Abstracts
Abstract
In this International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032)—as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly—it is important to note that the Inuit of Nunavik (Arctic Quebec) still widely speak their own language, Inuktitut, while understanding the two colonial languages, English and French, to greatly varying degrees. The Court of Québec has jurisdiction in the region over criminal matters, whereas different legal texts protect the right of Inuit to court interpretation, including the provincial and federal Charters of Rights and Freedoms. In this paper, we address the linguistic challenges of interpreting at the Nunavik Itinerant Court, with the aim of shedding light on the ontological conflicts at the heart of the justice system. We also examine the meaning of “justice” for Inuit. To that end, we use the results of research by the Sentinel North Research Chair on Relations with Inuit Societies (Université Laval).
Keywords:
- justice,
- Inuktitut,
- interpreters,
- Nunavik,
- ontology
Résumé
En cette Décennie internationale des langues autochtones (2022-2032), il apparait pertinent de souligner que les Inuit du Nunavik (Arctique québécois) parlent encore largement leur langue maternelle, l’inuktitut, et que leur niveau de compréhension des langues coloniales, l’anglais et le français, varie considérablement. Alors que la Cour du Québec siège notamment en matière d’affaires criminelles au Nunavik, le droit des Inuit à l’interprétation est protégé par certains textes juridiques, incluant les chartes québécoise et fédérale des droits et libertés. Dans cet article, nous abordons les défis linguistiques liés à l’interprétation à la Cour itinérante du Nunavik, ceci dans le but de mettre en lumière les conflits ontologiques qui sont au coeur du système de justice. Nous nous interrogeons également sur le sens du mot justice chez les Inuit. À cette fin, nous mobilisons les résultats d’une recherche menée par l’équipe de la Chaire de recherche Sentinelle Nord sur les relations avec les sociétés inuit (Université Laval).
Mots-clés :
- justice,
- Inuktitut,
- interprètes,
- Nunavik,
- ontologie
Appendices
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