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Woiwurrung–Taungurung language

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Woiwurrung, Taungurung and Boonwurrung[3] are Aboriginal languages of the Kulin nation of Central Victoria. Woiwurrung was spoken by the Woiwurrung and related peoples in the Yarra River basin, Taungurung by the Taungurung people north of the Great Dividing Range in the Goulburn River Valley around Mansfield, Benalla and Heathcote, and Boonwurrung by the six clans which comprised the Boonwurrung people along the coast from the Werribee River, across the Mornington Peninsula, Western Port Bay to Wilsons Promontory. They are often portrayed as distinct languages, but they were mutually intelligible.[4] Ngurai-illamwurrung (Ngurraiillam) may have been a clan name, a dialect, or a closely related language.[5]

Woiwurrung–Taungurung
RegionVictoria
EthnicityWoiwurrung, Wurundjeri, Taungurung, Boonwurrung, ?Ngurelban, etc.
Pama–Nyungan
Dialects
  • Woiwurrung
  • Taungurung
  • Boonwurrung[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
wyi – Woiwurrung
dgw – Daungwurrung
Glottologwoiw1237
AIATSIS[2]S35, S36, S37
ELP
The five Kulin nations. Woiwurrung proper is in yellow, Taungurung is in the northeast in green, Boonwurrung is in the southeast in cyan.
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.
Marn grook football, played by speakers of Woiwurrung from the Wurundjeri clan, c. 1857
Building signage says Welcome - Wominjeka
Welcome sign on Medley building, University of Melbourne
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Boonwurrung is closely related to Woiwurrung, with which it shares 93% of its vocabulary, and to a lesser degree with Taungurung spoken north of the Great Dividing Range in the area of the Goulburn River, with which it shares 80%.[6] Woiwurrung, Taungurong and Boonwurrung have been considered by linguists to be dialects of a single Central Victorian language, whose range stretched from almost Echuca in the north, to Wilsons Promontory in the south.[7]

R. Brough Smyth wrote in 1878 that "The dialects of the Wooeewoorong or Wawoorong tribe (River Yarra) and the Boonoorong tribe (Coast) are the same. Twenty-three words out of thirty are, making allowances for differences of spelling and pronunciation, identical; five have evidently the same roots, and only two are widely different".[8]

Woiwurrung

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Woiwurrung dialect phonology

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The following is the Woiwurrung dialect:

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Bilabial Velar Palatal Dental Alveolar Retroflex
Plosive b/p ɡ/k ɟ/c d̪/t̪ d/t ɖ/ʈ
Nasal m ŋ ɲ n̪ n ɳ
Lateral l ɭ
Rhotic r ɽ
Glide w j

It is not clear if the two rhotics are trill and flap, or tap and approximant. Vowels in Woiwurrung are /a e i o u/.[9]

Pronouns

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In the case of the Woiwurrung pronouns, the stem seems to be the standard ngali 'you and I', but the front was suffixed to wa-, so wa+ngal combines to form wangal below.[10] In Kulin languages there is no grammatical gender.[11]

Person Singular Dual Plural
Woi. IPA Eng. Woi. IPA Eng. Woi. IPA Eng.
1st Inc. Wangal [wa.ŋal] We two (you) Wanganyin [wa.ŋa.ɲin] We (& you)
1st Exc. Wan [wan] I Wangan [wa.ŋan] We two (not you) Wanganyinyu [wa.ŋa.ɲi.ɲu] We (not you)
2nd Warr [war] You Wabul [wa.bul] You two Wat gurrabil
Wat gurrabilla
Wat balak
Wat wurdundhu 		[wat ɡu.ra.bil]
[wat ɡu.ra.bil.la]
[wat ba.lak]
[wat wu.ɖun.d̪u] 		You
3rd Munyi [mu.ɲi] He/She/It Munyi gurrabil [mu.ɲi ɡu.ra.bil] Those two Malu gurrabila [ma.lu ɡu.ra.bi.la] They

Other Woiwurrung vocabulary

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  • biik = land, country
  • boorondara = shade, darkness, night (origin of the name of the City of Boroondara)
  • nyilum biik = poor soil / hard land (origin of the name of Nillumbik Shire)
  • wominjeka = hello / welcome (womin = come, je [dji] = asking to come, ka = purpose)
  • yabber = to talk (this word, with the same meaning, has made its way into informal English)[12]
  • yarra = flowing, (also means "hair"). It is thought to have been mistakenly given to the Yarra River (referred to as Birrarrung in the Woiwurrung language) by an early settler who asked a boy what it was called, who was confused and answered "it is flowing".

