Indigenous Peoples Thematic Series
Indigenous Language Families: Inuktut (Inuit) languages

Inuktut (Inuit) languages

As its name makes clear, the Inuktut (Inuit) language family represents the languages of Inuit in Canada. Across the four regions of Inuit Nunangat, the homeland of Inuit in Canada, and throughout the cities of southern Canada where many Inuit have come to live, languages such as Inuinnaqtun, Inuvialuktun and Inuktitut continue to be spoken.

By some, the languages are thought to represent more of a continuum of dialects than distinctly different languages. In the words of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami:

The term “Inuktut” is a broad term encompassing a number of other terms for Inuit languages, including Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun and Inuvialuktun. Many Inuit may prefer to use one of those other more specific terms for their own language.

There are many dialects of Inuktut spoken across Inuit Nunangat. This diversity of dialects is part of the richness of the language.^Note 

Within this report the following Inuktut (Inuit) languages are presented:

• Inuinnaqtun
• Inuvialuktun
• Inuktitut
• Inuktut (Inuit) languages, not included elsewhere (n.i.e.)

Summary language statistics are provided for these languages in table 2.

Knowledge and mother tongue

In 2021, there were 42,800 people who reported that they could speak an Inuktut (Inuit) language well enough to conduct a conversation. The number of those who reported that an Inuktut (Inuit) language was their mother tongue—that is, the language first learned as a child and still understood—was 38,350.

The largest group within the Inuktut (Inuit) language family was those who spoke Inuktitut, with 41,675 speakers and 37,520 having it as their mother tongue; this was followed by Inuinnaqtun (790 speakers and 500 mother tongue), and Inuvialuktun (355 speakers and 305 mother tongue).

Age is a useful indicator of the degree to which languages are transmitted from one generation to the next. A language with a younger age profile typically means that younger people continue to learn and speak the language at a rate commensurate with older generations. The average age of Inuktut (Inuit) languages speakers was 29 years, which was equivalent to the age of those who reported it as their mother tongue (29 years). On average, Inuktut (Inuit) languages speakers were almost a decade younger than all Indigenous language speakers, as the average age of all of those who could speak an Indigenous language was 37 years.

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Key concepts

Mother tongue – Refers to the first language learned in childhood that is still understood.

Knowledge – Refers to those who were able to speak a given language well enough to conduct a conversation.

Average age – Average age is a good indicator of the general health of a language. The average age of the mother tongue population is an indicator of the intergenerational transmission of an Indigenous language. A language with a young average age implies that children and young people are continuing to acquire an Indigenous language as their first language.

Indigenous language acquisition – This variable refers to how Indigenous language speakers learned the language they speak, whether as a mother tongue or as a second language.

Learned as a mother tongue – This group is comprised of those who reported an Indigenous mother tongue on the 2021 Census and who could still speak that same language well enough to conduct a conversation.

Learned as a second language – This group is comprised of those who could speak an Indigenous language, but who did not report that same language on the mother tongue question.

Second language index – The second language index is calculated by dividing the number of people who can speak an Indigenous language by the number who reported the same language as their mother tongue, expressed per 100 people. A value of 100 implies all speakers learned their language as a mother tongue, whereas more than 100 implies some speakers must have learned their language as a second language.

Silent speakers – This refers to people who have an Indigenous mother tongue, but—while they still understand it—can no longer speak the language well enough to conduct a conversation. In some circumstances, this may reflect those who have not continued to use their mother tongue over time or those who do not have a community of other speakers of the same language with whom to converse.

Home language – This refers to the extent to which respondents speak a given language at home.

Spoken most often at home – This refers to the language the person speaks most often at home at the time of data collection. A person can report more than one language as "spoken most often at home" if the languages are spoken equally often. In many circumstances, a language spoken most often at home could be thought to reflect the speaker’s “main” language.

Language(s) spoken regularly at home – This refers to the language(s), if any, that the person speaks at home on a regular basis at the time of data collection, other than the language(s) they speak most often at home.

Continuity index – This index measures language retention by dividing the number of people who speak a given language most often at home by the total number who have that same language as their mother tongue, expressed per 100 people.

Language of work – This refers to the extent to which respondents speak a given language at work, for the population aged 15 years and over, who worked since 2020. As with home language, it can be expressed as either the language used most often at work, or a language that is spoken regularly.

For more information on concepts from the 2021 Census of Population, see Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021 (statcan.gc.ca)

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Inuit Nunangat is the homeland of Inuit in Canada. It is composed of four regions: 1) the Inuvialuit region, in the west in the north of Yukon and the Northwest Territories, 2) the territory of Nunavut^Note  , 3) Nunavik, along northernmost Quebec, and 4) Nunatsiavut, along the north coast of Labrador.

