Post-Tour Activity #6:

Topic:  Inuktitut – The Native Language of the Inuit

Expectations:   

            English Language:                         

•    use generalizations about spelling to help pronunciation of Inuktitut words

•    consult a dictionary to confirm pronunciation and/or to find the meaning of unfamiliar words

•    understand specialized words or terms, as necessary

Materials:     

            •            resource books
            •            Syllabic Chart and Glossary (attached)
            •            dictionaries
            •            pencils and pencil crayons
            •            8 ½"  x 11" drawing paper

Background Information:

            Inuktitut is the native language of the Inuit.  It is spoken across the Canadian Arctic.  It is important to realize that Inuktitut is traditionally an oral language.  History was passed from generation to generation primarily through storytelling.  The syllabic system of writing was introduced to the Inuit in the early 1950s and it is widely used today.  A page of some Inuktitut symbols is attached.  Inuktitut can also be written in Roman orthography (our alphabet).  Inuktitut is an endangered language as today’s Inuk children grow up mainly speaking English.

Implementation:

•    For small group discussion.  Use your notebook to record answers.

•    Make a list of other cultures that use their own characters for writing (for example, Hebrew, Chinese, Egyptian, Russian, Japanese, Arabic, etc).

•    Why is it important for the Inuit to have a written form of communication?

In the early 1950s, the Inuit began to settle in communities throughout Arctic Canada.  Southern Canadians moved to the North to develop administrative centres to support these communities.  The Inuit were taught to speak and write in English.  The government instituted a school system and Inuk children began to learn English from a very young age.  Inuk parents began to understand that learning English would improve their childrens’ economic status.

•    The Inuit have over twenty terms to describe “snow”.  Why would that be the case?

The environment plays a very important role in their lives.  The Inuit have many ways to describe snow because their survival is dependent on an accurate description of the weather.  Southern Canadians also have many terms for snow including powder, corn snow, slush, black ice, packing snow, etc.

•    Using a pencil and drawing paper, select a minimum of 10 words from the glossary provided.  Illustrate each word with a drawing.  Use the pencil crayons to finish the drawings.  The Inuit often use coloured pencils to make drawings.  The Art Centre docent will reinforce these terms during the tour so that the students become more familiar with the Inuit words.

Assessment:

•    Completion of notes on discussion questions.

•    Accurate illustration and completion of drawings.  Demonstrated understanding of the meaning of each word.

Syllabic Chart

Syllabic Chart Activities

Glossary

Table of Contents