Jirrbal
Dyirbal
Pama-Nyungan (Dyirbalic)
Pama-Nyungan language of North Queensland made famous by Dixon's 1972 grammar and Lakoff's "Women, Fire and Dangerous Things" — its four noun classes (bayi masculine/animate, balan feminine/water/fire/dangerous, balam edible plants, bala residue) became a textbook example of non-Aristotelian categorisation. Dyirbal also has a fully separate "Jalŋuy" mother-in-law avoidance vocabulary with the same grammar but disjoint lexicon.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Dyirbal
Sources
- Dixon, R. M. W. (1972) The Dyirbal Language of North Queensland. Cambridge University Press.
- Dixon, R. M. W. (1989) "The Original Dyirbal Speaking Tribes of North-East Queensland", in Aboriginal History.
- Glottolog: Dyirbal
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Pama-Nyungan (Dyirbalic)
| Meaning | Dyirbal | Wiradjuri | Walmajarri | Makasae | Warlpiri | Corsican | Martu Wangka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | bana /ˈbana/ | galing /ˈɡaliŋ/ | ngapa /ˈŋapa/ | ira /ˈira/ | ngapa /ŋapa/ | acqua /ˈakwa/ | kapi /kapi/ |
| Fire | buni /ˈbuni/ | wiiny /wiːɲ/ | warlu /ˈwaɭu/ | ata /ˈata/ | warlu /waɭu/ | focu /ˈfɔku/ | waru /waɻu/ |
| Sun | garri /ˈɡari/ | yiray /ˈjiɻaj/ | purangu /puɻaŋu/ | watu /ˈwatu/ | wanta /wanta/ | sole /ˈsɔle/ | jirntu /ciɳʈu/ |
| Moon | gagara /ɡaˈɡara/ | giwang /ˈɡiwaŋ/ | yakarn /jakaɳ/ | uru /ˈuru/ | kirntangi /kiɳʈaŋi/ | luna /ˈluna/ | panyalpa /paɲalpa/ |
| Star | gijiny /ɡiɟiɲ/ | giralang /ˈɡiɻalaŋ/ | wirl /wiɭ/ | lekiluru /lekiluru/ | yanjilypiri /jaɲɟiʎpiɻi/ | stella /ˈstella/ | kurtalya /kuʈaʎa/ |
| Night | jagun /ɟaɡun/ | ngurung /ˈŋuruŋ/ | pukanya /pukaɲa/ | maagamu /maaɡamu/ | munga /muŋa/ | notte /ˈnɔtːe/ | munga /muŋa/ |
| Rain | gambal /ˈɡambal/ | — | yurrikarra /jurikara/ | ae /ae/ | — | pioggia /ˈpjɔdʒa/ | — |
| Wind | gulubu /ˈɡulubu/ | girrarr /ˈɡirar/ | walypa /ˈwaʎpa/ | gawa /ˈɡawa/ | warlpa /waɭpa/ | ventu /ˈventu/ | walypa /ˈwaljpa/ |
| Earth | jaju /ˈɟaɟu/ | dhaagun /ˈd̪aːɡun/ | nguwa /ˈŋuwa/ | maa /maa/ | walya /walja/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | manta /manta/ |
| Stone | diban /ɟiban/ | walang /ˈwalaŋ/ | pamarr /ˈpamar/ | apa /ˈapa/ | pirli /piɭi/ | petra /ˈpɛtra/ | yapu /japu/ |
| Mountain | gambil /ˈɡambil/ | — | — | — | pamarrpa /pamaɾpa/ | muntagna /munˈtaɲɲa/ | — |
| Mother | yabu /ˈjabu/ | gunhi /ˈɡun̪i/ | ngamaji /ŋaˈmaɟi/ | ina /ˈina/ | ngati /ŋati/ | mamma /ˈmamma/ | yipi /jipi/ |
| Father | nguma /ˈŋuma/ | babiin /ˈbabiːn/ | ngarpu /ŋaɻpu/ | baba /ˈbaba/ | kirda /kiɖa/ | babbu /ˈbabːu/ | mama /mama/ |
