Alutiiq language
Encyclopedia
The Alutiiq language is a close relative to the Central Alaskan Yup'ik language
spoken in the western and southwestern Alaska
, but is considered a distinct language. It has two major dialects:
About 400 of the Alutiiq
population of 3,000 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 only spoken by about 50 persons, all of them elderly, and the dialect was in danger of being lost entirely.
The comparison of month names in the two dialects:
Central Alaskan Yup'ik language
Central Alaskan Yup'ik or just Yup'ik is a Yupik language of the Eskimo language family, in turn a member of the Eskimo–Aleut language group, spoken in western and southwestern Alaska. Both in ethnic population and in number of speakers, Central Alaskan Yup'ik is the largest of the languages...
spoken in the western and southwestern Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, but is considered a distinct language. It has two major dialects:
- Koniag Alutiiq: spoken on the upper part of the Alaska PeninsulaAlaska PeninsulaThe Alaska Peninsula is a peninsula extending about to the southwest from the mainland of Alaska and ending in the Aleutian Islands. The peninsula separates the Pacific Ocean from Bristol Bay, an arm of the Bering Sea....
and on Kodiak IslandKodiak IslandKodiak Island is a large island on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, separated from the Alaska mainland by the Shelikof Strait. The largest island in the Kodiak Archipelago, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States and the 80th largest island in the world, with an...
; was also spoken on Afognak IslandAfognakAfognak is an island north of Kodiak Island in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is 43 miles from east to west and 23 miles from north to south and has a land area of , making it the 18th largest island in the United States. The coast is split by many long, narrow bays...
before it was deserted in the wake of the 1964 Good Friday EarthquakeGood Friday EarthquakeThe 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964...
. - Chugach Alutiiq: spoken on the Kenai PeninsulaKenai PeninsulaThe Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
and in Prince William SoundPrince William SoundPrince William Sound is a sound off the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System...
.
About 400 of the Alutiiq
Alutiiq
The Alutiiq , also called Pacific Yupik or Sugpiaq, are a southern coastal people of the Native peoples of Alaska. Their language is called Sugstun, and it is one of Eskimo languages, belonging to the Yup’ik branch of these languages. They are not to be confused with the Aleuts, who live further...
population of 3,000 speak the Alutiiq language. Alutiiq communities are currently in the process of revitalizing their language. In 2010 the high school in Kodiak
Kodiak, Alaska
Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline...
responded to requests from students and agreed to teach the Alutiiq language. The Kodiak dialect of the language was only spoken by about 50 persons, all of them elderly, and the dialect was in danger of being lost entirely.
Vocabulary comparison
The comparison of number names in the two dialects:| Koniag Alutiiq | Chugach Alutiiq | meaning |
| allringuq / allriluq | all’inguq (Chenega) allringuq (Nanwalek, Port Graham) |
1 |
| mal’uk | atel’ek (Chenega) malruk / mall’uk (Nanwalek, Port Graham) |
2 |
| pingayun | pinga’an (Chenega) pingayun (Nanwalek, Port Graham) |
3 |
| staaman | staaman (Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham) | 4 |
| talliman | talliman (Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham) | 5 |
| arwilgen | arwinlen (Chenega) arwilgen (Nanwalek, Port Graham) |
6 |
| mallrungin | maquungwin (Chenega) mallruungin (Nanwalek, Port Graham) |
7 |
| inglulgen | inglulen (Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham) | 8 |
| qulnguyan | qulnguan (Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham) | 9 |
| qulen | qulen (Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham) | 10 |
The comparison of month names in the two dialects:
| Koniag Alutiiq | Chugach Alutiiq | meaning |
| Cuqllirpaaq Iraluq | . | January |
| Nanicqaaq Iraluq | Yaʼalungia’aq | February |
| Kaignasqaq Iraluq | Ya’alullraaq | March |
| Uqna’isurt’sqaaq Iraluq | Saqulegciq | April |
| Nikllit Iraluat | Maniit Ya’allua | May |
| Naut’staat Iraluat | Iqallugciq | June |
| . | . | July |
| Alaganat Iraluat | Uksuam Ya’allua | August |
| Qakiiyat Iraluat | Alusastuam Ya’allua | September |
| Kakegllum Iralua | . | October |
| Quyawim Iralua | Kapkaanam Ya’allua | November |
| Qanim Iralua | . | December |