15 Kiap ukua?

In English we have words that we put before nouns to indicate who they belong to:

my jacket

your parka

In Inuktut, we add an affix to the end of the noun. The above would be translated:

jaikaga

qulitaujait

The same endings can be used for possessions or relations:

ataataga	my father
irniit	your son

In English the words that indicate possession: my, your, our, etc. are fairly straightforward. There is only one form that we use before any noun, be it singular or plural:

my car

my cars

In Inuktut, though, different endings are used depending on whether the thing that is possessed is singular, dual or plural.

 

ONE POSSESSION OR RELATION

illuga	my house
illuit	your (1) house
illunga	his / her house
illuvuk	our (2) house
illuvut	our (3+) house
illusi	your (2+) house
illungat	their house

 

SOME TRICKIER DETAILS...

(i) For nouns that end in vowels, you just add the ending.

If these endings are added to a noun that ends in a consonant, the last consonant is deleted:

jaikak	jacket
jaikaga	my jacket
qimmiq	dog
qimmisi	your (2+) dog
allavvik	office
allavvingat	their office

 

(ii) -ga (my) has a second form, -ra, that is used after any noun that ends in -q:

nasaq	hat
nasara	my hat
qulitaujaq	parka
qulitaujara	my parka

(iii) For the Inuktut version of 'your' just add -t (instead of -it) to roots that end in two vowels:

tui	shoulder
tuit	your shoulder
qiluaq	belt
qiluat	your belt

TWO POSSESSIONS OR RELATIONS

kamiik	two skin boots
kamiikkak	my two skin boots
kamiikkik	your (1) two skin boots
kamiingik	his or her two skin boots
kamivuk	our two skin boots
kamisik	your (2+) two skin boots
kamingik	their two skin boots

• The last vowel sound in the root is lengthened before -kkak and -kkik to make pronunciation easier.
• All dual endings delete the last consonant
• The endings for “his / her” and “their” are the same. Context makes it clear who you are speaking of.

3+ POSSESSIONS OR RELATIONS

pualut	mittens (3+)
pualukka	my mittens (3+)
pualutit	your (1) mittens (3+)
pualungit	his or her mittens (3+)
pualuvut	our mittens (3+)
pualusi	your mittens (3+)
pualungit	their mittens (3+)

• All plural possessive endings delete the last consonant of roots they are added to.
• The endings for “her/his” and “their” are the same. Context makes it clear who you are speaking of.

 

NAMING THE PERSON WHO POSSESSES SOMETHING

In English, when we want to name a person that something belongs to, we add an apostrophe + s to the person's name, followed by the object:

Mary's car

Piita's dogs

 

In Inuktut, these three sentences would be written this way:

Mialiup nunasiutinga

Piitaup qimmingit

 

• Note that the affix -up is attached to the possessor's name, much like apostrophe + s is used in English.
• the affix -nga is added to the person or thing that is possessed if it is singular; -ngik if it is dual; and -ngit if it is plural.

If -up is added to a root that ends in a consonant, it deletes the consonant:

Naullaq + up =
Naullaup qullinga	Naullaq's qulliq

 

Remember that in Inuktut you normally don't find more than two vowels in a row. So, if you delete the final consonant and the root ends in two vowels, just add p instead of -up:

qallunaaq + up =
qallunaap illuralaanga	the qallunaaq's cabin

 

-up works for more than just names. It can be added to any noun, as long as it is singular:

angutiup nasanga	the man's hat
najaup kamingik	the sister's kamiks
qimmiup umiangit	the dog's tail