Iņupiatun Eskimo Dictionary - SIL International

ñ iñuk ‘person’ onion
This second /ñ/ is a palatalization of /n/, as indicated by the symbol > on the chart above
ä aäun ‘male being’ ring
Vowels
Iñupiatun vowels /a, i, u/ may occur short (written as single symbol) or long (written as double
symbol). In addition, two unlike vowels may form a vowel cluster.
Short /a/ has the sound of u in English fun, but long /a/ has the sound of /a/ in English father. The
diphthongs /ai/ and /ia/ have the sound of /a/ in bake. The diphthongs /au/ and /ua/ have the sound of /oa/
in /oak/. The diphthong /iu/ has the sound of /ee/ in English, as in /baleen/. The diphthong /ui/ has the
sound of /ooey/ as in /gooey/.
However, the sound quality of a vowel changes when it occurs in a closed syllable (vowel(s) between
consonants) or is followed by the back consonant /q/ or /à/. The vowel /i/ when alone or when following
another vowel before /q/ or /à/ has the sound of /i/ in /sit/. Similarly, the vowel /u/ when alone or when
following another vowel before a /q/ or /à/ has the sound of /u/ in /pull/. The diphthongs /ai/ and /ia/
before /q/ of /à/ have the sound of /a/ as in /back/. The diphthongs /au/ and /ua/ before /q/ or /à/ have the
sound of /aw/ as in /raw/. Finally, the vowel /u/ in the diphthong /iu/ before /q/ or /à/ has the sound of /u/
in /pull/.
The pronunciation of the vowels before back consonants (q and à) and elsewhere are summarized in
the following chart:
Atchagat Iñupiatun word(s) with the sound English word containing equivalent
or similar sound
a amiq ‘animal hide’; aatqan ‘mitten’ fun
i ini ‘place’; uqpik ‘willow’ baleen
i(q/à) siqiñiq ‘sun’; piiàiñ ‘go away’ sit
u ulu ‘woman’s knife’ stool
u(q/à) uqaq ‘tongue’; amaruàlu ‘and a wolf’ pull
There are three long vowels (clusters of two like vowels): English word containing equivalent or
similar sound
/aa/ aapa ‘father’; amaaq ‘root’ father
/ii/ iqiitchuq ‘he is not lazy’ baleen
/ii/(q/à) Ataniiq ‘Lord!’; piiqsirruä ‘take it away’ pit
/uu/ kuuk ‘river’ smooth, rule
/uu/(q/à) tuuq ‘ice chisel’ pull
There are six diphthongs (clusters of two unlike vowels): English word containing equivalent or
similar sound
/ai/ aiviq ‘walrus’; qaiqpaich ‘big waves’ bake
/ia/ nalliat ‘which of these’
/ai/(q/à) qaiqpaich ‘big waves’ back
/ia/(q/à) umiaq ‘boat’; niaquq ‘head’
/au/ paula ‘soot’; mauyaànaq ‘soft spot in snow’ oak
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