Djabugay language explained
| Djabugay |
| Region: | Queensland, Australia |
| Ethnicity: | Djabugay, Buluwai, Yirrganydji (Irukandji) |
| Speakers: | 81 |
| Date: | 2021 census |
| Ref: | [1] |
| Familycolor: | Australian |
| Fam1: | Pama–Nyungan |
| Fam2: | Paman |
| Dia1: | Djabugay |
| Dia2: | Yirrgay (Irrukandji) |
| Dia3: | Bulway |
| Dia4: | Guluy |
| Dia5: | Njagali (Nyagali)[2] |
| Map2: | Lang Status 40-SE.svg |
| Iso3: | dyy |
| Glotto: | dyaa1242 |
| Glottorefname: | Dyaabugay |
| Aiatsis: | Y106 |
Djabugay (or Djabuganjdji; see below for other names) is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Djabugay people with 46 native speakers at the 2016 census. The Djabugay language region includes Far North Queensland, particularly around the Kuranda Range and Barron River catchment, and the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cairns Regional Council.
Classification
Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the Paman languages.[3]
Dialects
The following languages are confirmed dialects of Djabugay by the AUSTLANG database maintained by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Djabugay is used both as a language name and a dialect name. Additional names for these languages and/or dialects have been listed after their names but terms do overlap and the lists are not exhaustive.
- Y106: Djabugay / Tjapukai – Barron River dialect, Binggu, Bulum-Bulum, Buluwai, Check-Cull, Chewlie, Dja:bugay, Djabugai, Djabuganjdji, Djabungandji, Dyaabugay, Dyabugandyi, Dyabugay, Hileman, Irukandjai, Kikonjunkulu, Kodgotto, Koko-Tjumbundji, Koko njunkulu, Koko nyungalo, Koko Tjumbundji, Kokonjunkulu, Kokonyungalo, Ngarlkadjie, Njakali, Nyakali, Orlow, Tapelcay, Tcabogai tjanji, Tja:pukanja, Tjabakai-Thandji, Tjabogai tjandji, Tjabogai tjanji, Tjabogaijanji, Tjabogaitjandji, Tjankir, Tjankun, Tjapukandji, Tjapukanja, Tjapunkandji, Tjunbundji, Toabogai tjani, Tuffelcey[4]
- Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi[5]
- Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji[6]
- Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay[7]
- Y162: Nyagali – Njagali[8]
Phonology
Vowels!! Front! Back| High | pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/ |
|---|
| Low | pronounced as /link/ pronounced as /link/ | |
|---|
Vocabulary
Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:[10]
- Bulurru: elsewhere known as Dreaming, the source of life.
- Gurrabana: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the wet season side.
- Gurraminya: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the dry season side.
- Djirri-nyurra: hello
- Guyu: fish
- Gan gula: kangaroo
- Bulmba: home
- Bana: rain
- Wuru: river
- Bungan: sun
See also
References
- Web site: Cultural diversity: Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 13 October 2022. 2021.
- Book: Dixon, R. M. W. . R. M. W. Dixon . Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development . Cambridge University Press . 2002 . xxxii.
- Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)
- Web site: Djabugay . 20 May 2022 . Endangered Languages Project.
- Web site: Y110 Bulway . 20 May 2022 . AUSTLANG . 26 July 2019 . Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Web site: Y111 Yirrgay . 20 May 2022 . AUSTLANG . 26 July 2019 . Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Web site: Y160 Guluy . 20 May 2022 . AUSTLANG . 26 July 2019 . Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Web site: Y162 Nyagali . 20 May 2022 . AUSTLANG . 26 July 2019 . Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
- Patz, Elisabeth. “Djabugay.” In Handbook of Australian Languages Vol. 4, edited by R. M. W. Dixon and Barry J. Blake, 4:245–347. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1991.
- Duffin, Rhonda & Brim, Rosetta (1993?) Ngapi Garrang Bulurru-m: All Things Come from Bulurru. Kuranda, Queensland. .
Further reading
