Ngura languages

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Ngura
Ngurawarla
(spurious?)
Ethnicityvarious (Wongkumara, Ngandangara, Punthamara, Kalali, ?Bidjara, ??Thereila, Karendala, Ngurawola, etc.)
Geographic
distribution
Northwest New South Wales, southwest Queensland, Australia
Linguistic classification Pama–Nyungan;
some languages may be Karnic, some Maric, some unclassified or spurious
Subdivisions
Glottolog ngur1261  (Wilson River (Grey Range))

Ngura is a disputed and possibly spurious ethnic and language designation of central Australia. The name 'Nura', short for Ngurawarla, means 'empty camp', referring to lands abandoned after a massacre. It is not a language or ethnic designation. [1]

Of the various language varieties that have gone by this name, all of which are extinct, Bowern (2001) classifies the Wilson River language of the 'modern' Galali/Garlali and Wangkumara-plus-Bundhamara/Punthamara (also known as or closely related to Ngandangara/Yarumarra) peoples as an Eastern Karnic language, while the Bulloo River language of the 'old' Garlali and Wangkumara remains an unclassified Karna–Mari 'fringe' language. Bidjara or less ambiguously 'Bitharra' (not to be confused with the Bidjara language of the Maric languages) may be another variety of Bulloo River, but there is not enough data to be sure. Bowern believes that Badjiri was probably a Maric language. Bowern (2001) said the data is too sketchy to be sure, but Bowern (2011) simply assigned it to Maric.

There seems to be enough data to establish three "Ngura" languages, which do not form a coherent group:

In 2013, the old ISO code for 'Ngura', [nbx], was split, with new codes established for these languages, namely for (old?) Garlali, Punthamara, (old and modern?) Wangkumara and Badjiri. A fifth code, [ekc] (the 'Eastern Karnic' language, not to be confused with the 'Eastern Karnic' languages of Bowern, which are Wilson River), was assigned to those names that were too poorly attested to establish as actual language varieties. [3] It was retired in 2020.

Besides those names covered above, there is no data associated with the name 'Garandala' (Karendala), apart from a few words of 'Kunandaburi' that may be Kungadutji (Wilson River). [4]

Related Research Articles

The Wilson River language, also known as "Modern" Wankumara, is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Karnic family. It was spoken by several peoples along the Wilson River in Queensland. Of these, the Wanggumara (Wangkumara) and Galali may have migrated from the Bulloo River and abandoned their language when they arrived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muruwari language</span> Extinct Australian Aboriginal language

Muruwari is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language of the Muruwari people, an isolate within the Pama–Nyungan family. Poorly attested Barranbinja may have been a dialect. Muruwari means 'to fall (warri) with a fighting club (murru) in one's hand'. The Muruwari language region includes the areas around the Paroo Shire in Queensland and Brewarrina Shire in New South Wales.

Ngardi, also spelt Ngarti or Ngardilj, is an Australian Aboriginal language that is considered moribund. It was previously thought to be an alternative name for the Bunara language, but these are now classified as separate languages. It was/is spoken by the Ngarti people of the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paman languages</span> Australian Aboriginal language family

The Paman languages are an Australian language family spoken on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. First noted by Kenneth Hale, Paman is noteworthy for the profound phonological changes which have affected some of its descendants.

Kalali, also written Kullili, Galali, Garlali, Kullilla and other variants, is a poorly attested Australian Aboriginal language. It is one of several geographically transitional "Karna–Mari fringe" languages that have not been convincingly classified, and is best considered an isolate branch within the Pama–Nyungan family. Gavan Breen provisionally includes Minkabari and the Ngura dialect Pitjara/Bidjara/Bitharra, which together have been called the Bulloo River language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karnic languages</span> Pama–Nyungan language group of Australia

The Karnic languages are a group of languages of the Pama–Nyungan family. According to Dixon (2002), these are three separate families, but Bowern (2001) establishes regular paradigmatic connections among many of the languages, demonstrating them as a genealogical group. Bowern classifies them as follows:

Bidjara, also spelt Bidyara or Pitjara, is an Australian Aboriginal language. In 1980, it was spoken by 20 elders in Queensland between the towns of Tambo and Augathella, or the Warrego and Langlo Rivers. There are many dialects of the language, including Gayiri and Gunggari. Some of them are being revitalised and are being taught in local schools in the region. The various dialects are not all confirmed or agreed by linguists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gangulu</span>

The Gangulu people, also written Kangulu, Kaangooloo, Ghungalu and other variations, are an Aboriginal Australian people from the Mount Morgan area in Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maric languages</span> Extinct branch of the Pama–Nyungan language family

Maran or Maric is an extinct branch of the Pama–Nyungan family of Australian languages formerly spoken throughout much of Queensland by many of the Murri peoples. The well attested Maric languages are clearly related; however, many languages of the area became extinct before much could be documented of them, and their classification is uncertain. The clear Maric languages are:

Wanggamala, also spelt Wanggamanha, Wangkamahdla, Wangkamadla, Wangkamanha, Wangkamana, Wonkamala, Wongkamala, Wonkamudla, and other variants, is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language of the Pama–Nyungan family, previously spoken in the Northern Territory around Hay River and to the south of the Andegerebinha-speaking area.

Mithaka is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language in the Barcoo Shire of Western Queensland spoken by the Mitaka people.

Badjiri is an extinct Aboriginal Australian language once spoken by the Badjiri people of southern Queensland. Bowern suspects it's a Maric language. Bowern (2001) said the data was too sketchy to be sure, but Bowern (2011) assigned it to Maric without comment.

Eastern Karnic language may be,

Kungkari is an extinct and unclassified Australian Aboriginal language. The Kungkari language region included the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Longreach Shire Council and Blackall-Tambo Shire Council.

Pirriya is an extinct and unclassified Australian Aboriginal language. It was spoken by the Bidia people of the western and central western Queensland, including Barcoo Shire, Whitula Creek, Cooper Creek, and Jundah.

The Badjiri people, also written Budjari or Badyidi, are an Australian Aboriginal people of just north of the Paroo River, close to the southern border of Queensland.

The Wanggumara, also spelt Wangkumara, Wongkumara, Wangkumarra, and other variants, are an Aboriginal people of the state of Queensland, Australia.

The Bidjara people, also spelt Bitjara or Bithara, are an Aboriginal Australian people of south-western Queensland. They spoke a dialect of the Ngura language. They are not to be confused with the Warrego River Pitjara or the Badjiri of the Paroo River, both of whose traditional lands are further to the east of the state.

The Galali or Kalali were an indigenous Australian people of the state of Queensland.

Bidjara or Pitjara or Bidyara may refer to:

References

  1. L24 Ngurawala at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  2. L57 Minkabari at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  3. L19 Dhiraila at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  4. L29 Kunandaburi at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies