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Morrobolam language

The Morrobolam language, formerly known as Morrobalama and Umbuygamu, is a possibly extinct Paman language from Princess Charlotte Bay in far-north Queensland in Australia which was spoken by a group the Lamalama people.[2][3]

Morrobolam
Umbuygamu, Morrobalama
Native toAustralia
RegionQueensland
EthnicityLamalama, possibly Barungguan
Extinct(date missing)
Language codes
ISO 639-3umg
Glottologumbu1256
AIATSIS[1]Y55
ELPUmbuygamu

History edit

In 1898, the Aboriginal population of the Princess Charlotte Bay area numbered around 1,000. However, white settlement of the region caused them to lose almost all of their traditional lands. The many Aboriginal groups of the region were forcibly moved to missions and were exposed to diseases like syphilis and Spanish influenza. This resulted in the Aboriginal population of the region declining by 90% from 1898 levels.[4]

In the 1930s many of the surviving Aboriginal people were moved to the Old Lockhart River Mission. Those Aboriginal people who remained in their territory were from the several language groups of the Lamalama people: Morrobalam, Lamalama (also known as Mba Rumbathama), and Umpithamu (Umbindhamu) peoples, and lived there until 1961. During that time, most of the Aboriginal people worked on local cattle stations or were killed by mounted police. In 1961 the Aboriginal people who had remained on their lands were moved to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula.[4]

By the 1990s, the total number of speakers was reduced to four elderly speakers. Only two of those speakers, Nancy Gunnawarra and Mabel Kullakulla, spoke the language on a regular basis. Most younger people of the community could understand the language but were unable to speak it.[4]

The Pama Language Centre is drawing upon historical materials to assist in reviving the language.[2]

Naming and language relationships edit

The Austlang database formerly listed Morrobolam as Umbuygamu (an exonym; Morrobolam is a clan name). Quoting linguist Jean-Cristophe Verstraete (2018), it says that "Morrobalama" is a mistranscription, and that Lamalama, Rimanggudinhma (Mbariman-Gudhinma) and Morrobolam form a genetic subgroup of Paman known as Lamalamic, "defined by shared innovations in phonology and morphology". Within this subgroup, "Morrobolam and Lamalama form a phonologically innovative branch, while Rumanggudinhma forms a more conservative branch".[3]

Phonology edit

Vowels edit

Morrobolam's vowel system is typical of Australian Aboriginal languages in that it contains only five vowels.[4]

Vowels
Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open a

All vowels show contrastive vowel length.

Consonants edit

Unusually for an Australian language, Morrobolam has a relatively large consonantal inventory, including fricatives, prestopped consonants, and other consonants not normally found in Aboriginal Australian languages.[4]

In this table, the orthographic symbols are ⟨in brackets⟩ where they differ from IPA orthography.

Consonants
Bilabial Dental Alveolar Post-
alveolar
Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p ⟨tt⟩ t c ⟨tj⟩ k ʔ ⟨'⟩
voiced b ⟨dd⟩ d ɟ ⟨dj⟩ g
Fricative voiceless ɸ ⟨f⟩ θ ⟨th⟩ ʃ ⟨sh⟩ x ⟨h⟩
voiced β ⟨v⟩ ð ⟨dh⟩
Nasal voiced m ⟨nh⟩ n ɲ ⟨ny⟩ ŋ ⟨ng⟩
prestopped pm ⟨pm⟩ ⟨ttnh⟩ tn ⟨tn⟩ gŋ ⟨gng⟩
voiceless kŋ ⟨kng⟩
Semivowel j ⟨y⟩ w
Lateral ⟨lh⟩ l ɭ ⟨rl⟩ ʎ ⟨ly⟩
Trill voiceless ⟨rh⟩
voiced r ⟨rr⟩
Flap ɽ ⟨r⟩

Morphology edit

Morrobolam is an ergative–absolutive language.

Nouns and Pronouns edit

Personal pronouns have two cases: nominative for intransitive and transitive subjects, and accusative for transitive objects. Nouns have an ergative case for transitive subject function and an absolutive case for intransitive subject and transitive object function. There are a total of at least 10 noun cases, and the case-marking suffix is dependent on the final consonant in the root word. The absolutive case is the only case suffix that is not final consonant-dependent, and has a zero as a suffix.[4]

atha-Ø

fire-ABS

la-ngan

burn-3sgO

atha-Ø la-ngan

fire-ABS burn-3sgO

"The fire is burning now."[4]: 64 

Pronouns are attached to the end of the verb as a suffix, either as nominal or possessive.[4]

Further reading edit

  • Verstraete, J.-C., Bassani, F., Liddy Joan (2020). A dictionary of Umpithamu : with notes on Middle Paman / Jean-Christophe Verstraete ; main language consultants, Florrie Bassani and Joan Liddy. Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 9781925302219.

