Alaska Native Languages
Population and Speaker Statistics
The following table gives estimates of the population of speakers of Alaska Native languages in reference to the relevant community population. Numbers such as these should be interpreted with caution. As Krauss notes:
- Arriving at statistics of number of speakers of indigenous languages out of total relevant population is complicated by two types of major factors. The first type is of course in the determination of who is a speaker, and the second is in counting who is a member of the indigenous community. (2007:409)
More relevant to those wishing to understand the status of Alaska Native languages are the current and recent efforts at language documentation and revitalization.
| Language Family |
Language Name |
Population | Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eskimo-Aleut | Aleut | 2,300 | 150 |
| (*Russia) | 200 | 5 | |
| Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) | 3,500 | 200 | |
| Central Yup'ik | 25,000 | 10,400 | |
| Siberian Yupik | 1,400 | 1,000 | |
| (*Russia) | 900 | 300 | |
| Inupiaq (Inuit) | 15,700 | 2,144 | |
| (*Canada) | 30,500 | 24,500 | |
| (Greenland) | 47,000 | 47,000 | |
| Tsimshianic | Coast Tsimshian | 1,400 | 30 |
| (Canada) | 3,200 | <400 | |
| Nisga-Gitksan | <100 | 0? | |
| (Canada) | 5,400 | <1,000 | |
| Haida | Northern Haida | 650 | 10 |
| (Canada) | 1,100 | 30 | |
| Athabascan- Eyak- Tlingit |
Tlingit | 10,000 | 300 |
| (Canada) | 1,000 | 75 | |
| Eyak | 0 | ||
| Ahtna | 650 | 25 | |
| Dena'ina | 1,000 | 50 | |
| Deg Xinag | 250 | 14 | |
| Holikachuk | 180 | 5 | |
| Koyukon | 2,300 | 150 | |
| Upper Kuskokwim | 100 | 25 | |
| (Lower) Tanana | 400 | 25 | |
| Tanacross | 200 | 50 | |
| Upper Tanana | 300 | 55 | |
| Han | 60 | 12 | |
| (Canada) | 250 | 7 | |
| Gwich'in | 1,000 | 150 | |
| (Canada) | 1,900 | 400 |
Source: Krauss, Michael E. 2007. Native languages of Alaska. In: The Vanishing Voices of the Pacific Rim, ed. by Osahito Miyaoko, Osamu Sakiyama, and Michael E. Krauss. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Table 21.1, page 408)
*The non-Alaskan numbers in the table come from the earlier work of Krauss 1997.