Inuktitut syllabics
Inuktitut syllabics (Inuktitut: ᖃᓂᐅᔮᖅᐸᐃᑦ, romanized: qaniujaaqpait, or ᑎᑎᕋᐅᓯᖅ ᓄᑖᖅ, titirausiq nutaaq) is an abugida-type writing system used in Canada by the Inuktitut-speaking Inuit of the territory of Nunavut and the Nunavik and Nunatsiavut regions of Quebec and Labrador, respectively. In 1976, the Language Commission of the Inuit Cultural Institute made it the co-official script for the Inuit languages, along with the Latin script.
| Inuktitut syllabics | |
|---|---|
Inuktitut syllabary. Extra characters with dots represent long vowels; When romanised, the vowel is duplicated. | |
| Script type | |
Time period | 1870s–present |
| Direction | Left-to-right |
| Languages | Inuktitut |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | Cree syllabics
|
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Cans (440), Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics |
| Unicode | |
Unicode alias | Canadian Aboriginal |
Unicode range | Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics, U+1400–167F (chart) |
The name qaniujaaqpait [qaniujaːqpaˈit] derives from the root qaniq, meaning "mouth". The alternative, Latin-based writing system is named qaliujaaqpait (ᖃᓕᐅᔮᖅᐸᐃᑦ), and it derives from qaliit, a word describing the markings or the grain in rocks. Titirausiq nutaaq [titiʁauˈsiq nuˈtaːq] meaning "new writing system" is to be seen in contrast to titirausiit nutaunngittut (ᑎᑎᕋᐅᓰᑦ ᓄᑕᐅᓐᖏᑦᑐᑦ), the "old syllabics" used before the reforms of 1976.