Research, Library and Archives

Charts of kinship terms

Inter-family forms of address among the Inuit differ depending on one’s status in the family. A person’s age and sex determine the terms in which one addresses an older brother, younger sister, maternal uncle, maternal great-grandmother, etc. These terms are also chosen based on other criteria, and may vary for adopted family members or if the person hails from the Hudson Strait, Ungava Bay or Hudson Bay. Twelve tables, representing close to 100 forms of address, are being prepared to illustrate the use of such terms.

kinship-terms-02-2013
N FEMALE Sept INUKRoman NFemale
N FEMALE Sept NuvukF INUKTITUT
N MALE Aug INUKRoman NMale
N MALE Aug NM INUKTITUT
T FEMALE Sept INUKRoman TFemale
T FEMALE Sept TF INUKTITUT
T MALE Sept INUKRoman TMale
T MALE Sept TM INUKTITUT
U FEMALE Sept INUKRoman NFemale
U FEMALE Sept NuvukF INUKTITUT
U MALE Sept INUKRoman NMale
U MALE Sept NM INUKTITUT