Giimbiyu language

Last updated

Giimbiyu
Mangerr
Native to Australia
Region Northern Territory
Extinct 1980s–1990s [1]
Arnhem Land?
  • Giimbiyu
Dialects
  • Mangerr
  • Erri
  • Urningangga
Latin (Australian Aboriginal)
Language codes
ISO 639-3 Variously:
zme   Mangerr
urc   Urningangg
err   Erre
Glottolog giim1238
AIATSIS [2] N220
ELP Urningangga
Giimbiyu languages.png
Giimbiyu (purple), among other non-Pama-Nyungan languages (grey)

Giimbiyu is an extinct Aboriginal Australian language isolate once spoken by the Giimbiyu people of northern Australia.

Contents

The name Giimbiyu is a Gaagudju word for 'of the stoney country'. It was introduced in Harvey (1992) as a cover term for the named dialects, [2]

In 1997 Nicholas Evans proposed an Arnhem Land family that includes the Giimbiyu languages. However, they are not included in Bowern (2011). [3]

Phonology

Consonants

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Labial Velar Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
plain pal.
Plosive p k ɟ t ʈ
Nasal m ŋ ɲ n ɳ
Fricative ɣ
Tap ɾ
Lateral ʎ l ɭ ɭʲ
Approximant w j ɻ

Vowels

Front Back
High ɪ u
Mid ɛ ø
Low a

Vocabulary

Capell (1942) lists the following basic vocabulary items: [5]

glossMangeriUningangk
manwurilgwurig
womanŋeːnŋeːn
headwiliŋermulŋerb
eyeiːmiːm
nosejingolmingolb
mouthjagirindjaːd
tonguenindjadjindjaːd
stomachabeɽweɽeabeɽwe
boneijermmulgud
bloodmaneŋulmwaija
kangaroooidjbaɣarwurulamb
opossummuŋaːdmalijarŋ
emuwiwijüwiwidjiw
crowgagudgagud
flymuɳimuɳimaŋanaŋaɳ
sunmuɣaːliŋindjuwawi
moonjäragäljäragäl
firewiɽumgarmwidjälim
smokewuŋɛŋgwuŋɛŋg
waterogogogog

References

  1. Mangerr at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
    Urningangg at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
    Erre at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. 1 2 N220 Giimbiyu at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  3. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)
  4. Birch, Bruce (2006). A first dictionary of Erre, Mengerrdji and Urningangk: three languages from the Alligator Rivers Region of North Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation: Jabiru: Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corp.
  5. Capell, Arthur. 1941-1942, 1942-1943. Languages of Arnhem Land, North Australia. Oceania 12: 364-392, 13: 24-51.