Macro-Gunwinyguan languages

Last updated

Macro-Gunwinyguan
Arnhem
Geographic
distribution
northern Australia
Linguistic classification Macro-Pama–Nyungan?
  • Macro-Gunwinyguan
Subdivisions
Glottolog gunw1250  (Gunwinyguan)
mani1293  (Maningrida)
mang1423  (Mangarrayi-Maran)
kung1259  (Kungarakany)
gaga1251  (Gaagudju)
Arnhem languages.png
The Arnhem languages (purple), and other non-Pama–Nyungan languages (grey). Below (closeup): the individual families.
Arnhem languages (closeup).png
 

The Macro-Gunwinyguan languages, also called Arnhem or Gunwinyguan, are a family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken across eastern Arnhem Land in northern Australia. Their relationship has been demonstrated through shared morphology in their verbal inflections.

Contents

Many of the languages have a fortis–lenis contrast in plosive consonants. Lenis/short plosives have weak contact and intermittent voicing, while fortis/long plosives have full closure, a more powerful release burst, and no voicing.[ citation needed ]

Languages

Rebecca Green (2004) reconstructed the paradigms of 28 Proto-Arnhem verbs. [1] The languages included by Green are as follows, though Green only accepts Maningrida as a demonstrated branch: [2]

This is close to what Evans (1997) proposed under the name Gunwinyguan (cf. his very different proposal of Arnhem Land languages .)

Marra, Warndarrang, Alawa, and Mangarrayi have been argued to constitute a Marran family of considerable time depth (Sharpe 2008). [3] [4]

Heath (1990) [5] demonstrated an East Arnhem family of Ngandi + Nunggubuyu, to which Enindhilyagwa was added (as a closer relative to Nunggubuyu) by Van Egmond (2012). [6] [7]

However, Green (2003) argues that only Maningrida has been established as a valid subgroup, and that the interrelationships of the other languages are as yet unclear. The evidence for Gunwinyguan and perhaps other nodes listed above may simply be reflections of a relationship of all Arnhem languages when only a subset of them was investigated. That is, these groups may be based on shared retentions of Proto-Arnhem rather than distinct historical developments. (However, in reviewing Green, Evans pointed out that much of the Maningrida morphology was also shared by Mangarrayi. [2] ) An agnostic view of the family would list each language separately, except for the established Maningrida branch:

Kungarakany, Mangarrayi, Marra, Maningrida, Ngalakgan, Bininj Kunwok (Gunwinggu), Warndarrang, Uwinymil, Gaagudju, Dalabon, Kunbarlang, Rembarrnga, Nunggubuyu, Jawoyn, Warray, Ngandi

*Green does not address Anindilyakwa, Alawa, or Yugul. Yugul is too poorly attested for comparison based on her methods; the other two await validation.

Yangmanic, including Wardaman, had once been included in Gunwinyguan, but has been removed from recent classifications.

External classification

Evans (1997) proposes that these languages are related to Pama–Nyungan in a family he calls Macro-Pama–Nyungan, but this has not yet been demonstrated. [8]

In 2003, he proposed that they are also related to the Eastern Daly languages. [9]

Vocabulary

Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Gunwinyguan languages: [10]

gloss Gunwinggu Gunbarlang Ngaɖi
manbiniṉgiɖimargŋarga
womanmuli‘muliŋbaramimbaṉgandar
headgungɔidjgɔidjgɔidjwaːlu
eyegunminwumumilba
nosegungɛbwumɛːlimulju
mouthgundaŋdjaːɖɛɽlira
tonguegundjɛnŋaːgdjälaṉ
stomachgunjanmugmaɳɖidjaːla
bonegunmuruŋgɛːgɛggidji
bloodgungulbamoɭobindjugän
kangaroogɔɳɔbɔlɔgoːindjädji
opossumdjɛːbuigundärbudjaŋana
emugurugaijumaɳɖɛb
crowwaːgdjidaːwundjäŋilga
flybɔːdmogŋurin
sungunduŋgaːnagbɽaŋu
moondiːdwuranajagan
firegunɽagwiɖidjwaɭu
smokegundɔlŋwungawugundjuru
watergunɽɔinnjunjugŋaba


