The Nyulnyulan languages are a small family of closely related Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Western Australia. Most languages in this family are extinct, with only three extant languages, all of which are almost extinct.
| Nyulnyulan | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | along Fitzroy River, Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region |
| Linguistic classification | One of the world's primary language families |
| Subdivisions |
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | nyul1248 |
 Nyulnyulan languages (purple), among other non-Pama-Nyungan languages (grey) | |
Internal classification
editThe languages form two branches established on the basis of lexical and morphological innovation.[1]
- Nyulnyulan
- Western or Nyulnyulic:
- Nyulnyul †
- Bardi
- Jawi †
- Djabirr-Djabirr †
- Nimanburru †
- Eastern or Dyukun:
- Western or Nyulnyulic:
Vocabulary
editCapell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items for the Nyulnyulan languages:[2]
gloss Bard Njulnjul Jauor Njigina Warrwa man aːmba waːmb waːmba waːmba waːmba woman ɔranj worinj djando djando djando head nalm nalm maru maru ŋalma eye nem nem bani nimelgar nimelgar nose nimäl nimäl ? nimäl ŋunidjina ŋunidjina mouth niler niler djawa niler niler tongue neaŋal neaŋal djälän djälän djälän stomach noŋ noŋ ŋalu nuŋu noŋ bone gɛndj gɛndj gändji gändji gändji blood welgar welgar gunbulu gunbulu gunbulu kangaroo buru bardjani, burug bardjanan bardjani bardjani opossum läŋgur läŋgur goiɛ läŋgur guɳɖuman emu inini winin ganaŋandja ganaŋandja ganaŋandja crow waŋgede waŋged djawari waŋgaɳa waŋgide fly mogonj mogonj bɛːrambin waɳmin waɳmin sun alg waːlg waːlga baɽa waːlga moon gunjul gunjul giliban gilinman, giridin giliman, giridin fire djuŋgu djuŋgu djuŋgu djuŋgu djuŋgu smoke gungud gungud ŋuɽun duwi duwi water wol, uŋgur wol, wuŋgur wula wela wela
Lexical isoglosses
editSome lexical isoglosses between Proto-Western Nyulnyulan and Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan:[3]
gloss Proto-Western Nyulnyulan Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan rotten *biini *mandu leaf *bilibil *wirrkiny bush country *bindan *birra kangaroo *burruk *barrjaniny tree, stick *bardangk *baalu arrive, come *darr *-bula yes *iyi *ngawayi later, soon *karrm *wanyji egg *lakurr *kambiy good *layib *maabu nose *-mal *nguni seek *-mi *-murungu knowledgeable *-mungk *nila small *murrul *wuba mud *ngijil *jabula ~ *jakula sister *marrir *ngunu forehead *-nkarra *jirrbal thigh *-nmurr *balngany tail *-warla *makarra woman *wurany *jarndu
Proto-languages
editProto-Nyulnyulan
edit| Proto-Nyulnyulan | |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction of | Nyulnyulan languages |
The following reconstruction of Proto-Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[3]
- Abbreviations
- WNN: Western Nyulnyulan
- ENN: Eastern Nyulnyulan
no. gloss Proto-Nyulnyulan 1. and *a 2. head *-alma 3. child *baaba 4. scorpion *baarn 5. deaf (ENN forget) *bab 6. brother (older) (B+) *babala 7. paperbark coolamon *bakarl 8. when *bana 9. feather (ENN bird) *bandal 10. carpet snake *baninyburu 11. smell *-banyju 12. poison for stunning fish *banyjud 13. east *banu 14. full up *-bardika 15. cover over, extinguish **-barnd 16. goanna *barni 17. exchange, reflexive/reciprocal IV *-barnj 18. think *-barribarri 19. wallaby *barrjaniny 20. cold season, winter *barrkana 21. turkey, bustard *barrkar 22. catfish *barulu 23. behind *baybirr 24. shade *biika 25. twinkle, twitch *bilbil 26. aggressive, wild, angry, fight *bili 27. soul, spirit *bilyurr 28. butterfly, moth *bindabinda 29. long pearlshell pendant *binyjabinyja 30. bark coolamon *binyjin 31. spring *birlarr 32. hit, kill *-bu 33. flower *bubu 34. nape of neck *buda 35. dream, dreamtime *bukarri 36. middle, in between, on the way *bulngurru 37. tired, exhausted *bulyji 38. bite *-bundarr(a) 39. shit, excrement *burda 40. dance *burrb 41. string *burrurr 42. camp, place, country *buru 43. blow *buu 44. ant species *buya 45. hammer *da 46. deaf *dakidaki 47. chin, lower jaw *dangku 48. turn *dibirr 49. kidney *dilba 50. fly *dumbarra 51. drink *-(i)bi 52. ask *-jabala 53. see *-jala 54. pelican *jalinymarr 55. fall *-jalku 56. magic power, healing potential *jalngka 57. doctor (medicine man) *jalngkangurru 58. cousin *jalwal 59. mother’s father (MF) *jam 60. axe *jamiyunu 61. wife’s father (WF) *jamunyarri 62. where *jana 63. tread, step, trample *-janbu 64. calf *jangkala 65. break *-jangkulu 66. split *ja(r)l 67. harmonic generation *jarndu 68. lift up, carry *jarrbard 69. tooth *jarringk 70. say, do *-ji ~ *-di 71. downwards *jidlarra 72. boomerang *jiiba 73. down, below, inside *jimbin 74. spear type *jinal 75. shooting star *jirirr 76. sing *jirrmu 77. corpse *jiwarri 78. tell *-julnga 79. fire *jungku 80. suck *juny 81. run *jurnk 82. downwards *jurr 83. snake *jurru 84. pour out *jur(r)urr 85. carry *-ka 86. bone *kaanyji 87. father’s mother *kabali 88. liver (ENN, except Jk guts) *kabir 89. ashes (cold) *kajurd 90. lose, drop *-kalbarr 91. up, above *kalbu 92. already, finished *kaliya 93. father’s father (FF) *kalurd 94. mother’s mother (MM) *kamirda 95. murderer, ritual killer *kanarbin 96. become fat/well nourished *-kanb 97. laugh *-ka(n)ma 98. spit, saliva *kararr 99. enter, go in *-kard 100. clapsticks *karn- 101. kangaroo species, large *karrabulu 102. shield *karrbina 103. call out *kawu 104. choke, strangle *kiny 105. this, he, she, it *kinya 106. brolga *kudarrawany 107. two *kujarra 108. west *kularr 109. frill-necked lizard *kulamana 110. sleep *kulin 111. yellow *kumbarri 112. blood *kunbulu 113. carry on shoulder, shoulder *kundi 114. brain, spinal marrow *kunykuny 115. saltwater turtle *kurlibil 116. dingo *kurridi 117. sky *kurrwal 118. blood *kururr 119. pearlshell *kuwan 120. ear *-lababa 121. climb *lakal 122. hear *-lakarra 123. dry *lalka 124. ear passage *-lamarr 125. throat, neck *langan 126. know, understand, recognise *-langka 127. possum *langkurr 128. steal, abduct *lanyb 129. fat, grease *layda 130. sour taste *limba 131. sour taste *linyju 132. saltwater crocodile *linykurra 133. mouth *-lirr 134. heart, emotion *liyan 135. blue-tongue lizard *lungkura 136. bum *-lurru 137. put *-ma 138. afternoon *majal 139. path, road *makirr 140. bag, coolamon *malbulu 141. nose *-mal(ul) 142. shadow, reflected image *-mandarr 143. bustard, scrub turkey *mangkayarra 144. throat *-manya 145. arm, hand *-marla 146. hungry *marr- 147. bum *-marra 148. shadow, reflection *-marraj 149. head *marru 150. vegetable food *mayi 151. armpit *-mbarrma 152. foot *-mbala 153. male of species *mida 154. shin, knee *-midi 155. lie, untruth *miila 156. be sitting down *mijala 157. arise, get up, wake up *-milka 158. stick implement *milkin 159. ankle, joint *mil(y)ku 160. grandparent/grandchild (diminutive) *mimi 161. eye *-miny 162. only *minyjan 163. club, nulla nulla *nawurla 164. devil, bad spirit *ngaarri 165. woomera *ngabaliny 166. spongy, hollow *ngak 167. cry *-ngalka 168. breast *ngamarna 169. language, speech, speak *nganka 170. interrogative particle *nganyji 171. leave *-ngarl 172. night? *ngimbirr 173. belly *-ngu 174. alone, by oneself *ngudirr 175. throw *-ngula 176. beard (WNN feelers of catfish) *ngul(y)ku 177. ashes *ngurlun 178. piss, urine *ngurndu 179. night *ngurra 180. be, sit *-ni ~ *-nga 181. sandhill *niimar(r) 182. flying fox *nimanburru 183. true, really *ningarra 184. tasty, sweet *niyarra 185. corroboree, song *nulu 186. hot, sweat *nundurr 187. alive *nunyji 188. fire, (hot) coals *nurru 189. get, catch, pick up *-nya 190. pierce, spear *-ra 191. parent-in-law (male) (WF?, HF) *rambarr 192. parent-in-law (female) (WM, HM) *rangin 193. pubic covering for initiated man *riiji 194. charcoal *rirrka 195. eat *-rli 196. exchange, return, in turn, barter *rurrb 197. anus *-uru 198. suddenly, unexpectedly *waangka 199. frog type *walak 200. sun *walka 201. man *wamba 202. coolamon type *wandarl 203. wind *wangal 204. young man *wangalangu 205. spider, spiders web, net *wangkarra 206. wattle type *wangkaya 207. crow *wangkidi 208. other *warany 209. one *waranyjarri 210. north *wardiya 211. meat *warli 212. rag, cloth *wara 213. rib *wiirri 214. emu *winini 215. louse *wirnka 216. taste, try *-wirrik 217. give *-wu 218. water *wula 219. joke, fun *wungul 220. crawl *yadab 221. husband (H, HB) *yaku 222. ahead, front, first *yalirr 223. standing *yalku 224. south (WNN south wind) *yalmban 225. lick *yaly 226. tongue *-yangala 227. who, what *yangki 228. woomera *yarnkal 229. no, not *yarri 230. father (F, FB) *yibala 231. sickness *yiika 232. dog *yila 233. disharmonic generation *yinar 234. wattle type (used for spears) *yirrakulu 235. tree type (boomerang) *yirrkili 236. descend, sink, go down *yuwurr
Proto-Western Nyulnyulan
editThe following reconstruction of Proto-Western Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[3]
no. gloss Proto-Western Nyulnyulan 237. bad, sick, trouble *alik 238. no, not *arri 239. open *baab 240. belt, girdle *baali 241. blind *bamburr 242. now, today, when *banangkarr 243. groin *bandakar(r) 244. praise *-(ba)ngar 245. finish *-bany 246. stick, tree *bardangk 247. skin, bark (of tree) *bardun 248. king brown snake *barnkard 249. tie *-barrkand 250. yesterday *bayirdi 251. rotten *biini 252. strong, firm, fearless *biinmal 253. leaf *bilibil 254. bush country *bindan 255. bad luck *bindikal 256. cold *binyj 257. long *-birndi 258. mother (M, MZ) *birray 259. blunt *buna 260. swell up *-bungkum 261. kangaroo (generic) *burruk 262. arrive, emerge, come *darr 263. true *darrgal 264. hard (not soft) *diwa 265. wipe *duk 266. three *irrjuwarr 267. yes *iyi 268. return *jakurd 269. fear *-jarik 270. go *-jid 271. touch *-jiding 272. die *-jimb 273. arms akimbo *jimbijimb 274. downwards *jimbilad 275. stand up, come to a stand *jirrjirr 276. wash *-juluk 277. back *-ka 278. wander about, roam *-kal 279. approach, come up to *-kalak 280. fire drill *kalib 281. scratch *-kand 282. vomit *-kanyb 283. yam type *karangkam 284. body *-karda 285. bird *karrambal 286. sharp *karrji 287. later, soon *karrm 288. scent, smell *kiir 289. appearance, shape, form *-kinbal 290. wet (of object) *kubad 291. father *kubul 292. squeeze *kuly 293. wedge *kumb 294. throat *kurrbal 295. feather *laaban 296. light (not heavy) *labalab 297. egg *lakurr 298. sit down *-landa 299. good *layib 300. black *maanka 301. far *maara 302. wife *malirr 303. many *-mana 304. leave *-mankarda 305. wave (hand) *-many 