Microsoft Office, Translator now supports Inuit language, Inuktitut

Microsoft has just added support for Inuktitut, the language spoken by the Inuit people, to Microsoft Translator and Office.

Studying aboriginal languages like Inuktitut is increasingly popular in Canada, and the work should make the language more accessible to students and others.

Microsoft was able to add support for the language with help from the Government of Nunavut, while Inuktitut speakers worked with Microsoft to ensure the translations were correct.

“We are proud to collaborate with the Government of Nunavut and learn from Inuktitut speakers,” said Kevin Peesker, president of Microsoft Canada, in a news release.

“Any new tool to encourage language use and learning, especially in Inuktitut, is always welcomed,” Karliin Aariak, Nunavut’s languages commissioner.

The work will not just be available in Microsoft’s apps, but will also be added to Microsoft’s Azure Cognitive Services Translator and its Azure Cognitive Speech Services, which means the language should now be widely available to be offered on other apps, tools and websites.

“For thousands of years, Inuit have spoken Inuktut across the world. It’s amazing how we have kept Inuktut strong by adapting to changes in our culture,” said Margaret Nakashuk, Nunavut’s minister of culture and heritage, in a news release.

Microsoft said they believed can be helpful to preserve language and heritage.

“Embracing new technology is a perfect example of our resilience,” noted Ms Nakashuk.

See Microsoft’s video on the work below:

Via Nunatsiaq. News