Photo: Getting it right for the Nattilingmiut

Miriam Aglukkaq, the well-known educator and language activist from Gjoa Haven, speaking at a workshop held in Iqaluit Feb. 10 to talk about issues related to the possible standardization of Inuit language writing systems and dialects. Aglukkaq said the Nattilingmiut dialect of the eastern Kitikmeot contains unique consonant sounds that are not accurately represented in the dual-orthography syllabic system developed in the 1970s, a problem that has led to the mispronunciation of many words. To fix that, she’s developed a revised syllabarium for use in her region. It contains new rows of special syllabic characters representing sounds such as “shri, shru, shra.” The Inuit language standardization symposium was to have wrapped up Feb. 11. (PHOTO BY JIM BELL)