306. sister (Z) *marrir 307. goanna *mayala 308. search, look for *-mi 309. native rat *mijaw 310. sing *-mil 311. tired *milamb 312. choke (on something) *-mingka 313. warm, hot (of weather) *mula 314. head hair *mukarn 315. knowledge, knowledgeable *-mungku 316. root *-mungkul 317. honey *mungu 318. pour, spill out, flow *-mur 319. smell *-murrar 320. small *murrulu 321. soil, make dirty, become dirty *-ngali 322. defend, take sides with *-ngaliny 323. deny, refuse *-nga(n)ny 324. mud *ngijil 325. neck (exterior) *-ngkan 326. soft *ngub 327. dirty *ngunyb 328. knee *ngurrungk 329. forehead *-nkarra 330. thigh *-nmurr 331. old man *nyungurl 332. dry *-ralk 333. warm oneself *-ramb 334. heavy *rambin 335. suck *rung 336. cloud *wadan 337. tail *-wala 338. lie on back *walirr 339. eagle *warrikana 340. north *wardi 341. rain *wungur 342. woman *wurany 343. fingernail *wurrul 344. elbow *yalangkun 345. mother-in-law of man (WM) *yalirr 346. together *yambun 347. inquest sticks *yandal 348. near, close *yangan 349. pull *yarr 350. native mouse *yubur(r)yubur(r)
Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan
editThe following reconstruction of Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[3]
no. gloss Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan 351. tree, stick *baalu 352. hither, this way *bakuna 353. thigh *balngan(y)- 354. smell *-banyju 355. thirsty *barra 356. hit by throwing *-barri 357. kangaroo *barrjanin 358. catfish *barulu 359. red *bilyi 360. bush country *birra 361. turn off *birrb 362. arrive, come *-bula 363. white *dub 364. heart *durlbu 365. walk, walkabout *inyja 366. mud *jabula ~ *jakula 367. camp *jalbi 368. woman *jarndu 369. hip *jarrbal 370. forehead *jirrbal 371. that *ka- 372. eat *kabu 373. egg *kambiy 374. watch, stare at *kanyjirr 375. moon *kirridiny 376. body *karrikin 377. tie *-kula 378. vomit *kurrbuk 379. throw *laj 380. flesh, muscle *-lany 381. good *maabu 382. tail *makarra 383. rotten, stink *mandu 384. spear type *mangul 385. many *manyja 386. no, not *marlu 387. hand *-marrangka 388. search, look for *-murungu 389. blue-tongue lizard *ngalyak 390. yes *ngawayi 391. nose *nguni- 392. sister (Z) *ngunu 393. afternoon *ngurrangurra 394. smoke *ngurun 395. knowledge, knowledgeable *nila 396. eagle-hawk *walakurru 397. stone *wanangarri 398. cry *wangkurr 399. later, soon *wanyji 400. dig *widij 401. belt *windirri 402. big *wirdu 403. leaf *wirrkiny 404. small *wuba 405. rub *wurr
References
edit
Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms at Appendix:Proto-Nyulnyulan reconstructions
- ^ Bowern, Clair. 2004. Bardi Verb Morphology in Historical Perspective. PhD, Harvard University.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b c d Stokes, Bronwyn and William McGregor. 2003. Classification and Subclassification of the Nyulnyulan Languages. In Nicholas Evans (ed.), The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region, 29-74. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
- Bowern, Claire. 2004. Bardi Verb Morphology in Historical Perspective PhD, Harvard University
- Bowern, Claire. 2010. Two Missing Pieces in a Nyulnyulan Jigsaw Puzzle. LSA, Baltimore.
- Stokes, B; McGregor, W. B. (2003). "Classification and subclassification of the Nyulnyulan languages". In N. Evans (ed.). The Non-Pama–Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia: Comparative Studies of the Continent's Most Linguistically Complex Region. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 29–74.