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The Language of the InuitSyntax, Semantics, and Society in the Arctic |
eBook Available
A historical and anthropological overview of Inuit peoples through the study of language.
The Inuit occupy an immense area of land - from the easternmost tip of Russia, through Alaska and Canada, to Greenland. Inuit language, history, semantics, sociology, and anthropology show a variety of distinct characteristics in different parts of this vast area. Covering an equally impressive range, The Language of the Inuit is the most comprehensive study to date of the language and the forces that have affected its development.
The culmination of forty years of research, The Language of the Inuit maps the geographical distribution and linguistic differences between the Eskaleut and Inuit languages and dialects. Providing details about aspects of comparative phonology, grammar, and lexicon as well as Inuit prehistory and historical evolution, Louis-Jacques Dorais shows the effects of bilingualism, literacy, and formal education on Inuit language and considers its present status and future. An enormous task, masterfully accomplished, The Language of the Inuit is not only an anthropological and linguistic study of a language and the broad social and cultural contexts where it is spoken but a history of the language's speakers.
The culmination of forty years of research, The Language of the Inuit maps the geographical distribution and linguistic differences between the Eskaleut and Inuit languages and dialects. Providing details about aspects of comparative phonology, grammar, and lexicon as well as Inuit prehistory and historical evolution, Louis-Jacques Dorais shows the effects of bilingualism, literacy, and formal education on Inuit language and considers its present status and future. An enormous task, masterfully accomplished, The Language of the Inuit is not only an anthropological and linguistic study of a language and the broad social and cultural contexts where it is spoken but a history of the language's speakers.
Details
Part of the McGill-Queen's Indigenous and Northern Studies (number 58 in series)
397 Pages
6 maps
ISBN 9780773544451
August 2014
Formats: Paperback, eBook
"Anyone who works on the Eskimo-Aleut languages professionally (linguists, translators, language teachers, etc.) should buy this book. Anyone who does research or policy affecting the north should also buy it, even if they study only ice. In addition, I would recommend it to all Canadian families. Louis-Jacques Dorais is Canada's foremost academic authority on the Inuit language, and this book is clearly a labour of love and an example for the future. No other book even begins to approximate the wealth of information it contains about one of the Arctic's most internationally known languages." Alana Johns, University of Toronto, Études Inuit Studies
"Louis-Jacques Dorais shows why he is a leading specialist in The Language of the Inuit. It is a state-of-the-art summary of the field and balanced throughout for a broad audience. In both its scope and presentation there is certainly no other comparable work." Michael Fortescue, Institute for Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
"Intended for a broad audience, this book succeeds marvelously as an accessible introduction to the most widespread subgroup of Eskimoan languages--the Inuit dialects spoken from northern Alaska across the Canadian Arctic to Greenland...An essential introduction to one of the most tenacious language families of the Americas...Highly recommended." E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University
"The Language of the Inuit might be considered ... a quintessence of Dorais's oeuvre over the last thirty years or so. It is strongly recommended to all those who are interested in the Inuit, who they are today, their culture, and their languages." Elke Nowak, University of Potsdam, Anthropological Linguistics
“The Language of the Inuit: Syntax, Semantics, and Society in the Arctic presents an encyclopedic breadth of information in a concise and readable work that will have broad appeal. Most importantly, this very fine book will bring deeper understanding of the rich heritage and meaning of their language to Inuit working to preserve and revitalize it.” John Bennett, Canadian Polar Commission
"Louis-Jacques Dorais shows why he is a leading specialist in The Language of the Inuit. It is a state-of-the-art summary of the field and balanced throughout for a broad audience. In both its scope and presentation there is certainly no other comparable work." Michael Fortescue, Institute for Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
"Intended for a broad audience, this book succeeds marvelously as an accessible introduction to the most widespread subgroup of Eskimoan languages--the Inuit dialects spoken from northern Alaska across the Canadian Arctic to Greenland...An essential introduction to one of the most tenacious language families of the Americas...Highly recommended." E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University
"The Language of the Inuit might be considered ... a quintessence of Dorais's oeuvre over the last thirty years or so. It is strongly recommended to all those who are interested in the Inuit, who they are today, their culture, and their languages." Elke Nowak, University of Potsdam, Anthropological Linguistics
“The Language of the Inuit: Syntax, Semantics, and Society in the Arctic presents an encyclopedic breadth of information in a concise and readable work that will have broad appeal. Most importantly, this very fine book will bring deeper understanding of the rich heritage and meaning of their language to Inuit working to preserve and revitalize it.” John Bennett, Canadian Polar Commission
Louis-Jacques Dorais is a professor in the Department of Anthropology at Université Laval.
Maps and Tables ix
Preface xi
Introduction 3
1 The Eskaleut Family of Languages 7
2 The Inuit Language 27
3 The Nunavik Dialect of Inuktitut 66
4 The Prehistory of the Inuit Language 88
5 Historical Sources and Linguistic Change 106
6 Semantics, Neology, and Oral Literature 135
7 Literacy and Formal Education 172
8 Language Contact and Bilingualism 215
9 The Current Status of the Inuit Language 235
10 Conclusion: Language and Identity in the Arctic 261
APPENDICES
1 The Possessive Noun Declension (Nunavik Inuktitut) 279
2 The Grammatical Endings of Verbs (Nunavik Inuktitut) 283
3 Categories of Lexical Affixes with Nunavik Inuktitut Examples 289
4 Inuit First and Home Languages in Inuit nunaat (Canada) in 2006 292
Notes 297
References 343
Index 387
Preface xi
Introduction 3
1 The Eskaleut Family of Languages 7
2 The Inuit Language 27
3 The Nunavik Dialect of Inuktitut 66
4 The Prehistory of the Inuit Language 88
5 Historical Sources and Linguistic Change 106
6 Semantics, Neology, and Oral Literature 135
7 Literacy and Formal Education 172
8 Language Contact and Bilingualism 215
9 The Current Status of the Inuit Language 235
10 Conclusion: Language and Identity in the Arctic 261
APPENDICES
1 The Possessive Noun Declension (Nunavik Inuktitut) 279
2 The Grammatical Endings of Verbs (Nunavik Inuktitut) 283
3 Categories of Lexical Affixes with Nunavik Inuktitut Examples 289
4 Inuit First and Home Languages in Inuit nunaat (Canada) in 2006 292
Notes 297
References 343
Index 387
9780228005681
$115.00 CAD
Cloth
9780773518377
$37.95 CAD
Paperback
Winner
CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book Award
CHOICE Magazine (2010)
Winner
The Canada Prize in the Humanities
Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (2011)
CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book Award
CHOICE Magazine (2010)
Winner
The Canada Prize in the Humanities
Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (2011)
