In English, when we want to talk about more than one of something, we
usually add an
s to the end of a noun:
| one door |
two doors |
three doors |
In Inuktut, we use different endings to distinguish between two of something and more than two of something:
| matu |
one door |
| matuuk |
(two) doors |
| matuit |
(3+) doors |
The
dual form is used to talk about two of a particular object. You can recognize the dual form as any noun that ends in a double vowel, followed by a -
k.
| saak |
(two) tables |
| uqaalautiik |
(two) telephones |
| illuuk |
(two) buildings |
Here's how to change a noun from its singular form to the dual:
- if the object ends in a vowel, double the last vowel and add -k:
| nuvuja |
cloud |
| nuvujaak |
(two) clouds |
| uqaalaut |
phone |
| uqaalautiik |
(two) phones |
- if it ends in any consonant other than -t, delete the last consonant, double the last vowel, and add -k:
| kamik |
skin boot |
| kamiik |
(two) skin boots |
| |
|
| qarasaujaq |
computer |
| qarasaujaak |
(two) computers |
Remember that in Inuktut, you almost never put together more than two vowels in a row. So if you drop the final consonant and find you already have two vowels, just add -k:
| qarasaujaralaaq |
laptop |
| qarasaujaralaak |
(two) laptops |