Number and sign system

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A numbering system was used when Wurundjeri clans sent out messengers to advise neighbouring clans of upcoming events, such as a ceremony, corroboree, a challenge to fight or Marn grook ball game. Messengers carried a message stick with markings to indicate the number and type of people involved and a prop to indicate the type of event, such as a ball for a Marn grook event. The location of meeting was spoken, but neighbouring clans might not use the same language, so a sign language was used to indicate the number of days in the future when the people should assemble. The number was indicated by pointing to a location on the body from 1 to 16. After 16, at the top of the head, the count follows the equivalent locations across the other side of the body.[13]

Numeral Spoken number Sign of the number Literal meaning
1 bubupi-muningya little finger child of the hand
2 bulato-ravel third finger little larger
3 bulato middle finger larger
4 urnung-meluk forefinger urnung means a direction, meluk means a large grub found in some eucalypti
5 babungyi-muningya thumb the mother of the hand
6 krauel wrist-joint
7 ngurumbul the divergence of the radial tendons a fork
8 jeraubil the swelling of the radial muscles
9 thambur the inside of the elbow-joint a round place
10 berbert biceps the ringtail possum and also the name of the armlet made from the pelt of that animal, worn on the bicep during festive occasions
11 wulung shoulder-joint
12 krakerap the collar-bone the place where the bag hangs by its band
13 gurnbert the neck reed necklace, or place where the reed necklace is worn
14 kurnagor the lobe of the ear the point or end of a hill, or of a spur or ridge
15 ngarabul the side of the skull a range or the ridge of a hill
16 bundial top of the head the cutting-place, the place where the mourner cuts himself with some sharp instrument, from budagra meaning to cut
17+ From the top of the head, the count follows the equivalent locations across the other side of the body. 17 is the other side of the skull.

Boonwurrung

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Placenames derived from Boonwurrung language terms

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Placename Origin
Allambee Reported to mean "to sit and wait for a while",[14] possibly from the verb ngalamba.
Barerarerungar Country.
Beenak Basket.
Buln Buln "Lyrebird",[15] same origin as the name of the Melbourne suburb Bulleen and the Bolin Bolin Billabong.[16]
Bunyip From the mythical water-dwelling beast, the bunyip.
Corinella Unclear, some sources state "Running Water"[17] whereas others claim "Home of the kangaroo"[18]
Dandenong Possibly derived from Tanjenong, the indigenous name of Dandenong Creek.[19]
Darnum Debated, some sources claim "Parrot", referring specifically to the crimson rosella. However, other sources claim this to be folk etymology.[20] The name Datnum is recorded as the name of the parrot spirit who assisted Bunjil, one of six wirmums or shamans in Kulin mythology.
Dumbalk "Ice" or "Winter"
Eumemmerring Claimed to be a word meaning "agreement",[19] early settler reports recorded "um um" as a word for "yes".
Korumburra Thought to mean "Blowfly",[21] recorded as karrakarrak in related languages.
Koo Wee Rup Blackfish
Koonwarra Black swan
Lang Lang Unclear, may be connected to Laang meaning stony, although other sources claim the name derives from a different word meaning a group of trees, or from an early European settler named Lang.
Leongatha From liang, meaning "teeth".
Meeniyan Moon
Moorabbin Unclear, possibly "woman's milk". Other sources state "resting place",[22] or "people of the flat country."[23]
Moorooduc Unclear, some sources claim "flat swamp", others claim "dark" or "night".
Mordialloc From Moordy Yallock. Yallock means creek or river, in reference to the Mordialloc Creek estuary. Some sources give "moordy" as meaning "small", whereas other sources have given it to mean "swamp".[23]
Murrumbeena Unclear, according to some sources named after a member of the native police. Identical with the word Murrumbeena recorded by Daniel Bunce in 1851 as meaning "you".[24]
Nar Nar Goon Unclear, said to be from a word for koala.
Narre Warren Unclear, some sources allege connection to nier warreen meaning "no good water", although warreen usually refers to the sea. Other sources cite connection to narrworing, meaning "hot". Wathaurong sources refer to "warren" meaning 'towards the rising sun' or 'to the east' and "narre" meaning 'a long way' or 'far away'. Wathaurong from Ballarat and Geelong are known to have travelled to Narre Narre Warren for meetings of the Kulin Nation.
Nayook From the word "ngayuk" meaning cockatoo.
Neerim High or long.
Noojee Often described as "place of rest", apparently literally means "done", "finished" or "complete".
Nyora Native Cherry
Tarwin From dharwin meaning "thirsty"
Tonimbuk From the verb meaning "to burn".
Tooradin Named from a Bunyip-like monster of local legend, which lived in the waters of Sawtell Inlet and Koo Wee Rup Swamp.[25]
Warneet One of the words for "river".
Warragul A loanword originating from Dharug language around Sydney. Usually given as meaning "wild dog", although warragul was recorded as meaning "wild" for anything, including humans. Gippsland settlers used the word in derogatory way to describe Indigenous people.[26]
Wonthaggi Thought to be from the verb wanthatji meaning "get", "bring" or "pull". Other sources claim it means "home".
Yannathan A form of the verb yana meaning "to go" or "to walk".[citation needed]
Yarragon Thought to be short for Yarragondock, meaning moustaches.[27]

