What are the two main language groups among Alaska Natives?

The correct response identifies the two primary language groups among Alaska Natives as Eskimo-Aleut and Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit. This classification accurately reflects the diverse linguistic heritage of Alaska's Indigenous peoples. The Eskimo-Aleut language family includes languages such as Inupiaq and Yup'ik, which are spoken primarily in northern and western Alaska, as well as the Aleut language. The Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit group encompasses a wider range of languages, incorporating those spoken by various tribes across Interior Alaska and southeastern regions, including the Athabaskan languages of the Gwich’in and Dena'ina peoples, along with Tlingit and Eyak.

Other choices do not represent the linguistic reality of Alaska Natives. For example, the Siouan and Iroquoian language groups are primarily associated with Native American tribes located in the Great Plains and the Eastern Woodlands, respectively, and do not pertain to Alaska. Salishan and Uto-Aztecan languages are related to different Indigenous groups in the Pacific Northwest and the southwestern United States, thus further validating the selection of Eskimo-Aleut and Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit as the correct answer for Alaska Native languages.