (3+) are people of/from Anchorage.
Anchoragemiuŋuvich? Are you from Anchorage?
Anchoragemiuŋuvisik? Are you (2) from Anchorage?
Anchoragemiuŋuvisi? Are you (3+) from Anchorage?
Anchoragemiuŋuva? Is he/she from Anchorage?
Anchoragemiuŋuvat? Are they (2+) from Anchorage?
Anchoragemiuŋuruŋa. I am from Anchorage.

aglaan ("but...")

i!a Relative
i!ak Relatives (2)
i!at Relatives (3+)
i!akka My relatives (2)
i!atka My relatives (3+)

I!atka Ipnatchiaġmiuŋurut. My relatives are the people of Ipnatchiaq (Deering).

Aŋayuqaak Parents (2)

Aŋayuqaak + ka > Aŋayuqaakka My parents

Aŋayuqaakka Simiitaq > Simiitaġlu Nauyaġlu My parents are Simiitaq and Nauyaq.

-lu attached on to nouns means "and". So Jim-lu Jane-lu means Jim and Jane. Say Nauyaqlu Simiitaqlu out loud. The -lu following the consonant 'q' naturally "assimilates" into the sound -ġlu. If it were a name or noun ending in 'k', like Savik, then it would just be Saviglu (note: no dotted 'g').

Iñuuniaq- To live.
Iñuuniaqtuq He/she lives X
Iñuuniaqtuŋa I live > Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue) > Qikiqtaġruŋmi (In Kotzebue)

Iñuuniaqtuŋa Qikiqtaġruŋmi I live in Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue)