Wilson River language
Wilson River | |
---|---|
Palpakunu | |
Native to | Thereila |
Extinct | probably by 2005[1] |
| |
Dialects |
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | Variously:xpt – Punthamarantg – Ngantangarragdt – Kungardutyixwk – Wangkumaraeaa – Karenggapa |
Glottolog | ngur1261 |
AIATSIS[1] | L30 Ngandangara, L26 Punthamara, L56 Yarrumada, L68 'Modern' Wangkumara, D71 Galali (McDonald & Wurm's Waŋkumara (Gaḷali)), L16 Gungadidji, L15 Karenggapa |
ELP | |
![]() Wangkumara is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger |
The Wilson River language, also known as "Modern" Wankumara (Wangkumara/ Wanggumara), is an
Speakers
In 1981, the language was still spoken by four members of the
Varieties
Dixon (2002) considers Punthamara to be a dialect of Wangkumara, Bowern (2001) as very close. Bowern says that Ngandangara also appears to have been "very close", although data is too poor for a proper classification.[4] Karenggapa is either a dialect or an alternative name.[5] (McDonald & Wurm 1979) note that Wilson River Galali, what they call "Waŋkumara (Gaḷali)", is very close to modern Waŋkumara and Bundamara.
Breen (1967) states that the (Karnic) speech of the groups along the Wilson River are essentially identical. These include Bundhamara, Gungadudji, 'Modern' Wanggumara and Ngandangura. For instance, that Gungadidji is 'almost identical to Punthamara and modern Wangkumara'. Nonetheless, these language varieties have been assigned individual ISO codes.
A language labelled "Wonkomarra" in Myles (1886) is a different language from modern Wangkumara, and may be a variety of Kalali.
Features
Wangkumara is notable for being a language with a
Phonology
Consonants
Peripheral | Laminal | Apical | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labial | Velar | Dental | Palatal | Alveolar | Retroflex | |
Plosive
|
p/b | k/ɡ | d̪
|
c/ɟ | d
|
ʈ/ɖ |
Nasal
|
m | ŋ | n̪
|
ɲ | n
|
ɳ |
Rhotic | r
|
ɻ | ||||
Lateral | l̪
|
ʎ | l
|
ɭ | ||
Approximant
|
w | j |
- /d̪/ can have an allophone of [ð] when after /l̪/.
- Sounds /b, ɟ, ɡ/ can be lenited as fricatives [β, ʒ, ɣ] when in intervocalic positions or after lateral sounds.[6]
Vowels
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
High
|
i | u | |
Low
|
a |
The vowel sounds are a three-vowel system. Vowel length is not evenly distributed, but is mostly heard phonetically when preceding voiced consonants. Allophones may also occur.[6]
Phoneme | Allophone |
---|---|
/i/ | [i], [ɪ] |
/a/ | [ä], [a], [ɐ] |
/u/ | [u], [ʊ] |
References
- ^ a b c L30 Ngandangara at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (see the info box for additional links)
- ^ RMW Dixon (2002), Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development, p xxxvii
- OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 23 July 2007.)
{{cite encyclopedia}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Bowern, Claire (2001). "Karnic classification revisited". In J Simpson; et al. (eds.). Forty years on. Canberra Pacific Linguistics. pp. 245–260. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012.
- ^ L15 Karenggapa at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- ^ a b McDonald, M.; Wurm, S. A. (1979). Basic Materials in Waŋkumara (Gaḷali): Grammar, Sentences and Vocabulary. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.