Photo: Sheila C (Unsplash License)
ñġŋ
About 20 Alaska Native languages are still spoken, with several thousand speakers across the state · 1 writing systems
Language of Alaska
Let's explore the languages of Alaska! This vast state is not only known for its stunning natural beauty but also for its incredible linguistic diversity. From Native Alaskan languages spoken for thousands of years to English which is widely used today, there's so much to learn!
Test Your Knowledge
About the Script
Alaska's languages have unique sounds and writing, like new friends for your eyes and ears!
Script Explorer
Iñupiaq Latin Alphabet
Iñupiaq is written with the Latin alphabet plus a few special letters for sounds English does not have. The letter ŋ sounds like the ng in sing, and ñ softens like the ny in canyon.
Phrase Cards
Fun Fact
Did you know Alaska has about 20 Native languages? In 2014 Alaska made all of them official state languages, right alongside English.
Fun Fact
The English word kayak comes from qajaq, a word shared by the Iñupiaq, Yup'ik, and other Inuit languages of the north.
Cultural Note
Many Native Alaskan languages are passed down through storytelling, making them full of legends and wisdom.
Vocabulary
English is spoken all over Alaska, but the state is also home to about 20 Native languages, like Iñupiaq in the north, Yup'ik in the west, and Tlingit in the southeast. Here we learn a little Iñupiaq first.
