Matngala language

Last updated
Matngele
Region Northern Territory, Australia
Ethnicity Madngella, Yunggor
Extinct by 2006 census [1]
perhaps 1 reported 1973; perhaps 10 reported 1990
Eastern Daly
  • Matngele
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3 zml
Glottolog madn1237
AIATSIS [1] N12
ELP Matngele
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Matngele or Madngele is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language of the Northern Territory spoken by the Madngella and Yunggor peoples.

Contents

Classification

Tryon (1974) classified Matngele with Kamu, and this is accepted by Dixon (2002) and Bowern (2011), though denied by Harvey (1990). [1]

Phonology

Vowels

Front Central Back
High iu
Mid eɵ
Low a

Consonants

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Bilabial Velar Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
Stop Voiceless pkct
Voiced bɡɟd
Nasal mŋɲn
Lateral ʎl
Rhotic rɻ
Semivowel wj

Grammar

Matngele has only five simple verbs. These must be combined with coverbs in order to form complex verbs.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 N12 Matngele at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies