# Inuit languages: polar bear



## winthro

I am looking for a word that was used/ is used by eskimos meaning Polar bear.


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## samanthalee

winthro said:


> I am looking for a word that was used/ is used by *E*skimos meaning Polar bear.


 
Hi winthro, welcome!
First of all, I have to point out that your title doesn't conform to the format we use here. It should have been written as "*Eskimo Language: polar bear*". This format was adopted so that the forum will not get messy with so many different languages.

Incidentally "Polar Bear" is a common Inuit name, which you can find in Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_languages)

In Kalaallisut, it is called Nanoq. And in Central Sibirian Yupik, it is called Nanuq.


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## cajzl

In Czech the word *nanuk* means _ice-cream on a stick._ Originally a brand name inspired by the film "Nanook of the North" (1922).


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## AlJaahil

It's _nanuq_ in the Iqaluit dialect also.

Please note that "Eskimo" is considered insulting, the proper word in Canada (but not Alaska) is _Inuk_ (singular) or _Inuit_ (plural), meaning "(the) Person/People." Inuit call speaking their language "speaking _Inuktitut_," i.e. "like (the) People," and most people call it Inuktitut (or Inuttut, etc. according to dialect) in English.


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## Alxmrphi

What's the pronunciation of_ nanuq_? Is it [nænu:k] ? [nænuk]? [nænək] ?


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## AlJaahil

Alxmrphi said:


> What's the pronunciation of_ nanuq_? Is it [nænu:k] ? [nænuk]? [nænək] ?



Basically [nanuq] as written, roughly equal stress on syllables as Inuktitut doesn't have strong stress. The _q_ is uvular, not velar - pronounced very deep in the throat; _k_ and _q_ are strongly contrastive in all dialects - and the _u_ varies between _u_ and a close _o_ because sounds are a more open before _q_ and _r_ (which is also uvular). You'll see older spellings like _nanoq_ that reflect this, as well as _aiveq_ for _aiviq_ ("walrus") that reflect a similar change of _i_ to a close _e_ next to _q_ and _r_.


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