People of the Canadian Arctic area speak Inuktitut. Each day we
will feature a new Inuktitut word on this web site. Keep visiting,
learn some new words and see how many Inuktitut words are similar to English
words.
| April 22 |
Inuit (ee-NOO-eet) - the people of the Canadian Arctic. |
| April 23 |
Inuk (ee-NOOK) - one person; the singular of Inuit |
| April 24 |
Inuktitut (ee-NOOK-tee-toot) - the language of the Inuit. |
| April 25 |
Nunavut (NOO-nah-voot) - Inuit land and the name of territory in Canada |
| April 26 |
Parka (par-KA) - the hooded heavy outer coat worn by the Inuit, usually
made of skin and lined with fur trim. |
April 27
|
Anorak (an-o-RAK) - a lighter, windproof, often waterproof, outerwear
worn by the Inuit. Slips over the head and does not zip all the way
up the front. This is the style of outerwear preferred by the expedition
team members. |
| April 28 |
Mukluk (muk-LUK) - a lightweight, very warm, hide footwear worn by
the Inuit. |
| April 29 |
Nanook (naa-NOOK) - the polar bear. |
| April 30 |
Tuktut (took-TUT) - plural for caribou, the staple of the Inuit diet.
One caribou is tuktu (took-tu) and two are tuktuit (took-TWEET). |
| May 1 |
Netsik (net-SIK) - the seal (a major food source for the polar bear) |
| May 2 |
Igloo (ig-LOO) - house, not just necessarily a house made of snow. |
May 3
|
Inuksuk (ee-nook-sook) - a stone marker the Inuit use in many
capacities such as hunting caribou, warning of danger, directing and showing
a place of reverence. Two are called inuksuuk (Ee-nook-SOOHK)
and three or more are called inuksuit (Ee-nook-sweet). An inuksuk
is on the flag of Nunavut. |
| May 4
|
Niqirtisituq (nike-sweet-TOK) - never moves. This is also the
name for the north star, for it appears never to move in the heavens.
The niqirtsituq is on the flag of Nunavut as well as an inuksuk . |
| May 5 |
Kamutik or qamutiik (ka-moo-tik) - a sled used by the Inuit. |
| May 6 |
Kayak (ky-YAK) - a boat covered with waterproofed skin and propelled
by a double-bladed paddle. |
| May 7 |
Qimmiq (kim-miK) - the Canadian Inuit sled dog; the type of dog used
in this expedition. |
May 8
|
Takoolik (ta-koo-lik) - having four eyes or double sight or the two
white spots on the eyebrows of the Canadian Inuit sled dog. Often
very characteristic of this breed (look at Juniper's face). However,
this marking is sometimes missing on some dogs. |
| May 9 |
Qivut (kee-voot) - the soft undercoat of the muskoxen. Extremely
warm and sometimes used in clothing. |
| May 10 |
Anniu (ann-ee-oo) - falling snow. |
| May 11 |
Api (apee) - snow on the ground. |
| May 12
|
Upsik (oop-SIK) - wind-beaten snow that shows the pattern of the prevailing
wind (satrugi). Expedition team members will use the snow pattern to help
with direction and navigation. |
| May 13 |
Aputitsiarvaq (a-poo-teet-siar-vak) - snow that is the proper consistency
to build a snow house. |
Sources: This list of words was compiled from the books listed
on the Magnetic North Pole book list.
