Ngayawung language

Last updated

Ngayawung
Lower Riverland
Region South Australia
Ethnicity Ngaiawang, Ngaralti, Nganguruku
Extinct (date missing)
Revival [1]
Dialects
  • Ngayawang
  • Nganguruku
  • Ngaralti (Ngaralda)?
Language codes
ISO 639-3 nwg
Glottolog lowe1402
AIATSIS [2] S7  Ngaiawang, S4  Ngaralti, S6  Nganguruku

Ngayawung (Ngaiawong NIGH-uh-wong [1] ) is an extinct language of southern South Australia, spoken by the Ngaiawang, Ngaralti and Nganguruku people.

Contents

The name is also spelled Ngaiyau, Aiawung, Aiawong, Iawung, Nggauaiyowangko; other names are Birta, Pitta, Pieta, Peeita and Meru.

Phonology

Consonants

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Labial Velar Dental Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
Plosive p k t̪ c t ʈ
Nasal m ŋ ɲ n ɳ
Rhotic ɾ ~ r ɻ
Lateral ʎ l ɭ
Approximant w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i iː u uː
Low a aː

[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "River's ancient language awakens after 'sleeping' for generations". ABC News. 27 February 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  2. ↑ S7 Ngaiawang at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies   (see the info box for additional links)
  3. ↑ Horgen, Michael (2004). The languages of the Lower Murray. LaTrobe University. pp. 45–56.
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