Inuvik - Until last week, the Inuvialuit didn't have a word in their language for microwave.

The helpful kitchen appliance wasn't the only technological item that didn't have any official translation until a workshop held in Inuvik the week of Dec. 5.

Language specialists were brought into town for the Inuvialuktun workshop, which ended last week. Here, David Nasogaluak, Sarah Anderson and Mabel Noksana work together to decide meanings of new words. This is the first time in nearly 20 years that the official lexicon of Inuvialuktun words has been updated. - photos courtesy of Cathy Cockney

Inuvialuktun is the name of the language shared by the Inuvialuit people of the western Arctic.

Within that language are regional dialects as well.

Last week, representatives from all across the region came to Inuvik to take part in a landmark event: creating new words in the language.

Fifteen people sat at the table all week discussing terminology and meanings of new items that we all know in our everyday lives.

Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre manager Cathy Cockney said the week was full of brainstorming and discussion.

"We planned on holding the workshop for five days, but we worked hard and got it all done a day ahead of time," said Cockney.

She said the group was made of people from all walks of traditional life.

"We had language teachers, elders and a linguist from Iqaluit," she said.

Cockney said it was a request from the language teachers in town that the workshop be held.

"The teachers wanted a terminology workshop because there are English terms that we don't have Inuvialuktun words for," she said.

The teachers wanted to meet with the elders and language specialists to improve their delivery to the students.

Cockney said there are language teachers in every school in the region, except for Sachs Harbour.

The list of words that needed to be translated came from working groups comprising the teachers in the region and the language workers at the centre.

"We worked with them to develop teaching resources, so we knew what words needed to be translated," said Cockney.

Translating the words was a challenge because it involved combining existing phrases and making new ones.

Cockney gave the example of the GPS, global positioning system.

"You won't find a word in Inuvialuktun for global, or positioning, you have to think of the concept," she said.

"We weren't looking for literal translations, just what the word means, what the concept is."

Three categories were made for the words that needed to be translated.

School/office was one, home the second and in the community was the third. Language officer Marie Jacobson said the categories were needed because of the nuances of the language.

"For instance, the word fountain in English could be many things," said Jacobson.

"In school, it means 'a place to drink,' but that could be different in the community."

The list of words will be sent back to the communities for additional input.

"We should get the list back early in the new year," she said.

Cockney said she thinks updating the language will help younger people relate to it.

"We're trying to teach youth and younger people," she said.

"Our world, our cultures are changing and we have to move with the times."