Capell (1942) lists the following additional basic vocabulary items for the Gunwinyguan languages: [11]

gloss Southern Gunwinggu Muralidban Andiljaugwa Nunggubuyu Wandarang Ngandi Rainbarngo Buan Gundangbon
manbininbininnanamamaljanawarinjuŋnawaɽijinijulbiːjawurinbiji
womandalugŋalwareːrulgwudáriŋgaŋaramaninjuŋŋiwoibinamanaŋdiŋ‘giɖigiɖgirigidj
headgungoidjgungoidanariŋgajinagwugululugulaŋdjaragɔidjgɔidj
eyegunmiːmgunmiːmmeːnbabagaɭamamaguɽmaŋandjulagaindjuljamïmïmumu
nosegungəbgungəbamindajɔmɔːrwundjíribagwijibangiːjadjɛːdjɛː
mouthgundaŋgundaŋadiraɽamadanwuŋaːndalgudaguladiːjälŋdaːləːdalugaɽa‘
tonguegundjengundjenaljäljigbalaːnwudjijilgudälŋdiːjälŋdɛldjɛn
stomachgunjamgunmelemmulgwaŋuɖanwuŋandjamowaragiːnaguːŋu‘
bonegunmuruŋgunmuruŋadidiraŋagaɽawuŋaɽagaguŋaɽagabalmanamɔːmɔː
bloodgungulbagungulbameːrawulaŋmaŋulidjimabaɳgogulbanaguraidjgulba
kangaroogoɳobologundagijuburádaŋargọmulbiamulbiabulaidj-bulaidjguiṉguiṉ
opossumdjɛːbuidurijuguŋbajirgiajirginaɖawamarŋoduguladugula
emugurugaijuwajinŋiwuruganawurbanŋuroɖoŋuroɖo
crowwaːgwaːgjiŋwawɔːwagwaɽgwaɽgawa‘wawa‘wa‘wa‘wa‘wa‘wa‘
flybɔːdbɔːdjuwamaamunawamunabɔdbuadmɔɽbɔːd
sungunduŋŋalbɛnbemamaːwuraaɭirŋinguŋarumawaɭirmudawalirbɛbagar
moondiːɖdiːɖjimaːwuralabamanadaŋadaŋanigurŋagurŋadiɖgurŋa
firegunaggunagaŋuɽaŋuɽawuŋamburgudaŋiŋuɽamimälmimäl
smokegundɔlŋgundɔlŋaŋwarawuŋubanwundulargubándɔːɭŋdɔlgnɔdjunör
watergogogunɽɔːṉaguŋwaagogowuŋaladjagujärgdjulawaːwaː


Proto-language

Proto-Gunwinyguan
Reconstruction ofGunwinyguan languages

Below are some reconstructed Proto-Gunwinyguan (i.e., Proto-Gunwinyguan proper) animal and plant names from Harvey (2003): [12]

Proto-Gunwinyguan animal names
no.glossProto-Gunwinyguan
8 gudgeon sp.*cakorlk
10 centipede *calarr
18 death adder *campVn/rn
26 frill-necked lizard *cangkurr
31 quoll *cappo
32 long-horned grasshopper *cappurtenyqrteny
35 crayfish *carla
38 jabiru *carnarran
39 whimbrel *carnpalcarnpal
42 water goanna *carrkka
44female agile wallaby *carrurtrtu
49 green tree frog *catngerecngerec
53 koel *cawok
70 rifle fish *cetperte
77 willy wagtail *cikirricikirric
80 whistleduck *cilikuypi
96 quail *cirrirnrti(t)
102 bony bream *cirrpili
103 whistleduck *cirrpiyuk
105 scorpion *co(wo)c
107 hornet *cokparl
108 carpet snake *cokpiny
121 nail-tailed wallaby *cotet
127 water goanna *cucca
128female black wallaby *cukerre
138 bowerbird *curerrk
139 kingfisher sp.*curk
142 black-headed python *curn
143 rock wallaby *curnrtupolq
145 taipan *currang
148 tawny frogmouth, owl sp.*currul
152 kangaroo rat *Cakot
154 fishtail palm *Calmarr
173 tawny frogmouth *Cawarl
178 willy wagtail *Ciningkirric
215 jabiru *kanci
230 bony bream *karlarlppa
232 Long Tom fish *karlerrq
237 black cockatoo *karnamarr
238 black flying fox *karnampal
239 emu, large feathers on emu*karnanganyca
241big bandicoot *karnma
249 dingo *karnrteken
253 black cockatoo *karrak
255 spoonbill *karral/rla
264 goshawk *karrkkany
275 dingo *kawirVq
276 nankeen night heron *kawk
277 friarbird *kaworlk
336 kookaburra *korrowkkorrow
344 echidna *kowarrang
347 freshwater crocodile *koyow
353 emu *kulppiny
359 tawny frogmouth *kuluyqkuluy
364 blue-tongue lizard *kungar(l)ak
369 black-headed python *kunungu
374 paperbark sp.*kurlkurl
378 ibis sp.*kurnrtirnrtirn
384 blue-tongue lizard *kurri
385 blue-tongue lizard *kurrmul/rlu
388 olive python *kurrucartu
405 saltwater crocodile *kVngV
408 kookaburra *kVrVwVk
417 sugar glider *Lampalk
433 spotted bream *Leppal
442 black cockatoo *Lirrapin
448 butcherbird *Lopolopo
464 black-headed python *maccurn
467 pelican *makkakkurr
485 echidna *manappurn
495 centipede *marla
511 water goanna *marrampal
523 friarbird *martawk
528 barramundi *martpiny
530 barramundi *martukkal
561 blue-tongue lizard *milqtarl
570 barramundi *mirricci
586 blue-tongue lizard *morlel
598 rainbow serpent *muc
617 spoonbill *muqmu
625 flying fox *murru
637 frogmouth *Na-cik
639 barramundi *Namarnkorl
644 black flying fox *Nangamung
645 saltwater crocodile *Nangkurru
664 grey-crowned babbler *ngakngak
667 white corella *ngalelek
684 white cockatoo *ngarrac
685 saratoga *ngarrayarl
687 short-necked turtle *ngart
690 rifle fish *ngatpan
702 white cockatoo *ngerrk
756 tree rat; quoll *pakkaci
801 spotted nightjar *parnangka
807 kookaburra *parraca
808 darter (bird sp.)*parrakparrak
812 black wallaroo *parrk
820 march fly *partrti
824 pelican *paya
827 file snake *pekka
831 gecko spp.*pelerrk
839 bustard *penuk
845 plover *perrepperrep
846 rainbow bee-eater *perrertperrert
847 masked plover *pettelerrelerre
850 file snake *piccirri
856 galah *pilkpilk
866 barramundi *pirlmu
873 glossy ibis *pirnrtu
887 archer fish *poccalk
904 water python *porlokko
906 brolga *pornorrong
915 velvet-tailed gecko *poywek
923 pheasant *pukpuk
932 ghost bat *pumapuma
934 file snake *punupun
941 water goanna *purarr
954 water python *purrurtci
963red-eyed pigeon*rakul
976 Torresian imperial pigeon *rumuq
981 sand goanna *Talak
997 black cockatoo *Tarrapiya
1009 plover *Tetterran
1012 dollar bird *Tewtew
1020 peewee *Tirlkrtirlk
1024moon; moon snake *Tirt
1025 wedge-tailed eagle *Tiwana
1034 rock wallaby *Torriya
1045 ring-tailed possum *Tukula
1049 bony bream *Tulukkurr
1067 green tree frog *thakparrarraq
1093 Long Tom fish *thumpi
1097 bandicoot *thungkaq
1100 king brown snake *T(h)atpe
1115 crow *wakwak
1123 bustard *walppurrungku
1171 butcherbird *warrkcirt
1196 rainbow fish *werec
1206 possum *wirik
1216bird sp.; rainbow bee-eater; kingfisher; whipbirds *wirritwirrit
1217 black-faced cuckooshrike *wirriwirriyak
1231 cockroach *wor(o)cwor(o)c
1244 possum sp.*wumpu
1274 yabby *yarr
1291bird sp.; mopoke; kite*yerr/riny
1303 water rat *yirrkkup
1314lightning; rain; Leichhardt's grasshopper [seen in wet season]*yurr
Proto-Gunwinyguan plant names
no.glossProto-Gunwinyguan
2 Grevillea pteridifolia *caca ~ *yacca
12 spinifex *calng
30 wattle sp.*capec
36 king brown snake *carlung
40 banyan *carnqpa
54 water lily stem*cawqcaw
60 Grevillea sp.*cenkererr
63 milkwood *cenycok
67 pandanus mat*cerrpe
82 Capparis umbonata *ciliwirn
85 Pandanus aquaticus *cimcim
93 mistletoe *cirnirrin/ny
141 lancewood *curluq
223 ironwood *kappay
235 freshwater mangrove *karlngka/iny
236 wattle sp., woomera type*karlppu
244 Acacia sp.*karnpirr
258 spinifex sp.*karrarnrtalk
278tree sp., Gardenia megasperma , Capparis umbonata *kayapam
321plant sp., bush potato *kongkong
329 Planchonia careya *korlq
334 pandanus husk*korrmo
341 paperbark *kot
345 paperbark humpy, bark of stringybark *kowk
377 black plum *kurnrtalq
379 Flacourtia territorialis *kurnrtun/rn
398 Terminalia grandiflora *kutt/rtrtu
402 Banksia dentata *kuypuk
431 Opilia amentacea *Leklek
461wild passionfruit *ma(rt)rtawk
482 Canthium lucidum *mamtak
513palm sp., Cycas media *marrappi
527 eucalyptus sp.*martpa
529 paperbark, deep coolamon *martu
576nut of pandanus *moc
599 coolibah *muccu
602 paperbark sp.*mul/rlmu
604 conkerberry *mululuk
607 ironwood *mulyurruny
627 black currant *murrungkurn
677 eucalyptus sp.*ngapak
689 cycad *ngaththu
704 black currant *ngik
708 pandanus sp.*ngokngo
711 river red gum *ngolongkoq
776 Ficus opposita *pampul/rla
802 Owenia vernicosa *parnarr
825 green plum *pe/irrke/iq
826 quinine tree *pecca
843 eucalyptus sp.*pernpern
865 Acacia holosericea *pirliwirli
880 tea tree *pirtippirti
896 Dalabon *pon
898 wattle sp.*pongka
925 paperbark sp.*pul(p)pul
935clump of bamboo; Bambusa arnhemica *-puny
953 Cassytha filiformis *purrurnpurrurn
955 Xanthostemon paradoxus *purt/lu
958tree sp. - Brachychiton diversifolium *putput
962 paperbark *rakkalaq
971 pandanus *rok
977ridge; blacksoil area; grass used in corroborees *ruwurr
999 Phragmites *Tarrin
1058 Leichhardt tree *Tupal
1089 quinine brush *thorrowq
1091 Acacia holosericea *thukkul
1095 Canthium attenuatum , Exocarpos latifolius *thumuk
1096 bloodwood *thumurluk
1101 pandanus *T(h)ayarr
1154vine sp. - Cynanchum pedunculatum *warnpek
1169plant sp.; Exocarpos latifolus ; lemon grass *warrinycalan
1181 Grevillea pteridifolia *watpar
1239 black plum *wucal
1259 pandanus *yakngarra