Animals and plants

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Some Boonwurrung words for animals and plants include:[28]

Plants

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Birds

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Aquatic animals

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Insects

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-47378-0.
  2. ^ S35 Woiwurrung–Taungurung at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies  (see the info box for additional links)
  3. ^ Other spellings and names include Boonerwrung, Boon Wurrung, Putnaroo, Thurung, Toturin, and Gippsland dialect ("Detailed record of the Bunurong". AusAnthrop Australian Aboriginal tribal database. AusAnthrop anthropological research, resources and documentation on the Aborigines of Australia. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2012.)
  4. ^ Barry Blake 1991: 31
  5. ^ S83 Ngurai-illamwurrung at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  6. ^ Melbourne and Surrounds (PDF) – via vcaa.vic.edu.au.
  7. ^ Blake, Barry J., ed. (1998). Wathawurrung and the Colac Languages of Southern Victoria. Pacific Linguistics, Series C. Vol. 147. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. doi:10.15144/PL-C147. hdl:1885/146194. ISBN 0-85883-498-7.
  8. ^ Smyth, R. Brough (1878). The Aborigines of Victoria, with Notes Relating to the Habits of the Natives of other Parts of Australia and Tasmania, compiled from various sources for the Government of Victoria. Vol. 2. Melbourne: John Ferres. p. 13 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Hercus (1969).
  10. ^ Blake, Barry J. (1991). "Woiwurrung". In Dixon, R. M. W.; Blake, Barry J. (eds.). The Aboriginal Language of Melbourne and Other Sketches. Handbook of Australian Languages. Vol. 4. Oxford University Press. pp. 31–124.
  11. ^ Blake, Barry. "Dialects of Western Kulin, Western Victoria Yartwatjali, Tjapwurrung, Djadjawurrung" (PDF). VCAA. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  12. ^ Oxford Dictionary of English, p 2,054.
  13. ^ Howitt, Alfred William (1901). "Chapter 11" . Native Tribes of South-East Australia. McMillan. p. 701 – via Wikisource.
  14. ^ "Allambee". victorianplaces.com.au. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  15. ^ Dawson, W. T.; Pettit, H. W. (1850). Gippsland place names and vocabulary. p. 11 – via Howitt and Fison Archive.
  16. ^ Aboriginal Resource Trail (PDF). Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Education Service.
  17. ^ Bird, Eric (12 October 2006). Place Names on the Coast of Victoria (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017 – via bcs.asn.au.
  18. ^ "Corinella - Victoria's Best Kept Secret". www.visitcorinella.com. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  19. ^ a b First, Jamie (7 January 2014). "The A-Z Story of Melbourne's Suburbs". Herald Sun. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  20. ^ Clark, Ian D. (2014). "Dissonance Surrounding the Aboriginal Origin of a Selection of Placenames in Victoria, Australia: Lessons in Lexical Ambiguity". In Clark, Ian D.; Luise, Hercus; Kostanski, Laura (eds.). Indigenous and Minority Placenames: Australian and International Perspectives. Canberra: ANU Press. pp. 251–271. doi:10.22459/IMP.04.2014.14. ISBN 9781925021639.
  21. ^ "About the profile areas | Fish Creek - Sandy Point - Wilsons Promontory | profile.id".
  22. ^ Whitehead, Graham J. (27 June 2018). "Moorabbin Becomes a City". Kingston Local History. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  23. ^ a b [The Argus Newspaper, 12 Feb 1938, page 19]
  24. ^ [Language of the Aborigines of the Colony of Victoria and other Australian Districts, Daniel Bunce 1856]
  25. ^ "The Bunyip". South Bourke and Mornington Journal. Vol. 49, no. 5. Victoria, Australia. 20 February 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 7 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. ^ "Angus McMillan". Gippsland Times. 24 May 1865. p. 1. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  27. ^ "Yarragon | Victorian Places". www.victorianplaces.com.au. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  28. ^ Clark, Ian; Briggs, Carolyn (2011). The Yalukit-Willam: The First People of Hobsons Bay (PDF). Hobsons Bay Council.

Further reading

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  • Taungurung : liwik-nganjin-al ngula-dhan yaawinbu yananinon. Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages. 2011. ISBN 9780987133717.
  • Blake, Barry (1979). Handbook of Australian languages. Canberra: Australian National University Press. ISBN 0195530977.
  • Morrison, Edgar (1981). The Loddon Aborigines: tales of old Jim Crow. Daylesford, Vic.: Daylesford and District Historical Society.
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