Book builds linguistic bridges

Imagine you're a Government of Nunavut employee originally from the South working in a community where you rarely hear English spoken.

Or maybe you're an Inuk who never had the chance to learn Inuktitut.

Then again, perhaps you speak Inuktitut fluently, but you don't know all the technical terms used in health clinics or courtrooms.

Pocket Inuktitut is for you. Now you can stick a copy of the new pocket-sized phrasebook, Pocket Inuktitut, into your parka pocket. You'll never be short of words and you're bound to have more fun.

Billed as "a phrasebook for nearly all occasions," this useful book tells you what to say in Inuktitut when in communities, airports, conferences, hospitals, courtrooms, church, stores, offices and out on the land.

Pocket Inuktitut wants to promote the use of Inuktitut by encouraging people to speak the language and assist fluent Inuktitut speakers with technical terminology, says publisher Pat Ningewance.

"These books are meant to instill pride in one's language, for young Inuit people. That's why the book is done with a nice glossy cover, and it can be bought in a store, along with millions of other books," she says.

You won't find much Inuktitut grammar in Pocket Inuktitut. There are other books for this, Ningewance says.

"You can also find a mentor to teach you the Inuktitut language," she counsels in her introduction to Pocket Inuktitut.

But the publication of Pocket Inuktitut may be 30 years too late, she admits. That's because there are fewer Inuit communities now where outsiders need interpreters or Inuktitut to communicate.

"Whether or not it is too late or not, a book like this may be helpful to those who do wish to converse with fluent Inuit even a most simple way," Ningewance says. "Maybe this book could provide a first experience in getting one's message across in anther language that will motivate a person to want to become fluent."

The book is the second in a series, which started with a similar phrasebook in Ojibwe. A third pocket phrasebook is planned for Cree.

Intrepreter and translator Martha Toka Peet provided the translation and background notes to Pocket Inuktitut.

Peet doesn't try to list all the many dialectical differences for words in the book. She makes the point that no matter what dialect of Inuktitut you use, people are still likely to understand you, particularly at the level of simple speech.

Peet, originally from Taloyoak, said she has always spoken her own dialect, no matter where she traveled in the North, and has had no trouble being understood by other Inuit.

What counts for people who don't speak Inuktitut fluently is making an effort, Peet says.

"Those who try are genuinely interested in our culture and traditions. This is especially true for those non-Inuit who live for some time in our communities," she says in Pocket Inuktitut.

Peet first learned English at a federal day school in the early 60s. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, Peet then spent a year at the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton where she learned English.

Later, she worked for the Government of the Northwest Territories and municipal governments in Iqaluit and Taloyoak, and as a medical interpreter in Winnipeg, where she lives today with her husband Roger.

In Pocket Inuktitut Peet also discusses what to wear in the North, the kind of food Inuit enjoy and how to act – "be comfortable with yourself," is her good advice. Pointing at people is in bad taste and rubbing noses is "not cool," but shaking hands is, Peet advises.

Pocket Inuktitut uses Roman orthography to phonetically spell out phrases ranging from the useful "please say it again" (suli uqarqlugu) and "where is my suitcase" (kaukli qiyurqutinga?) to "he stole my vehicle" (tikliktanga aksaluut).

The book also includes the translations of everyday questions ("are you nervous?"), telephone etiquette, bingo and hockey lingo, legal, social work and medical terms ("I have gallstones"), police talk ("I have a warrant for your arrest"), weather ("the lightning bolts are wild"), insults and even pick-up lines ("I find you attractive").

There's also a useful glossary with English words in alphabetical order and an emergency list of phrases like "I am feeling very sick" with the Inuktitut syllabics that you can point at if you're in a pinch.

The 224-page book is a great buy at $35. Individual copies of the book as well as bulk purchase rates are available through the Winnipeg-based publishing house, Mazinaate Inc., at 204-774-8007 or books@patningewance.ca.

You can also get your copy of Pocket Inuktitut at the Collected Works Bookstore at 1242 Wellington Street West in Ottawa where Peet will be signing copies of the book from 4 to 6 pm on December 12.