ᑖᒻ ᔅᑳᑦ and ᖃᓂᐅᔮᖅᐸᐃᑦ

Inuktitut syllabics are brilliant. A writing system that's not an alphabet, but something really clever: an abugida, one designed from scratch for a language very unlike anything European. [Pull down the description!]

Context and history:

Thanks to Kataisee Attagutsiak (ᑲᑕᐃᓯ ᐊᑕᒍᑦᓯᐊᖅ) for proofreading this script! She helped put Inuktitut into Unicode, so she's something of a language hero.

Also on the voyage:

Elmo Keep is writing about the people we met:

PLUS: These folks took incredible photos:

and on Snapchat and Instagram as @tomscottgo

[valty]

For those wondering, the title says "Taam Skaat and Qaniujaaqpait", which means "Tom Scott and Syllabics".

[GamesFromSpace]

At least nobody can complain about "clickbait" titles here.

[ow_]

My system is so old the title is just "and"

[Wendoverproductions]

When I make videos I can't record 10 words without stumbling on my words, meanwhile Tom Scott can get through a 4 minute video in one take with perfect recitation.

[arooobine]

*sees title*
My gosh Unicode is truly one of the wonders of the world.

[EmperorJake]

Let's thank Inuktitut for giving us these symbols ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

[notthatadam]

0:25 "People in different areas can understand some of what people say"

So, like the North of England then.

[mpmqbi]

Fun Fact: the guy who invented this script, James Evans, originally for the Cree language, was inspired by the Cherokee syllabary. The Cherokee syllabary had been created by this guy called Sequoyah who didn't even know how to write or read previously, he just discovered that the white settlers living in the area had this neat little system that could record spoken word on paper and decided he wanted something similar. The writing system he created was a resounding success among the Cherokee and is still in use.

[furinick]

The "point to show vowel" seems usefull. That's going into my feature list of things I'll use in the language I'll never create

[DanB-shwt]

3:29 The English language is difficult but you can learn it through tough thorough thought though.

[pizzacat]

*Finally, I'll be able to read those Minecraft Enchanting Table symbols*

[TomScottGo]

We'll see how well various people's devices can cope with that title! My fact-checker was one of the team who put Inuktitut into Unicode, so if you've got a modern device it should work fine...

[wolframstahl]

This video has the least searchable title I've ever seen!

[dukeofworcestershire]

"The password is on the back of the router"
The back of the router:

[JANL]

With the example at 3:29 English is really an outlier. There are many European languages that use latin alphabet that are highly phonemic with just some minor exceptions caused by the natural shifts in pronunciation over time.

[KyrieFortune]

The best irony is that this video is still easily searchable despite comments claiming otherwise, while actual unsearchable videos are about falling off Rainbow Road on Mario Kart

[RhamosVhailejh]

Wow. Only 30, 000 fluent speakers? I now feel more extra privileged than I already did to have had the good fortune to hear a group of three people speaking in Inuktitut on a rather long bus ride in Ottawa. I listened to them with delight the entire way.

[carson]

2:55 "Sorry parents, it was probably an accident" now that's what I call excellent writing

[durjam]

The Video Anylitics:
Discovery from YouTube Search: 0%

[kaiserwilhelmiiemperorofge]

“What did you do during the break?”
“I memorized a language”