Alutiiq language
Eskimo–Aleut language spoken in southwestern Alaska From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Alutiiq language (also called Sugpiak, Sugpiaq,[3] Sugcestun,[4] Suk,[4] Supik,[3][4] Pacific Gulf Yupik, Gulf Yupik,[4] Koniag-Chugach) is a close relative to the Central Alaskan Yup'ik language spoken in the western and southwestern Alaska, but is considered a distinct language.
 | This article should specify the language of its non-English content, using {{langx}}, {{transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and {{IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriate ISO 639 code. Wikipedia's multilingual support templates may also be used - notably ems for Pacific Gulf Yupik. (January 2025) |
| Alutiiq | |
|---|---|
| Pacific Gulf Yupik | |
| Sugt’stun, Alutiit’stun | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | coastal Alaska (Alaska Peninsula to Prince William Sound) |
| Ethnicity | 3,500 Alutiiq people (2010) |
Native speakers | 80 (2020)[1] |
Early forms | Proto-Eskimo–Aleut
|
| Latin | |
| Official status | |
Official language in | Alaska[2] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | ems |
| Glottolog | paci1278 |
| ELP | Alutiiq |
 Pacific Gulf Yupik is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
The ethnonyms of the Sugpiaq-Alutiiq are a predicament.[5] Aleut, Alutiiq, Sugpiaq, Russian, Pacific Eskimo, Unegkuhmiut, and Chugach Eskimo are among the terms that have been used to identify this group of Native people living on the Lower Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
About 400 of the Alutiiq population of 3,000 still speak the Alutiiq language. Alutiiq communities are currently in the process of revitalizing their language. In 2010 the high school in Kodiak responded to requests from students and agreed to teach the Alutiiq language. The Kodiak dialect of the language was spoken by only about 50 persons, all of them elderly, and the dialect was in danger of being lost entirely.[6] As of 2014, Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage is offering classes using the "Where Are Your Keys?" technique.[7]
Dialects
It has two major dialects:
- Koniag Alutiiq: spoken on the upper part of the Alaska Peninsula and on Kodiak Island; it was also spoken on Afognak Island before that was deserted by the people in the wake of the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.
- Chugach Alutiiq: spoken on the Kenai Peninsula and in Prince William Sound.
Phonology
Consonants
- [w] is an allophone of /ɣʷ/ syllable-finally and elsewhere.
Consonants may be geminated (e.g. kk; [kː]). Two consecutive identical consonants are pronounced either separately or as a geminate depending on dialect.[8] More consonants /ɾ~r, lʲ, rʲ/ are found in loanwords.
Vowels
All vowels except /ə/ are considered full vowels and can be either short or long. /ə/ does not lengthen and does not occur in vowel clusters but may tend to be devoiced as [ə̥] next to other consonants.[9]
Orthography
- a - [ä]
- c - [t͡ʃ]
- e - [ə]
- f - [f]
- g - [x]
- gw - [xʷ]
- hm - [m̥]
- hn - [n̥]
- hng - [ŋ̊]
- i - [i]
- k - [k]
- kw - [kʷ]
- l - [l]
- ll - [ɬ]
- m - [m]
- n - [n]
- ng - [ŋ]
- p - [p]
- q - [q]
- r - [χ]
- ʀ - [r][8]
- s - [s]
- t - [t]
- u - [u]
- w - [w]
- y - [j]
After voiceless consonants, the voiceless nasals are written without h-.
Other letters
- aa - [aː]
- ai - [ai]
- au - [au]
- ia - [ia]
- ii - [iː]
- iu - [iu]
- ua - [ua]
- ui - [ui]
- uu - [uː][10]
Vocabulary comparison
The comparison of number terms and month names in the two dialects:
| English | Koniag Alutiiq[11] | Chugach Alutiiq[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanwalek & Port Graham |
Chenega | |||
| 1 | allringuq / allriluq | allringuq | all'inguq | |
| 2 | mal'uk | malruk / mall'uk | atel'ek | |
| 3 | pingayun | pinga'an | ||
| 4 | staaman | |||
| 5 | talliman | |||
| 6 | arwilgen | arwinlen | ||
| 7 | mallrungin | mallruungin | maquungwin | |
| 8 | inglulgen | inglulen | ||
| 9 | qulnguyan | qulnguan | ||
| 10 | qulen | |||
| English | Koniag Alutiiq[11] | Chugach Alutiiq[12] | ||
| January | Cuqllirpaaq Iraluq | |||
| February | Nanicqaaq Iraluq | Yaʼalungia'aq | ||
| March | Kaignasqaq Iraluq | Ya'alullraaq | ||
| April | Uqna'isurt'sqaaq Iraluq | Saqulegciq | ||
| May | Nikllit Iraluat | Maniit Ya'allua | ||
| June | Naut'staat Iraluat | Iqallugciq | ||
| July | Amartut Iraluat | . | . | |
| August | Alaganat Iraluat | Uksuam Ya'allua | ||
| September | Qakiiyat Iraluat | Alusastuam Ya'allua | ||
| October | Kakegllum Iralua | . | ||
| November | Quyawim Iralua | Kapkaanam Ya'allua | ||
| December | Qanim Iralua | . | ||
| English | Koniag Alutiiq[11] | Chugach Alutiiq[12] | ||
References
Further reading
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.