Wiradjuri language

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 regressive revival is underway, with the language being taught in schools. Wiraiari and Jeithi may have been dialects.^[4][5]

Wiradjuri
Wirraaydhuurray Wirraayjuurray
Region	New South Wales
Ethnicity	Wiradjuri, Weraerai, ?Jeithi
Native speakers	30 (2005)^[1]
Language family	Pama–Nyungan Wiradhuric Wiradjuri
Dialects	Wirraayaraay (Wiraiari) ? Jeithi
Language codes
ISO 639-3	wrh
Glottolog	wira1262
AIATSIS^[2]	D10
ELP	Wiradjuri
Wiradjuri is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

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^[a] 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] Charles Sturt University also offers a two-year course in Wiradjuri language, heritage, and culture, focusing on language reclamation.^[8] This course, which commenced in 2014, was developed by Wiradjuri Elder, Dr Stan Grant Senior, as part of their Wiradjuri Language and Cultural Heritage Recovery Project.^[9]

Dictionary

The process of reclaiming the language was greatly assisted by the publication in 2005 of A First Wiradjuri Dictionary^[10] by elder Dr Stan Grant Senior and academic Dr John Rudder. 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,^[11] holding over 8,000 words, was published in 2010^[12] and launched in Wagga Wagga, with the launch described by the member for Wagga Wagga to the New South Wales Parliament.^[13][14] A mobile app based on the book is also available for iOS, Android and a web based version.^[15] A Grammar of Wiradjuri language^[16] was published in 2014.

Phonology

Consonants

	Peripheral		Laminal		Apical
	Labial	Velar	Dental	Palatal	Alveolar	Retroflex
Plosive	b ⟨b⟩	ɡ ⟨g⟩	d̪ ⟨dh⟩	ɟ ⟨dy⟩	d ⟨d⟩
Nasal	m ⟨m⟩	ŋ ⟨ng⟩	n̪ ⟨nh⟩	ɲ ⟨ny⟩	n ⟨n⟩
Lateral					l ⟨l⟩
Rhotic					r ⟨rr⟩
Approximant	w ⟨w⟩			j ⟨y⟩		ɻ ⟨r⟩

In most Pama-Nyungan languages, sounds represented by ‘k’ or ‘g’ are interchangeable. As are sounds ‘b’ and ‘p’. As well as ‘t’ and ‘d’.

Vowels

	Front		Central		Back
	short	long	short	long	short	long
Close	ɪ ⟨i⟩	iː ⟨ii⟩			ʊ ⟨u⟩	uː~oː ⟨uu⟩
Mid/Open			ə ⟨a⟩	aː ⟨aa⟩

The phonemes /ə/ and /aː/ tend to be considered as belonging to the same pair (refer to the orthography table below).^[17]

Sample vocabulary

"Wagga Wagga"

 

Route 41 Wagga Wagga sign (Mills St)

The Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wagga Wagga region were the Wiradjuri people and the term wagga wagga, with a central open vowel /aː/, means 'dances and celebrations',^[18] and has also been translated as 'reeling like a drunken man'.^[19] The Wiradjuri word waggon means 'crow', which can be pluralised by reduplication.^[20]

Until 2019, it was claimed by the Wagga Wagga council and others that Wagga Wagga translates to “the place of many crows”.^[21] However, as Uncle Stan Grant Snr has stated, "Wagga Wagga does sound a bit like Waggon Waggon, but it’s not quite the same. If you say “Waggon Waggon,” you’re saying 'many crows'. And Wagga Wagga means dance celebrations… But the fact is, it’s my language, our language, and it’s got nothing to do with crows whatsoever.".^[22]

Ngamadidj

The term Ngamadidj ('ghost', or 'white people'), used in the Kuurn Kopan Noot language in Victoria, is also recorded as being used in Wellington, New South Wales by local Wiradjuri people about a missionary there.^[23]

Animals

English	Wiradjuri
animal (in general)	gidyira, balugan
animal (male)	wambi
animal (female)	gunal
baby (chicken or pup)	mangga
bat	ngarradan
bat/bird (in general)	budyaan
bilby	ngundawang, bilbi, balbu, barru
brushtail possum (male)	gidyay
brush-tailed rock-wallaby	wirrang, barrbay
bunyip	waawii seema
butterfly	budyabudya
cattle	gurruganbalang
cockatiel	guwariyan
common wallaroo	walaruu, yulama
dingo	yugay, warragul, dinggu, dawarang, garingali (female)
dog	mirri
echidna	wandayali, wandhayirra, ganyi, ginaginbaany, guwandiyala, wambiyala
emu	dinawan
frog	gulaangga
horse	yarraman
horse (stallion)	yindaay
kangaroo (eastern grey)	wambuwuny
koala	barrandhang, gurabaan
kookaburra	gugubarra
long-nosed bandicoot	gurawang, guyand, gurang
magpie	garuu
owl	ngugug
platypus	biladurang
possum	wilay
red kangaroo (female)	bandhaa
snake	gadi
sugar glider	gindaany
swan	dhundhu
quoll	mabi, babila, mugiiny-mabi
wombat	wambad

Family

English	Wiradjuri
man	gibir
woman	yinaa
mother	gunhi, ngama, baba
father	babiin, mama
son	wurrumany
sister (older)	mingaan
sister (younger)	minhi
brother (older)	gaagang
brother (younger)	gagamin
girl	migay
boy	birrany
baby	gudha
grandmother	badhiin, gunhinarrung

