Djabugay language

Djabugay
RegionQueensland, Australia
EthnicityDjabugay, Buluwai, Yirrganydji (Irukandji)
Native speakers
81 (2021 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Djabugay
  • Yirrgay (Irrukandji)
  • Bulway
  • Guluy
  • Njagali (Nyagali)[2]
Language codes
ISO 639-3dyy
Glottologdyaa1242
AIATSIS[3]Y106
ELPDjabugay
Djabugay is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

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.[3][2] 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.[4]

Classification

Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the Paman languages.[5]

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.[3] 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[3][4][6]
  • Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi[7][8]
  • Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji[9][10]
  • Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay[11]
  • Y162: Nyagali – Njagali[12]

Phonology

Consonants[13]
Labial Apico-
alveolar 		Retroflex Lamino-
palatal 		Dorso-
velar
Plosive b d ɟ g
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Lateral l
Rhotic r ɻ
Semivowel w j
Vowels[13]
Front Back
High i      iː u      uː
Low a      aː

Vocabulary

Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:[4][14]

  • 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

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021). "Cultural diversity: Census". Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxii.
  3. ^ a b c d Y106 Djabugay at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  4. ^ a b c This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Djabugay published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 16 May 2022.
  5. ^ Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)
  6. ^ "Djabugay". Endangered Languages Project. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Y110 Bulway". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  8. ^ This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Bulway published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 20 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Y111 Yirrgay". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  10. ^ This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Irukandji published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 20 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Y160 Guluy". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Y162 Nyagali". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  13. ^ a b Patz, Elisabeth (1991). "Djabugay". In Dixon, R. M. W.; Blake, Barry J. (eds.). Handbook of Australian Languages. Vol. 4. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. pp. 245–347.
  14. ^ Duffin, Rhonda & Brim, Rosetta (1993?) Ngapi Garrang Bulurru-m: All Things Come from Bulurru. Kuranda, Queensland. ISBN 0-646-09380-0.

Further reading