Greenlandic

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A language of Greenland

ISO 639-3
kal
Alternate Names
Greenlandic Inuktitut, Grønlandsk
Autonym
Kalaallisut
User Population

50,000 in Greenland (2007 I. Larsen). 3,000 East Greenlandic, 44,000 West Greenlandic, 800 North Greenlandic. Total users in all countries: 57,000.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1978, Home Rule Act No. 577 of 29 November, Article 9.1).

Classification
Eskimo-Aleut, Eskimo, Inuit-Inupiaq
Dialects

West Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), East Greenlandic (Tunumiit oraasiat), Thule Inuit (Avanersuarmiutut, North Greenlandic, “Polar Eskimo” (pej.), Polar Inuit). Dialects border on being different languages (1995 M. Krauss).

Typology

SOV; postpositions; noun head initial; case-marking (8 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; ergativity; passives; 14 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes; non-tonal.

Language Use

Vigorous. Also use Danish [dan].

Language Development

Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1900.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Greenlandic
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Also spoken in:

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