Jarrakan | |
---|---|
Djeragan | |
Geographic distribution | from Halls Creek to Wyndham and Kununurra along the Ord River in the eastern Kimberley region |
Linguistic classification | One of the world's primary language families |
Subdivisions |
|
Glottolog | jarr1235 |
Jarrakan languages (purple), among other non-Pama-Nyungan languages (grey) |
The Jarrakan (formerly Djeragan) languages are a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Australia. The name is derived from the word jarrak, which means "language" in Kija.
The three main Jarrakan languages are:
These are divided into two groups: Kijic, consisting of only Kija, and Miriwoongic, consisting of Miriwoong and Gajirrawoong; Dixon (2002) considers the latter to be a single language.
Doolboong may also have been a Jarrakan language, but this uncertain as it is extinct and essentially unattested.
Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items: [1]
English | Gidja | Guluwarin | Miriwun | Gadjerong |
---|---|---|---|---|
man | djiːlin | djiɣilin | djawalaŋ | djɔːmaŋ |
woman | ŋaːlil | ŋaːlil | gawilaŋ | gabilaŋ |
head | guŋgulïn | dumun | gaminduŋ | guɽunjuŋ |
eye | muːlu | mɔːla | mɔːl | moːl |
nose | manil | njiganïn | njumbur | njumbur |
mouth | ḏuwundïn | ḏuwundïn | ḏalala | ḏabandaṉ |
tongue | ḏalalan | ḏalalan | ḏalala | ḏalalaŋ |
stomach | djaːm | daɽwun | galdjän | raːriːŋ |
bone | gwïdji | daːlïn | jaːriŋ | jaːriŋ |
blood | gjauəlïn | gjauldji | garŋan | guŋulu |
kangaroo | djiːriṉ | djiriṉ | djiːriŋ | djiːriŋ |
opossum | laŋguṉ | naŋguṉ | guman | guman |
emu | wanjäbal | madjugul | madjuguŋ | |
crow | waŋgaɳa | wɔŋgaral | waŋgariŋ | waŋgadiŋ |
fly | buɳul | wurŋäl | ŋurin | ŋurin |
sun | baːndil | baːndil | gaŋiriṉ | baːndiṉ |
moon | gaɳgiṉ | gaɳgiṉ | gangiŋ | gaɳgiŋ |
fire | maɳiṉ | gidjauəlïn | gadjaːwilaŋ | maːnuŋ |
smoke | wangiṉ | dulubgari | ḏuŋgi | ḏuŋgiṉ |
water | guːɭiṉ | goːliṉ | gäluŋ | gaːbuŋ |
Tiwi is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Tiwi people on the Tiwi Islands, within sight of the coast of northern Australia. It is one of about 10% of Australian languages still being frequently learned by children.
The Laragiya language, also spelt Larrakia, and also known as Gulumirrgin, is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by just six people near the city of Darwin in northern Australia as of 1983. Only 14 people claimed to know the Laragiya language in 2016.
Maningrida, also known as Burarran, is a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Australia. It includes four languages, none closely related:
The Iwaidjan or Yiwaidjan languages are a small family of non-Pama–Nyungan Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in the Cobourg Peninsula region of Western Arnhem Land.
The Worrorran (Wororan) languages are a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Western Australia.
The Bunuban languages are a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Australia. The family consists of two languages, Bunuba and Gooniyandi, which are related to each other to about the same degree that English is related to Dutch. Bunuba has about 100 speakers and Gooniyandi about 400. Both are endangered.
Doolboong is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language formerly spoken by the Doolboong on the coast of the Cambridge Gulf in the Northern Territory.
Miriwoong, also written Miriuwung and Miriwung, is an Aboriginal Australian language which today has fewer than 20 fluent speakers, most of whom live in or near Kununurra in Western Australia. All of the fluent speakers are elderly and the Miriwoong language is considered to be critically endangered. However, younger generations tend to be familiar with a lot of Miriwoong vocabulary which they use when speaking Kimberley Kriol or Aboriginal English.
Kija is an Australian Aboriginal language today spoken by about 200 people, most of whom live in the region from Halls Creek to Kununurra and west to Lansdowne and Tableland Stations in Western Australia. It is a member of the Jarragan language family, a non-Pama-Nyungan family in the East Kimberleys. The Argyle Diamond Mine, on the south western corner of Lake Argyle is on the borders of Gija and Miriwoong country. The Purnululu Bungle Bungle National Park is mostly in Gija country.
Wardaman is an Australian Aboriginal language isolate. It is one of the northern non-Pama–Nyungan languages. Dagoman and Yangman were either dialects or closely related languages; as a family, these are called Yangmanic.
Ju Ju Wilson is an Aboriginal artist and part of the contemporary Indigenous Australian art movement. Besides being a prolific painter, tour guide, much sought-after cultural advisor, she is also an expert in bush tucker and medicines, author of booklets, didgeridoo maker and player, authority on Aboriginal sacred sites and rock art.
Mangarrayi is an Australian language spoken in the Northern Territory. Its classification is uncertain. Margaret Sharpe originally sought to record the language but turned to the study of Alawa after the station owner where her informants lived denied her access, having tired of the presence of researchers on the property.
Bunuba is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by some 41 older Bunuba adults, most of whom live in Junjuwa, an Aboriginal community in Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. Bunuba is not related to the Pama-Nyungan language family that spans the majority of Australia; however, it is a relative of Guniyandi. Both are subgroups of the Bunuban language family. Bunuba consists of two dialects, 'light' and 'heavy' Bunuba.
Mandangala is a medium-sized Aboriginal community, located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, within the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley. The local Aboriginal languages of the community are Miriwoong and Kija; most people in the community speak those languages.
The Ngumpin–Yapa a.k.a. Ngarrka–Ngumpin languages are a family of Pama–Nyungan languages of the Pilbara region of Australia.
The Marrngu languages are a branch of the Pama–Nyungan language family of Australia.
The Garawan languages (Garrwan), or Yanyi, are a small language family of Australian Aboriginal languages currently spoken in northern Australia.
Miriwoong Sign Language is a developed Australian Aboriginal sign language used by the Miriwoong, an Aboriginal community in the north of Australia. It is mostly used by the hearing community, but three deaf speakers have been identified. Speakers do not find Yolngu Sign Language to be understandable.
The Mati Ke, also known as the Magatige, are an Aboriginal Australian people, whose traditional lands are located in the Wadeye area in the Northern Territory. Their language is in danger of extinction, but there is a language revival project under way to preserve it.
The Miriwoong people, also written Miriwung and Miriuwung, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia.