Wiradjuri (/wəˈrædʒʊri/;[3] many other spellings, see Wiradjuri) is a Pama–Nyungan language of the Wiradhuric subgroup. It is the traditional language of the Wiradjuri people of Australia. A progressive revival is underway, with the language being taught in schools. Wiraiari and Jeithi may have been dialects.[4][5]
Reclamation
The Wiradjuri language is taught in primary schools, secondary schools and at TAFE in the towns of Parkes and Forbes & Condobolin. Northern Wiradjuri schools such as Peak Hill, Dubbo (several schools), Narromine, Wellington, Gilgandra, Trangie, Geurie are taught Wiradjuri by AECG Language & Culture Educators. All lessons include both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.[6] As of 2017 the language is also being taught in Young where it has been observed as having a positive impact on the number of pupils self identifying as Aboriginal.[7]
Dictionary
The process of reclaiming the language was greatly assisted by the publication in 2005 of A First Wiradjuri Dictionary[8] by elder Stan Grant Senior and consultant Dr John Rudder. John Rudder described the dictionary: "The Wiradjuri Dictionary has three main sections in just over 400 B5 pages. The first two sections, English to Wiradjuri, and Wiradjuri to English, have about 5,000 entries each. The third sections lists Names of Things grouped in categories such as animals, birds, plants, climate, body parts, colours. In addition to those main sections the dictionary contains an introduction to accurate pronunciation, a basic grammar of the language and a sample range of sentence types." A revised edition,[9] holding over 8,000 words, was published in 2010[10] and launched in Wagga Wagga, with the launch described by the member for Wagga Wagga to the New South Wales Parliament.[11][12] A mobile app based on the book is also available for iOS, Android and a web based version.[13] A Grammar of Wiradjuri language[14] was published in 2014.
The Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wagga Wagga region were the Wiradjuri people and the term "Wagga" and derivatives of that word in the Wiradjuri language is thought to mean 'crow'. To create the plural, reduplication is done, thus "Wagga Wagga" translates to "the place of many crows".[16] It is also argued by some that the name means 'dances and celebrations',[17] and others suggest the name means 'reeling like a drunken man'.[18]
^Rudder, John; Grant, Stan, 1940- (2005), A first Wiradjuri dictionary : English to Wiradjuri, Wiradjuri to English and categories of things, Restoration House, ISBN978-0-86942-131-4{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Grant, Stan; Rudder, John, (author.) (2014), A grammar of Wiradjuri language, Rest, ISBN978-0-86942-151-2{{citation}}: |author2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Grant; Rudder, Stan; John (2010). A New Wiradjuri Dictionary.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Günther, James (1892). "Grammar and Vocabulary of the Aboriginal dialect called Wirradhuri". In Fraser, John (ed.). An Australian Language. Sydney: Government printer. pp. 56–120 of appendix.
Hale, Horatio (1846). "The languages of Australia". Ethnography and philology. Vol VI of Reports of the United States Exploring Expedition, under the command of Charles Wilkes. New York: Lea and Blanchard. pp. 457–531.
"Wiradjuri Materials". Restoration House: Publishers of Australian Aboriginal Material. Archived from the original on 9 November 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
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