At least 47 Deaf in Nunavut (2000 (2000 data, 2014 pub.))[2] Unknown additional hearing speakers
Language family
Language isolate
Writing system
none
Official status
Official language in
none
Recognised minority language in
Interpreted alongside ASL in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.[3]
Language codes
ISO 639-3
iks
Glottolog
inui1247
ELP
Inuit Sign Language
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The index finger was used[4]Selecting the index finger and thumb, opening or closing the non-selected fingers[4]All fingers are closed and possibly only the thumb is selected[4]
Inuit Sign Language (IUR, Inuktitut: Inuit Uukturausingitᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᐅᓯᖏᑦ) is one of the Inuit languages and the indigenous sign language of the Inuit people. It is a language isolate native to Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. It is currently only attested within certain communities in Nunavut, particularly Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet.[which?] Although there is a possibility that it may be used in other places where Inuit live in the Arctic, this has not been confirmed.[5][6]
Of the estimated 155 deaf residents of Nunavut in 2000, around 47 were thought to use IUR, while the rest use American Sign Language (ASL) due to schooling.[7] It is unknown how many hearing people use the language nor how many people are monolingual. As it is a highly endangered and relatively hidden language, it has no protection under the federal or territorial governments of Canada. However, IUR exists alongside ASL interpretation within the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut as of 2008.[3] Recently, there has been increased interest in the documentation of the language which would be done through the Nunavut Council for People with Disabilities and the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).[8] As well, there is a push to expand the interpretation/translation programme through Arctic College to include IUR.[9]
^EskemoBranchee. "Deaf/Hard of Hearing/Sign Language or Gesture in various languages". All Deaf. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^Inuit Sign Language (IUR) ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᐅᓯᖏᑦ Inuit Uukturausingit at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ abCite error: The named reference NLA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcSchuit, J.M. (2014). "Signs of the arctic: Typological aspects of Inuit Sign Language" (PDF).
^Schuit, Joke (2012). "Signing in the arctic: External influences on Inuit Sign Language". In Zeshan, Ulrike; de Vos, Connie (eds.). Sign languages in village communities: Anthropological and linguistic insights. Berlin & Nijmegen: De Gruyter Mouton & Ishara Press.
^MacDougall, Jamie (February 2001). "Access to justice for deaf Inuit in Nunavut: The role of "Inuit sign language"". Canadian Psychology. 41 (1): 61. doi:10.1037/h0086880.
^MacDougall, Jamie (December 2000). "Access to justice for deaf persons in Nunavut: Focus on signed languages" (PDF). Department of Justice, Canada. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
^Cite error: The named reference InuDoc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference Right was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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