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The Inuit occupy an immense area of land - from the easternmost tip of Russia, through Alaska and Canada, to Greenland. Inuit language, history, semantics, sociology, and anthropology show a variety of distinct characteristics in different parts of this vast area. Covering an equally impressive range, The Language of the Inuit is the most comprehensive study to date of the language and the forces that have affected its development.
The culmination of forty years of research, The Language of the Inuit maps the geographical distribution and linguistic differences between the Eskaleut and Inuit languages and dialects. Providing details about aspects of comparative phonology, grammar, and lexicon as well as Inuit prehistory and historical evolution, Louis-Jacques Dorais shows the effects of bilingualism, literacy, and formal education on Inuit language and considers its present status and future. An enormous task, masterfully accomplished, The Language of the Inuit is not only an anthropological and linguistic study of a language and the broad social and cultural contexts where it is spoken but a history of the language's speakers.
"Louis-Jacques Dorais shows why he is a leading specialist in The Language of the Inuit. It is a state-of-the-art summary of the field and balanced throughout for a broad audience. In both its scope and presentation there is certainly no other comparable work." Michael Fortescue, Institute for Nordic Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen
"Intended for a broad audience, this book succeeds marvelously as an accessible introduction to the most widespread subgroup of Eskimoan languages--the Inuit dialects spoken from northern Alaska across the Canadian Arctic to Greenland...An essential introduction to one of the most tenacious language families of the Americas ... Highly recommended." E. J. Vajda, Western Washington University
"The Language of the Inuit might be considered ... a quintessence of Dorais's oeuvre over the last thirty years or so. It is strongly recommended to all those who are interested in the Inuit, who they are today, their culture, and their languages." Elke Nowak, University of Potsdam, Anthropological Linguistics
"The Language of the Inuit: Syntax, Semantics, and Society in the Arctic presents an encyclopedic breadth of information in a concise and readable work that will have broad appeal. Most importantly, this very fine book will bring deeper understanding of the rich heritage and meaning of their language to Inuit working to preserve and revitalize it." John Bennett, Canadian Polar Commission