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Nyulnyulan languages

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Nyulnyulan
Geographic
distribution		along Fitzroy River, Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region
Linguistic classificationOne of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions
  • Eastern
  • Western
Language codes
Glottolognyul1248
Nyulnyulan languages (purple), among other non-Pama-Nyungan languages (grey)

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 3 extant languages, all of which are almost extinct.

Internal classification

The languages form two branches established on the basis of lexical and morphological innovation.[1]

  • Western or Nyulnyulic:
Nyulnyul †
Bardi
Jawi
Djabirr-Djabirr †
Nimanburru †
  • Eastern or Dyukun:
Yawuru
Dyugun †
Warrwa †
Nyigina
Ngumbarl †

Lexical isoglosses

Some lexical isoglosses between Proto-Western Nyulnyula and Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan:[2]

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

Proto-Nyulnyulan

Proto-Nyulnyulan
Reconstruction ofNyulnyulan languages

The following reconstruction of Proto-Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[2]

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, spider’s 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

The following reconstruction of Proto-Western Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[2]

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

The following reconstruction of Proto-Eastern Nyulnyulan is from Stokes and McGregor (2003):[2]

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

Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms at Appendix:Proto-Nyulnyulan reconstructions
  1. ^ Bowern, Clair. 2004. Bardi Verb Morphology in Historical Perspective. PhD, Harvard University.
  2. ^ 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.
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