Waanyi language explained

Wanyi
Also Known As:Waanji
Region:Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia
Ethnicity:Waanyi
Extinct:Late 20th century
Familycolor:Australian
Fam1:Garrwan
Iso3:wny
Glotto:wany1247
Glottorefname:Wanyi
Aiatsis:G23

Waanyi, also spelt Wanyi, Wanji or Waanji, is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Waanyi people of the lower gulf area of Northern Queensland, Australia. Although earlier thought to be extinct, as of the 2016 Australian census there were 16 speakers of the language. This was down from the recorded peak of 40 in the 2011 Australian census.[1]

The language region includes the western parts of Lawn Hill Creek and Nicholson River, from about the boundary between the Northern Territory and Queensland, westwards towards Alexandria station, Doomadgee, and Nicholson River. It includes the local government area of the Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee.[2]

Words and phrases from this language are used by novelist Alexis Wright in her 2013 novel, The Swan Book.

Phonology

Consonants

Consonants[3]
PeripheralCoronal
LabialVelarApicalPalatal
Plosivepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Tappronounced as /ink/
Glidepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/

Vowels

Vowels!!Front!Central!Back
Highpronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Lowpronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/
Phonemic long vowels are rare.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: G23: Waanyi . AIATSIS Collection: AUSTLANG. 10 October 2020.
  2. Waanyi. Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map. 5 February 2020.
  3. Book: Breen, Gavan . 2003 . Wanyi and Garrwa comparative data . Evans . Nicholas . The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent’s most linguistically complex region . Pacific Linguistics . 552 . Canberra . 425-462 . 10.15144/PL-552.425 . free.