GREENLAND
Language

Cities in GREENLAND

Nuuk

Language

Greenlandic is a polysynthetic language in which thoughts and sentences are expressed in one word to which prefixes and suffixes are added.

Some examples:

What time is it? - Qassinngorpa ?
Where do you come from? - Suminngaaneerpit ?
I am tired - Qasivunga
I am disappointed - Pakatsisimavunga
This is dangerous - Navianarpoq

There are big differences between the East Greenlandic dialect and the West Greenlandic dialect. The second language that almost everyone speaks is of course Danish. A small number of Greenlanders speak English.

Numbers in Greenlandic do not go beyond twelve. Anything over twelve is called a "lot". If one wants to continue counting, one goes on with Danish numbers.

Greenlandic numbers up to twelve:

10 - qulit
11 - arqanallit
12 - arqaneq marluk

Danish numbers from thirteen onwards

13 - tretten
14 - fjorten

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Sources

Stadler, H. / Groenland
ECI

Swaney, D. / Iceland, Greenland & Faroe Islands
Lonely Planet

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated March 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info