References edit

  1. ^ Y55 Morrobolam at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  2. ^ a b Crump, Des (21 December 2020). "Language of the Week: Week Thirty - Umbuygamu". State Library Of Queensland. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Y55: Morrobolam". AIATSIS Collection (Austlang). 26 July 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Sarah, Ogilvie (1994). The Morrobalama (Umbuygamu) language of Cape York Peninsula, Australia (Thesis). Australian National University. doi:10.25911/5d7638746d386.

morrobolam, language, formerly, known, morrobalama, umbuygamu, possibly, extinct, paman, language, from, princess, charlotte, north, queensland, australia, which, spoken, group, lamalama, people, morrobolamumbuygamu, morrobalamanative, toaustraliaregionqueensl. The Morrobolam language formerly known as Morrobalama and Umbuygamu is a possibly extinct Paman language from Princess Charlotte Bay in far north Queensland in Australia which was spoken by a group the Lamalama people 2 3 MorrobolamUmbuygamu MorrobalamaNative toAustraliaRegionQueenslandEthnicityLamalama possibly BarungguanExtinct date missing Language familyPama Nyungan PamanLamalamicMorrobolamLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code umg class extiw title iso639 3 umg umg a Glottologumbu1256AIATSIS 1 Y55ELPUmbuygamu Contents 1 History 2 Naming and language relationships 3 Phonology 3 1 Vowels 3 2 Consonants 4 Morphology 4 1 Nouns and Pronouns 5 Further reading 6 ReferencesHistory editIn 1898 the Aboriginal population of the Princess Charlotte Bay area numbered around 1 000 However white settlement of the region caused them to lose almost all of their traditional lands The many Aboriginal groups of the region were forcibly moved to missions and were exposed to diseases like syphilis and Spanish influenza This resulted in the Aboriginal population of the region declining by 90 from 1898 levels 4 In the 1930s many of the surviving Aboriginal people were moved to the Old Lockhart River Mission Those Aboriginal people who remained in their territory were from the several language groups of the Lamalama people Morrobalam Lamalama also known as Mba Rumbathama and Umpithamu Umbindhamu peoples and lived there until 1961 During that time most of the Aboriginal people worked on local cattle stations or were killed by mounted police In 1961 the Aboriginal people who had remained on their lands were moved to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula 4 By the 1990s the total number of speakers was reduced to four elderly speakers Only two of those speakers Nancy Gunnawarra and Mabel Kullakulla spoke the language on a regular basis Most younger people of the community could understand the language but were unable to speak it 4 The Pama Language Centre is drawing upon historical materials to assist in reviving the language 2 Naming and language relationships editThe Austlang database formerly listed Morrobolam as Umbuygamu an exonym Morrobolam is a clan name Quoting linguist Jean Cristophe Verstraete 2018 it says that Morrobalama is a mistranscription and that Lamalama Rimanggudinhma Mbariman Gudhinma and Morrobolam form a genetic subgroup of Paman known as Lamalamic defined by shared innovations in phonology and morphology Within this subgroup Morrobolam and Lamalama form a phonologically innovative branch while Rumanggudinhma forms a more conservative branch 3 Phonology editVowels edit Morrobolam s vowel system is typical of Australian Aboriginal languages in that it contains only five vowels 4 Vowels Front BackClose i uClose mid e oOpen aAll vowels show contrastive vowel length Consonants edit Unusually for an Australian language Morrobolam has a relatively large consonantal inventory including fricatives prestopped consonants and other consonants not normally found in Aboriginal Australian languages 4 In this table the orthographic symbols are in brackets where they differ from IPA orthography Consonants Bilabial Dental Alveolar Post alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar GlottalPlosive voiceless p t tt t c tj k ʔ voiced b d dd d ɟ dj gFricative voiceless ɸ f 8 th ʃ sh x h voiced b v d dh Nasal voiced m n nh n ɲ ny ŋ ng prestopped pm pm t n ttnh tn tn gŋ gng voiceless kŋ kng Semivowel j y wLateral l lh l ɭ rl ʎ ly Trill voiceless r rh voiced r rr Flap ɽ r Morphology editMorrobolam is an ergative absolutive language Nouns and Pronouns edit Personal pronouns have two cases nominative for intransitive and transitive subjects and accusative for transitive objects Nouns have an ergative case for transitive subject function and an absolutive case for intransitive subject and transitive object function There are a total of at least 10 noun cases and the case marking suffix is dependent on the final consonant in the root word The absolutive case is the only case suffix that is not final consonant dependent and has a zero as a suffix 4 atha Ofire ABSla nganburn 3sgOatha O la nganfire ABS burn 3sgO The fire is burning now 4 64 Pronouns are attached to the end of the verb as a suffix either as nominal or possessive 4 Further reading editVerstraete J C Bassani F Liddy Joan 2020 A dictionary of Umpithamu with notes on Middle Paman Jean Christophe Verstraete main language consultants Florrie Bassani and Joan Liddy Aboriginal Studies Press ISBN 9781925302219 References edit Y55 Morrobolam at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies a b Crump Des 21 December 2020 Language of the Week Week Thirty Umbuygamu State Library Of Queensland Retrieved 30 November 2023 a b Y55 Morrobolam AIATSIS Collection Austlang 26 July 2019 Retrieved 7 August 2020 a b c d e f g h Sarah Ogilvie 1994 The Morrobalama Umbuygamu language of Cape York Peninsula Australia Thesis Australian National University doi 10 25911 5d7638746d386 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Morrobolam language amp oldid 1213955767, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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