Ritharrngu language explained

Ritharnggu
Also Known As:Ritarungo, Ritharrŋu, etc.
States:Australia
Region:Northern Territory
Ethnicity:Ritharrngu
Speakers:9
Date:2021 census, listed as "Wagilak"
Ref:[1]
Familycolor:Australian
Fam1:Pama–Nyungan
Fam2:Yolngu Matha
Fam3:Southern (Dhuwal)
Dia1:Ritharngu
Dia2:Wagilak
Sign:Yolŋu Sign Language
Iso3:rit
Glotto:rita1239
Glottorefname:Ritarungo
Aiatsis:N104

The Ritharnggu language (Ritharrŋu, Ritharngu, Ritarungo) is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Yolŋu language group, spoken in Australia's Northern Territory.

Dialects align with the two kinship moieties of the Ritharrngu people, one of several Yolngu peoples: (a) Ritharnggu (Yirritja moiety), and (b) Wagilak language (Dua moiety).[2] The Manggurra (the other Dua clan) now speak Ritharnggu, but apparently shifted from Nunggubuyu.

Language revival

, Wägilak/Ritharrŋu is one of 20 languages prioritised as part of the Priority Languages Support Project, being undertaken by First Languages Australia and funded by the Department of Communications and the Arts. The project aims to "identify and document critically-endangered languages — those languages for which little or no documentation exists, where no recordings have previously been made, but where there are living speakers".[3]

Grammar

Ritharnggu has a split ergativity system. Pronouns use nominative/accusative alignment, humans and higher animals a tripartite system, and everything else ergative/absolutive.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SBS Australian Census Explorer. 16 Dec 2023.
  2. Book: Dixon, R. M. W. . R. M. W. Dixon . Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development . Cambridge University Press . 2002 . xxxvi.
  3. Web site: First Languages Australia. Priority Languages Support Project. 13 January 2020.
  4. Book: Heath, Jeffrey . Basic materials in Ritharngu: Grammar, texts and dictionary . 1980 . 0858832046 . Pacific Linguistics, Australian National University.