Why is Inuit considered a dialect continuum?

The Inuit language is considered a dialect continuum because it consists of a series of intergrading dialects that span thousands of miles, stretching from eastern Greenland to northern Alaska.1

In this linguistic structure, neighboring dialects are mutually intelligible, allowing speakers from adjacent communities to communicate effectively. However, because of the vast geographic distances between populations, linguistic differences accumulate across the continuum. Consequently, these cumulative changes can impede or entirely prevent mutual intelligibility between groups that are located far apart from one another. This pattern of gradual change is reflected in the diverse names for the language across different regions, such as Kalaallisut in Greenland, Inuktitut and Inuvialuktun in Canada, and Inupiaq in Alaska.231