The Marrngu languages are a branch of the Pama–Nyungan language family of Australia.

Marrngu
Geographic
distribution
Western Australia
Linguistic classificationPama–Nyungan
  • Desert Nyungic
    • Marrngu
Language codes
Glottologmarr1265
Marrngu languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan). Marrngu proper is on the coast, Mangarla inland.

There are four members of the family, which all originated in Western Australia.[1]

Vocabulary

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Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Marrngu languages:[2]

gloss Njängumada Garadjeri Mangala
man marŋu marŋo djiːbi
woman midawa djando malar
head djudju guŋgulu djida
eye bani bani mil
nose milja milja milja
mouth rira djawa rira
tongue djälin djälan djalan
stomach ŋaːlu ŋaːlu burma
bone ŋandi gamari
blood gunbulu gunbulu gunbulu
kangaroo bardjanin bardjanin wandjiri
opossum laŋgur laŋgur laŋgur
emu galaju bidjaɖa ganaŋandja
crow djawari djawari waŋgede
fly wɔdei wanmin wanmin
sun djandja baːra baːra
moon ɖaɖaɖa ɖaɖaɖa gilinman
fire wiga djuŋgu waɭu
smoke baɳɖi ŋuɽun ŋundjir
water ŋaba ŋaba ŋaba

References

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  1. ^ Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)
  2. ^ Capell, Arthur. 1940. The Classification of Languages in North and North-West Australia. Oceania 10(3): 241-272, 404-433. doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.1940.tb00292.x