Ida Toby (1899–1976), also known as "Queen", was an Australian linguist who collaborated on the documentation of the Warluwarra and Wangka-Yutjurru languages.

Biography

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Toby was born in 1899 at either Walgra or Carandotta station in Queensland. She was of Warluwarra and Wangka-Yutjurru (of Wangkamana group) descent.[1]

Between 1967 and 1975 she worked extensively with Gavan Breen to help document the Warluwarra and Wangka-Yutjurru languages.[2][3][4] She is said to have had an acting ability which allowed her to make up and act out imaginary conversations in those languages.[1] In honour of this work, she is listed in the Australian Women's Register.[5]

In 2013 a pictorial dictionary based on her work with Breen on Warluwarra was published by Desert Channels Queensland in partnership with The Georgina Diamantina & Cooper Aboriginal Group.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Toby, Ida". trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  2. ^ Breen, Gavan (8 March 2024). "Language collections deposited at AIATSIS by J Gavan Breen 1967-1979" (PDF). AIATSIS.
  3. ^ PARADISEC. "GB32-016 - Warluwara vocabulary, sentences and stories 2". Research Data Australia. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  4. ^ Breen, role = compiler] Gavan (1970-08-14). "Warluwara sentences and notes". www.language-archives.org. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  5. ^ "Toby, Ida". AWR. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  6. ^ "Waluwarra : pictorial dictionary / prepared by Cassy Nancarrow from Waluwarra language materials by... - Catalogue | National Library of Australia". catalogue.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-03-09.