Bunuban languages should not be confused with Bunabun language.
Bunuban | |
Region: | around Fitzroy Crossing, Kimberley region |
Family: | One of the world's primary language families |
Familycolor: | Australian |
Glotto: | buna1274 |
Glottorefname: | Bunaban |
Child1: | Bunuba |
Child2: | Gooniyandi |
Map: | Bunaban languages.png |
Mapcaption: | Bunuban languages (purple), among other non-Pama-Nyungan languages (grey) |
The Bunuban languages (or Bunaban) are a small family of Australian Aboriginal languages spoken in northern Australia. The family consists of two languages, Bunuba and Gooniyandi, which are related to each other to about the same degree that English is related to Dutch. Bunuba has about 100 speakers and Gooniyandi about 400. Both are endangered.
Capell (1940) lists the following basic vocabulary items:[1]
English | Gunian | ||
---|---|---|---|
man | gujɽäma | juwulu | |
woman | wiːji | maŋo | |
head | guŋgulu | walu | |
eye | mulu | mɔːlu | |
nose | wuɽa | manili | |
mouth | djäläṉ | daŋandi | |
tongue | djälän | djäläṉ | |
stomach | giniŋa | djulu | |
bone | gudju | gudji | |
blood | gili | wari | |
kangaroo | wandjiri | wandjiri | |
opossum | läŋgur | djämbidjin | |
emu | ganaŋandja | ||
crow | waŋgaɳa | waŋgide | |
fly | ŋirinji | ŋurinj | |
sun | gawara | miri | |
moon | gilimana | djaːlin | |
fire | windäli | weandi | |
smoke | bindja | wangi | |
water | gaɽwa | gaːmba |