Proto-Eskimoan,Proto-Eskimo, orProto-Inuit-Yupik, is thereconstructed ancestor of theEskimo languages.^[1] It was spoken by the ancestors of theYupik andInuit peoples. It is linguistically related to theAleut language, and both descend from theProto-Eskaleut language.^[2]

Comparative studies of Eskimo and Aleut languages suggest that the Proto-Eskimoan and Proto-Aleut languages diverged between 4000 and 2000 BCE.^[3][4]

According to the International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, "Eskimo languages show variation primarily in their phonology and lexicon, rather than in syntax." In addition, "Proto-Eskimo had four vowels */i a u ə/, but few or none of the long vowels or diphthongs found in the modern languages."^[5]

Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms atAppendix:Proto-Eskimo reconstructions

For a list of words relating to Danish language, see theDanish language category of words inWiktionary, the free dictionary.

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