Malimiutun

=Introduction=

Malimiutun, or commonly known as Northwest Arctic Iñupiatun, is a dialect of Iñupiatun spoken in the Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska and adjacent regions in Alaska, as well as one of seventeen core sub-languages spoken by Inuit across the Arctic. It is part of the Northern Alaskan Dialect with neighboring Tagiugmiutun with very similar linguistic features.

=History=

Malimiutun is one of the oldest dialects and sublanguages of Inuit. It was first formed around 1,000 to 800 years ago, differentiating from Kinugumiutun. Malimiutun had gone through two primary developments in its linguistic developments. Firstly, around 1,000 to 800 years ago, when the language was first formed along the shores of Kotzebue Sound, and secondly, around 700 to 500 years ago, when the Malimiut (speakers of Malimiutun) spread around from their core land in Kotzebue Sound to inlands in directions of north, east, and south to reach Kivalina and the Alaskan Slope to the north, Kobuk Valley and Brooks Range to the east, and Bering Sea and Yup'ik territories to the south.

Malimiutun, as it is located at the center of the Inuit of Alaska, absorbed and spread various linguistic features to neighboring dialects in Alaska. Though it is commonly classified as Northern Alaska Dialect, it also shares similar linguistic features and characteristics with Seward Peninsula Dialects of Kinugumiutun and Kauweramiutun as well.

=Dialects=

Malimiutun is commonly subdivided into two subdialects: Kobuk (Inland), and Coastal

Kobuk Subdialect is the dialect spoken in the inland regions of Northwest Arctic, which was mostly developed in the second wave of the development of Malimiutun as Malimiut spread to the inlands. Settlements in Kobuk River Valley and Selawik speak Kobuk dialects primarily.

Coastal Subdialect is the most spoken subdialect of Malimiutun, spoken in the borough seat of Northwest, Kotzebue and other coastal settlements such as Noatak. Coastal Dialect of Malimiutun is commonly known as the "standard" for Iñupiatun as it is located at the center and shares verious characteristics with different dialects in Alaska.

=Ethnic Groups= Of around 120 ethnic subgroups of Inuit, twelve subgroups in the Northwest Arctic traditionally spoke Malimiutun: Kuungmiut, Kiitaangmiut, Siilim Kangianigmiut, Nuurvingmiut, Kuuvaum Kangiagmiut, Akunigmiut, Nuataagmiut, Napaaqtugmiut, Kivallinigmiut, Qikiqtagrungmiut, Kangigmiut, Pittagmiut

Malimiutun has the most number of ethnic groups speaking its language in Alaska. This is likely due to its vast expansion and distinctions it made during the second wave.

=Orthography= Though with distinctions and differences within subdialects, Malimiutun uses Latin Alphabets primarily with distinctions.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" ! A a || Ch ch || G g || Ġ ġ || H h || I i || K k || L l || Ḷ ḷ || Ł ł || Ł̣ ł̣ || M m || N n ! Ñ ñ || Ŋ ŋ || P p || Q q || R r || S s || Sr sr || T t || U u || V v || Y y || ' ||
 * + Malimiutun Alphabet