The majority of those who spoke Inuktut (Inuit) languages lived in Inuit Nunangat (92.2%), in 2021. Those who spoke Inuktitut were most likely to live in either Nunavut (60.3%) or Nunavik (30.9%). Inuinnaqtun was spoken most frequently in Nunavut, as well (65.2%); however, more than one-in-five of those who spoke Inuinnaqtun lived in the Inuvialuit region (22.8%). The Inuvialuit region was also home to the majority of those who spoke Inuvialuktun (83.1%).

In 2021, 7.8% of those who could speak an Inuktut (Inuit) language lived outside of Inuit Nunangat. The majority of this group was made up of those who spoke Inuktitut (95.5%).

Data table for Map 1

Table map 1 Census subdivisions with at least 10 people who speak an Inuktut (Inuit) language well enough to conduct a conversation, Canada, 2021
Table summary
The information is grouped by Inuktut (Inuit) language (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Inuktut (Inuit) language	Number of Census subdivisions
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
Inuinnaqtun	6
Inuvialuktun	9
Inuktitut	102
Inuktut (Inuit) languages, n.i.e.	2

Home use and second-language speakers

The extent to which people speak a language at home is an important indicator of language maintenance and its overall health. In 2021, 38,665 people spoke an Inuktut (Inuit) language at home. For the majority of this group (81.8%), an Inuktut (Inuit) language was spoken most often at home; while for the other 18.2% it was spoken at home on a regular basis. Chart 1 shows the share of an Inuktut (Inuit) language speakers who spoke an Inuktut (Inuit) language most often or regularly at home; it is organized by the average age of the mother tongue population in order to show variations on the relationship between the age of speakers and their likelihood of using the language at home.

Data table for Chart 1

Data table for chart 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 1 Spoken most often at home and Spoken regularly at home, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

	Spoken most often at home	Spoken regularly at home
	percent
Note: n.i.e. = not included elsewhere. Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
Inuktitut	75.5	15.7
Inuinnaqtun	20.3	49.4
Inuvialuktun	15.5	38.0
Inuktut (Inuit) languages, n.i.e.	42.9	14.3

The continuity index is a measure of language retention. It compares the number of people who speak a given language at home divided by the number who have that same language as a mother tongue, expressed per 100 people. A figure of more than 100 means that more people spoke the language at home than had it as a mother tongue, while a figure that is less than 100 means that fewer people speak it at home than had it as a mother tongue. For the Inuktut (Inuit) languages family, using only the language spoken most often at home, the continuity index was 82, in 2021.

Most Inuktut (Inuit) language speakers learned their language as their mother tongue. This was true of 87.7% of all people who could speak an Inuktut (Inuit) language well enough to conduct a conversation. The remaining 12.3% of speakers are classified as “second-language speakers” (see chart 2 for the share of second language speakers for specific languages); however, this designation should not be taken literally as this group could include those who learned an Inuktut (Inuit) language as a third or fourth language.

Data table for Chart 2

Data table for chart 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Data table for chart 2 Second language , calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

	Second language
	percent
Note: n.i.e. = not included elsewhere. Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
Inuktitut	11.5
Inuinnaqtun	41.8
Inuvialuktun	40.8
Inuktut (Inuit) languages, n.i.e.	28.6

In general, those who learn their language as a mother tongue are more likely to use it at home than those who have acquired it as a second language. Table 3 shows the share of home use for those who learned an Inuktut (Inuit) language as a mother tongue and those who learned it as a second language. Among those who learned an Inuktut (Inuit) language as their mother tongue, 94.3% spoke the language at home (82.4% most often and 11.9% on a regular basis). Among second-language speakers, 62.6% spoke the language at home (13.9% most often and 48.8% on a regular basis). Home use among second-language speakers is an important indicator of revitalization, in relation to restoring the intergenerational transmission of Inuktut (Inuit) languages.

Silent speakers

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) defines silent speakers as “…people who have a good understanding of their language but do not speak it. There are many kinds of silent speakers, including people who spoke their language before attending residential school or people who grew up hearing their language and understand it, but do not speak it.”^Note  This indicator is useful in the work toward the reclamation and recovery of Inuktut (Inuit) languages.

An additional 880 people who reported that an Inuktut (Inuit) language was their mother tongue were no longer able to speak the language well enough to conduct a conversation; for the purposes of this study, these people are classified as “silent speakers”—those who can no longer conduct a conversation in their mother tongue, but still understand it, nonetheless. This group made up 2.3% of all of those with an Inuktut (Inuit) language as their mother tongue.