Numbers

English	Wiradjuri
one	ngumbaay
two	bula
three	bula ngumbaay
four	bula bula
five	marra^[b]
six	marra ngumbaay
seven	marra bula
eight	marra bula ngumbaay
nine	marra bula bula
ten	marra marra

Anatomy

English	Wiradjuri
body (whole)	garraba
backside	bubul
chest	birring
eye	mil
hand	marra^[b]
testicles	buurruu, garra

Verbs

English	Wiradjuri
to dance	waganha
to dig	wangarra
to laugh	gindanha
to swim	bambinya
to stay	wibiyanha

Other

English	Wiradjuri
yes	ngawa
no/not	wiray
home	gunyi
money/stone	walang
left	wayburr
right	bumaldhal, bumalgala
perhaps	gada
boomerang (general term)	balgang, bargan, badhawal
but/however	gulur, ngay

Phrases

Introductions

English	Wiradjuri
What's your name?	Widyu-ndhu yuwin ngulung?
My name is James.	Yuwin ngadhi James.
Who's this one?	Ngandhi nginha?
This is mother.	Nginha gunhi.

Greetings

English	Wiradjuri
Good day!	Yiradhu marang!
Are you well?	Yamandhu marang?
Yes, I'm well.	Ngawa baladhu marang.
That's good.	Marang nganha.

Love

English	Wiradjuri
Love	Ngurrbul
I love you	Nginyugu ngurrbul
You are beautiful	Nghindu nguyaguyamilang

Influence on English

The following English words come from Wiradjuri:

• kookaburra, a species of kingfisher^[24]
• quandong, a species of tree^[25]
• quarrion (or quarrien), another name for the cockatiel^[26]

Notes and references

1. Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, a NSW Government insrumentality
2. These two words share the same meaning.

1. "Wiradhuri". Ethnologue. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
2. D10 Wiradjuri at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
3. "Wiradjuri". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
4. Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxiv.
5. There is quite some confusion over the names Wirraayarray, Wiriyarray, and Wirray Wirray. See AIATSIS:Wirraayaraay.
6. How a language transformed a town
7. "Young blood keeping ancient Indigenous languages alive". SBS News. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
8. Marketing. "Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage". study.csu.edu.au. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
9. "Wiradjuri Language and Cultural Heritage Recovery Project – About". About.csu.edu.au. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
10. Rudder, John; Grant, Stan, 1940– (2005), A first Wiradjuri dictionary : English to Wiradjuri, Wiradjuri to English and categories of things, Restoration House, ISBN 978-0-86942-131-4{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
11. Wiradjui Dictionary, Stan Grant (SNR) and Dr John Rudder, 2010
12. Grant, Stan; Grant, Stan, 1940–; Rudder, John (2010), A new Wiradjuri dictionary, Restoration House, ISBN 978-0-86942-150-5{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
13. ABC news interview with Grant
14. Hansard of Parliament of New South Wales, Daryl Maguire & Barry Collier, 12 November 2010
15. "Wiradjuri Dictionary – RegenR8". Retrieved 29 September 2016.
16. Grant, Stan; Rudder, John (2014), A grammar of Wiradjuri language, Rest, ISBN 978-0-86942-151-2
17. Grant; Rudder, Stan; John (2010). A New Wiradjuri Dictionary.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
18. "Wagga Wagga officially drops 'crow' and adopts city's Aboriginal meaning as 'dance and celebrations'". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 August 2019.
19. "Wagga Wagga – The Name".
20. Grant, Stan (2022). Heiss, Anita (ed.). Growing up Wiradjuri. Western Australia: Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-922613-74-5.
21. "History".
22. Grant, Stan (2022). Heiss, Anita (ed.). Growing up Wiradjuri. Western Australia: Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-922613-74-5.
23. Clark, Ian; Cahir, Fred (2014). "6. John Green, Manager of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, but also a ngamadjidj? New insights into His Work with Victorian Aboriginal People in the Nineteenth Century". In Brett, Mark; Havea, J. (eds.). Colonial Contexts and Postcolonial Theologies: Storyweaving in the Asia-Pacific. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 129–144. doi:10.1057/9781137475473_9. ISBN 978-1-349-50181-6. Retrieved 12 July 2020. Whole e-book
24. Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., p 977.
25. Oxford Dictionary of English, p 1,451
26. Oxford Dictionary of English, p 1,452

Sources

• 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. ISBN 9780665356698.
• Hosking, Dianne; McNicol, Sally (1993). Wiradjuri. Panther Publishing.
• Mathews, R. H. (July–December 1904). "The Wiradyuri and Other Languages of New South Wales". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 34: 284–305. doi:10.2307/2843103. JSTOR 2843103.
• McNicol, Sally; Hosking, Dianne (1994). "Wiradjuri". In Nick Thieberger, William McGregor (ed.). Macquarie Aboriginal Words. Sydney: Macquarie Library. pp. 79–99.

External links

• . Restoration House: Publishers of Australian Aboriginal Material. Archived from the original on 9 November 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
• A New Wiradjuri dictionary
• Wiradjuri language, alphabet and pronunciation
• Materials for learning Wiradjuri
• Peter Andren MP with material on the Wiradjuri

 

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

The Wiradyuri and Other Languages of New South Wales

• . WIRADJURI LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
• More information on Learning Wiradjuri^{[dead link]}