Yandruwandha language explained

Yandruwandha
States:	Australia
Region:	South Australia, Queensland
Ethnicity:	Yandruwandha people, Yawarrawarrka
Extinct:	since 1973?
Ref:	aiatsis
Familycolor:	Australian
Fam1:	Pama–Nyungan
Fam2:	Karnic
Fam3:	Karna
Dia1:	Yandruwanhdha
Dia2:	Yawarrawarrka
Dia3:	Nhirrpi
Dia4:	Parlpa-Mardramardra
Dia5:	Matja^[1]
Lc1:	ynd
Ld1:	Yandruwandha
Lc2:	yww
Ld2:	Yawarawarga
Lc3:	hrp
Ld3:	Nhirrpi
Glotto:	yand1252
Glottoname:	Yandruwandhic
Aiatsis:	L18
Elp2:	3159
Elpname2:	Yawarrawarrka
Elp3:	6718
Elpname3:	Nhirrpi

Yandruwandha is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Pama–Nyungan family. Yawarawarga is considered a dialect by Dixon (2002), a closely related language by Bowern (2001). It is also known as Yawarrawarrka, Yawarawarka, Yawarawarga, Yawarawarka, Jauraworka, and Jawarawarka).

The traditional language region includes Far Western Queensland around the local government area of the Shire of Diamantina extending into the Outback Communities Authority of South Australia towards Innamincka.^[2]

Phonology

Consonants

		Peripheral		Laminal		Apical
		Labial	Velar	Dental	Palatal	Alveolar	Retroflex
Plosive	voiceless	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/
	voiced	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/
	trill-release					pronounced as /dʳ/	pronounced as /ɖʳ/
Nasal		pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/
Rhotic						pronounced as /ink/
Lateral	glide			pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/	pronounced as /ink/
	prestopped			(pronounced as /ink/)		(pronounced as /ink/)	(pronounced as /^ɖɭ/)
Approximant		pronounced as /ink/			pronounced as /ink/		pronounced as /ink/

• Lateral sounds pronounced as //l̪, l, ɭ// can also be heard as prestopped pronounced as /[ᵈ̪l̪, ᵈl, ^ɖɭ]/ when occurring after a stressed vowel.

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
High	pronounced as /ink/		pronounced as /ink/
Low		pronounced as /ink/ pronounced as /ink/

Further reading

• Breen, Gavan (2015). Innamincka talk: a grammar of the Innamincka dialect of Yandruwandha with notes on other dialects. ANU Press.

Notes and References

1. RMW Dixon (2002), Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development, p xxxvii
2. Yawarrawarrka. Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map. 30 January 2020.