Language of work

The Census of Population also collects information on the languages that people use most often at work. Among all employed persons, aged 15 years and over, who could speak an Inuktut (Inuit) language, 54.8% reported that it was the language they used most often at work. Another 17.2% said that they spoke an Inuktut (Inuit) language at work on a regular basis.

Inuktut (Inuit) language-specific vitality summary

The following is a summary of the vitality of each of the languages discussed in this report, using the indicators of knowledge, mother tongue, the average ages of those with a mother tongue, second language speakers and silent speakers, the share of speakers who learned their language as a mother tongue and the proportion of those who speak their language most often or regularly at home. Together these are important indicators of language maintenance and revitalization.

Inuktitut had 41,675 speakers. There were 37,520 people who reported it as their mother tongue. While those with a mother tongue had an average age of 28 years, the average age of second language speakers was 30 years and the average age of silent speakers was 27 years. The majority (88.5%) of its speakers acquired their language as a mother tongue. Among home users, 82.7% spoke it most often and 17.2% spoke it regularly.

Inuinnaqtun had 790 speakers. There were 500 people who reported it as their mother tongue. While those with a mother tongue had an average age of 50 years, the average age of second language speakers was 34 years and the average age of silent speakers was 42 years. The majority (58.9%) of its speakers acquired their language as a mother tongue. Among home users, 29.1% spoke it most often and 70.9% spoke it regularly.

Inuvialuktun had 355 speakers. There were 305 people who reported it as their mother tongue. While those with a mother tongue had an average age of 53 years, the average age of second language speakers was 35 years and the average age of silent speakers was 48 years. Over half (57.7%) of its speakers acquired their language as a mother tongue. Among home users, 29.7% spoke it most often and 73.0% spoke it regularly.

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About this report

This report is based on data from the 2021 Census of Population long-form questionnaire, which collected information for the population in private households. To ensure the confidentiality of responses collected for the census, a random rounding process is used to alter the values reported in individual cells. As a result, when these data are summed or grouped, the total value may not match the sum of the individual values since the total and subtotals are independently rounded. Similarly, percentage distributions, which are calculated on rounded data, may not necessarily add up to 100%.

Because of random rounding, counts and percentages may vary slightly between different census products such as the analytical documents, highlight tables and data tables. While the effect of random rounding is generally negligible it may have a greater effect on certain populations, such as languages with smaller numbers of speakers.

Furthermore, languages with low numbers of speakers are suppressed to protect the confidentiality of respondents to the census questionnaire. As a result, these languages are collectively disseminated through the label of languages “not included elsewhere (n.i.e.)”.

Self-reporting of language data

Like all items on the census questionnaire, the language questions on the 2021 Census of Population are based on self-reporting. Therefore, responses to indicators—such as the ability to speak a language well enough to conduct a conversation—may vary depending upon the respondent, even among those with similar linguistic backgrounds. The issue of self-reporting also intersects with the fact that some respondents report the language(s) they speak within broad categories, while others report more specifically.

For more information language concepts, see Languages Reference Guide, Census of Population, 2021 (statcan.gc.ca)

Incomplete enumeration

During the 2021 Census of Population, 63 census subdivisions defined as reserves and settlements were incompletely enumerated. For these reserves and settlements, enumeration either was not permitted or could not be completed for various reasons, such as evacuations because of forest fires or access restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Counts of speakers for some languages were more impacted by incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements than others. For example, the Tsuu T’ina language and Iroquoian languages, such as Mohawk and Cayuga, are undercounted as reserves and settlements associated with these languages did not participate in the census. Regionally, other languages may be more impacted than others.

For more information on incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements, see Appendix 1.5 – Incompletely enumerated reserves and settlements in the Guide to the Census of Population, 2021.

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Data table for Map 2

Table map 2 Number of people who speak Inuinnaqtun well enough to conduct a conversation, Census subdivisions, Canada, 2021
Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of speakers (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Number of speakers	Number of Census subdivisions
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
10 - 100	3
101 - 260	3

Data table for Map 3

Table map 3 Number of people who speak Inuvialuktun well enough to conduct a conversation, Census subdivisions, Canada, 2021
Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of speakers (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Number of speakers	Number of Census subdivisions
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
10 - 100	8
101 - 120	1

Data table for Map 4

Table map 4 Number of people who speak Inuktitut well enough to conduct a conversation, Census subdivisions, Canada, 2021
Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of speakers (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Number of speakers	Number of Census subdivisions
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
10 - 100	58
101 - 500	16
501 - 1,000	14
1,001 - 2,990	14

Data table for Map 5

Table map 5 Number of people who speak Inuktut (Inuit) languages, n.i.e. well enough to conduct a conversation, Census subdivisions, Canada, 2021
Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of speakers (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Number of speakers	Number of Census subdivisions
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2021.
10 - 15	2