Inuktut settings coming to Facebook by 2019

Facebook users could be clicking "piugijara" instead of the "like" button to show they support someone's post by next year.

The social media giant announced on Monday which is also Nunavut Day that it is starting the process of making some settings on the social media platform accessible in Inuktut. This includes everything Facebookcontrols, like settings and buttons on the website.

What users write on the platform would not be translated to Inuktut.

Inuktut is a term that encompasses Inuit dialects spoken in Nunavut and across InuitNunangat, including Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.

"It's a great opportunity, especially for unilinguals, to be able to use this platform for communication with friends in the wider world," said Jeela Palluq-Cloutier, executivedirector of Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit.

"More people will be able to use [Facebook] in the language of their choice."

Facebook doesn't yet have the capacity to translatewords toInuktut, so it's asking users forhelp.

Users are being asked to submitInuktutterms for words found on Facebook's interface through the Translate Facebookapp.Nunavummiutwill then vote for the most accurate translation.

Because there are several dialects spoken and written in Nunavut,InuitUqausinginnikTaiguusiliuqtiit the territory's language authority will make the final decision on which words become part of Facebook's officialInuktutinterface.

However, the translations will only be available in Roman orthography, not the syllabic writing system still commonly used in Nunavut.

'Easy way to stay connected'

Facebook and other social media platforms are important means of communication for Inuit living in Nunavut's fly-in communities, saidAluki Kotierk, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI).

"It's an easy way to stay connected to family," she said. "The other purpose is to be able to educate the world about Inuit, our realities of life, and world views."

Despite the territory's limited broadband and cell service, people use Facebook to share news and sell items within Nunavut communities.

Kevin Chan, Facebook Canada's head of public policy, was in Iqaluit a year ago and said he was interested in how smaller cities and hamlets use the social media site.

"We've seen first-hand how, in a community of a few hundred people, they all get in a group and that's how they communicate with each other," Chan said.

Facebook 'taking the lead,' says NTIpresident

The idea to make Facebook accessible in Inuktut came up at a meeting in Ottawa between Indigenous leaders and Chan.

Kotierkwas in town and spoke about her desire to see Facebook in Inuktut.

"As Inuit, we've always wanted to be able to speak Inuktut in any sector, whether it's the private sector or the public sector," she said. "Facebook is taking the lead in listening to that need."

Facebook plans to launch in Inuktut next year.

Though the Translate Facebook app has been around since 2007, Chan saidincluding Inuktut is now possible because of partnerships with NTIand Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit.

"We feel like not only can we open it up for translation, but we feel confident that we're going to get this done for 2019," Chan said.

Facebook is currently available in over 100 languagesand recently addedInupiaq, an Alaskan Inuit dialect.

• 'Help continue our language': Alaskan Inuit dialect added to Facebook

In Nunavut, Inuktut is the majority language, but Kotierk saidmore Inuit need to be able to speak it on a daily basis.

"The mere fact that I speak Inuktut means I'm proud to be Inuk and I'm unapologetically using my language," Kotierk said.

"Creating space on social media is one way we can continue to see our language thriving."