Nunavut Language Commission is needed

We need to establish a Nunavut Language Commission in Nunavut, as recomended by the Nunavut Implementation Commission during the Nunavut language policy conference held here in Iqaluit in March, 1998.

A Nunavut language commission would not only help to preserve, protect, and promote our Inuktitut language, but it would, in addition, be the organization that would accept the standardized meaning and spelling of Inuktitut words to ensure that we all understand what is being used. The language commission would have as part of its mandate to help Inuit become involved in all areas of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun language issues. We must teach our children to be literate in their language, we must practice what we preach.

I am very happy for Pelly Bay for changing its community name back to its traditional Inuktitut name. But Kugaruk is incorrect spelling! Inuit, each time we spell our community names incorrectly, a part of our language and culture is gone forever. Can any of the readers give me the meaning of the name of the Labrador community of Makkovik?

Last year, when the hamlet asked me to provide them with the proper spelling of both traditional names, I provided the hamlet with the most accurate spelling of Kuugaarruk and Arviligjuaq, writing them the way they are pronounced by the people in the community and Nattilikmiut. I spelled the two names using the standardized Roman orthography and following the examples of Nunavik community names such as Kuujjuaq and Kuujjuaraapik.

This is an example of why we require a body, a language commission, to study, consult, recommend and to institute practices that will help ensure the survival of our Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun language.

Peter Irniq
Iqaluit