Related Research Articles

Ngalakan (Ngalakgan) is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Ngalakgan people. It has not been fully acquired by children since the 1930s. It is one of the Northern Non-Pama–Nyungan languages formerly spoken in the Roper river region of the Northern Territory. It is most closely related to Rembarrnga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macro-Pama–Nyungan languages</span>

Macro-Pama-Nyungan is an umbrella term used to refer to a proposed Indigenous Australian language family. It was coined by the Australian linguist Nicholas Evans in his 1996 book Archaeology and linguistics: Aboriginal Australia in global perspective, co-authored by Patrick McConvell. The term arose from Evans' theory suggesting that two of the largest Indigenous Australian language families share a common origin, and should therefore be classified as a singular language family under "Macro-Pama-Nyungan".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunwinyguan languages</span> Language family of Australia

The Gunwinyguan languages, also core Gunwinyguan or Gunwinyguan proper, are a possible branch of a large language family of Australian Aboriginal languages in Arnhem Land, northern Australia. The most populous language is Kunwinjku, with some 1500 speakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maningrida languages</span> Languages of the Northern Territory

Maningrida, also known as Burarran, is a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Australia. It includes four languages, none closely related:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iwaidjan languages</span> Aboriginal language family of Australia

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyulnyulan languages</span> Endangered language family of Australia

The Nyulnyulan languages are a small family of closely related Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Western Australia. Most languages in this family are extinct, with only three extant languages, all of which are almost extinct.

Nunggubuyu or Wubuy is an Australian Aboriginal language, the traditional language of the Nunggubuyu people. It is the primary traditional language spoken in the community of Numbulwar in the Northern Territory, although Numbulwar is traditionally associated with the Warndarrang language. The language is classified as severely endangered by UNESCO, with only 283 speakers according to the 2021 census. Most children in Numbulwar can understand Nunggubuyu when spoken to, but cannot speak it themselves, having to reply in Kriol. To counter this, starting in 1990, the community has been embarking on a revitalisation programme for the language by bringing in elders to teach it to children at the local school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wardaman language</span> Yangmanic language of Australias Northern Territory

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.

Dalabon is a Gunwinyguan language of Arnhem Land, Australia. It is a severely endangered language, with perhaps as few as three fluent speakers remaining as of 2018. Dalabon is also known as Dangbon, Ngalkbun, and Buwan.

