Inuit Sign Language

This article contains Canadian Aboriginal syllabic characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of syllabics.

Inuit Sign Language (IUR; Inuktitut: ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐆᒃᑐᕋᐅᓯᖏᑦ, romanized: Inuit Uukturausingit) is one of the Inuit languages and the indigenous sign language of the Inuit people. It is a language isolate native to Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. It is currently only attested within certain communities in Nunavut, particularly Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet.^[which?] Although there is a possibility that it may be used in other places where Inuit live in the Arctic, this has not been confirmed.^[4][5]

Of the estimated 155 deaf residents of Nunavut in 2000, around 47 were thought to use IUR, while the rest use American Sign Language (ASL) due to schooling.^[6] It is unknown how many hearing people use the language nor how many people are monolingual. As it is a highly endangered and relatively hidden language, it has no protection under the federal or territorial governments of Canada. However, IUR exists alongside ASL interpretation within the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut as of 2008.^[3] Recently, there has been increased interest in the documentation of the language which would be done through the Nunavut Council for People with Disabilities and the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).^[7] As well, there is a push to expand the interpretation/translation programme through Arctic College to include IUR.^[8]