Gurr-goni, also spelled Guragone, Gorogone, Gun-Guragone, Gunagoragone, Gungorogone, Gurrogone, Gutjertabia, is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken in Arnhem Land. There were about 60 speakers in 2011, all trilingual in Burarra or Kuninjku.

Marra, sometimes formerly spelt Mara, is an Australian Aboriginal language, traditionally spoken on an area of the Gulf of Carpentaria coast in the Northern Territory around the Roper, Towns and Limmen Bight Rivers. Marra is now an endangered language. The most recent survey was in 1991; at that time, there were only 15 speakers, all elderly. Most Marra people now speak Kriol as their main language. The remaining elderly Marra speakers live in the Aboriginal communities of Ngukurr, Numbulwar, Borroloola and Minyerri.

The Burarra language is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Burarra people of Arnhem Land. It has several dialects.

Warndarrang (waɳʈaraŋ), also spelt Warndarang, Wanderang, Wandaran, and other variants is an extinct Aboriginal Australian language in the Arnhem family, formerly spoken by the Warndarrang people in southern Arnhem Land, along the Gulf of Carpentaria. The last speaker was Isaac Joshua, who died in 1974, while working with the linguist Jeffrey Heath.

Gunbarlang, or Kunbarlang, is an Australian Aboriginal language in northern Australia with multiple dialects. Other names are Gungalang and Warlang. Speakers are multilingual in Kunwinjku and Mawng. Most of the Gunbarlang people now speak Kunwinjku.

Rembarrnga (Rembarunga) is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is one of the Northern Non-Pama–Nyungan languages, spoken in the Roper River region of the Northern territory. There are three dialects of Rembarrnga, namely Galduyh, Gikkik and Mappurn. It is a highly endangered language, with very few remaining fluent speakers. It is very likely that the language is no longer being learned by children. Instead, the children of Rembarrnga speakers are now learning neighbouring languages such as Kriol in south central Arnhem Land, and Kunwinjku, a dialect of Bininj Kunwok, in north central Arnhem Land.

The Maung people, or Warruwi, are an Aboriginal Australian people living on the Goulburn Islands, in the Arafura sea off the coast of the Northern Territory.

The Nunggubuyu are an Aboriginal Australian people of eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

The Warndarrang people, (waɳʈaraŋ), also spelt Warndarang, Wanderang, and other variants were a predominantly coastal Aboriginal Australian people of eastern Northern Territory. Though extinct as a distinct ethnolinguistic group, their descendants survive among the neighbouring Nunggubuyu.

The Dalabon or Dangbon are an Australian Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory.

The Marra, formerly sometimes referred to as Mara, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory.

References

  1. Bowern, Claire and Harold Koch, 2004. Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method, p 44
  2. 1 2 Green, Rebecca (2003). "Proto-Maningrida within Proto-Arnhem: evidence from verbal inflectional suffixes". In Nicholas Evans (ed.). The Non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia. Pacific Linguistics 552. Canberra: Australian National University. pp. 369–421. doi:10.15144/PL-552. hdl: 1885/146725 . ISBN   9780858835382.
  3. Sharpe, Margaret C. (2008). "Alawa and its Neighbours: Enigma Variations 1 and 2". In Bowern, Claire; Evans, Bethwyn; Miceli, Luisa (eds.). Morphology and Language History: In honour of Harold Koch. John Benjamins Publishing. pp. 59–70. ISBN   9789027290960.
  4. N92 Alawa at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  5. Heath, Jeffrey, 1990, A case of intensive lexical diffusion: Arnhem Land, Australia
  6. Van Egmond, M-E. (2012). "Enindhilyakwa phonology, morphosyntax and genetic position." Doctoral thesis. University of Sydney. pp. 314–70. hdl : 2123/8747
  7. Bowern, C. (2017). "Language isolates of Australia." in Campbell, L., ed. Language Isolates. Abingdon: Routledge: 323–43
  8. McConvell, Patrick and Nicholas Evans. (eds.) 1997. Archaeology and Linguistics: Global Perspectives on Ancient Australia. Melbourne: Oxford University Press
  9. Evans, Nicholas, 2003, The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia
  10. Capell, Arthur. 1940. The Classification of Languages in North and North-West Australia. Oceania 10(3): 241-272, 404-433. doi : 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1940.tb00292.x
  11. Capell, Arthur. 1941-1942, 1942-1943. Languages of Arnhem Land, North Australia. Oceania 12: 364-392, 13: 24-51.
  12. Harvey, Mark. 2003. An initial reconstruction of Proto Gunwinyguan phonology. In Evans, Nicholas (ed.), The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region, 205-268. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.