| Daughter | daman /ˈdaman/ | ngamurr /ˈŋamur/ | kurntal /ˈkuɳʈal/ | — | yurntalpa /juɳʈalpa/ | figliola /fiʎˈʎola/ | yurntalpa /juɳʈalpa/ |
| I | ngaja /ŋaɟa/ | ngadhu /ˈŋad̪u/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ | ani /ani/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ | eiu /ˈɛju/ | ngayu /ŋaju/ |
| You | nginda /ŋinda/ | ngindhu /ˈŋind̪u/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | ai /ai/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | tù /tu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ |
| We | ngana /ŋana/ | ngiyani /ŋiˈjani/ | ngalimpa / nganimpa /ŋalimpa / ŋanimpa/ | fi / ini /fi / ini/ | ngalipa / nganimpa /ŋalipa / ŋanimpa/ | noi /ˈnoi/ | — /—/ |
| Name | yidyi /jiɟi/ | yuwin /ˈjuwin/ | yini /jini/ | nai /nai/ | yirdi /jiɖi/ | nome /ˈnome/ | yini /jini/ |
| Eye | gayga /ˈɡajɡa/ | mil /mil/ | mil /mil/ | nana /ˈnana/ | milpa /milpa/ | ochju /ˈɔcu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ |
| Ear | manga /ˈmaŋa/ | wuudha /ˈwuːd̪a/ | pina /ˈpina/ | walaku /waˈlaku/ | langa /laŋa/ | arechja /aˈrɛca/ | pina /pina/ |
| Nose | guwu /ˈɡuwu/ | muurruu /ˈmuːruː/ | punul /ˈpunul/ | murikai /murikai/ | mulyu /muʎu/ | nasu /ˈnazu/ | mulya /muʎa/ |
| Tooth | dirra /dira/ | yirrang /ˈjiraŋ/ | lirra /lira/ | wasi /wasi/ | kartirdi /kaʈiɖi/ | dente /ˈdɛnte/ | yirra /jira/ |
| Tongue | jalnggulay /ɟalŋɡulaj/ | dhalayn /ˈd̪alajn/ | jalany /ɟalaɲ/ | ipi /ipi/ | jalanypa /ɟalaɲpa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | jarlinypa /caɭiɲpa/ |
| Hand | mala /ˈmala/ | marra /ˈmara/ | kurrapa /kurapa/ | tana /ˈtana/ | rdaka /ɖaka/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | mara /maɻa/ |
| Foot | jina /ˈɟina/ | dhinang /ˈd̪inaŋ/ | jina /ˈɟina/ | iti /ˈiti/ | wirliya /wiɭija/ | pede /ˈpɛde/ | jina /cina/ |
| Heart | rulgu /ˈɻulɡu/ | giiny /ɡiːɲ/ | kurturlu /kuɭˈtuɭu/ | — /—/ | rduku-rduku /ɖukuɖuku/ | core /ˈkɔre/ | kurturtu /kuʈuʈu/ |
| Bone | wurmbur /ˈwurmbur/ | dhabal /ˈd̪abal/ | kiji /kiɟi/ | sapa /ˈsapa/ | larrpa /laɾpa/ | ossu /ˈɔssu/ | tarrka /tarka/ |
| Blood | waguli /waɡuli/ | guuwayn /ˈɡuːwajn/ | nungu /nuŋu/ | wai /wai/ | yalyu /jaʎu/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | miji /miɟi/ |
| Poop | guna /ɡuna/ | guunang /ˈɡuːnaŋ/ | kura /ˈkuɻa/ | — | kuna /kuna/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | — |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | yulkami /julkami/ | amore /aˈmɔre/ | mukulyu /mukuʎu/ |
| Tree | yugu /ˈjuɡu/ | madhan /ˈmad̪an/ | mana /mana/ | ate /ˈate/ | watiya /watija/ | arburu /ˈarburu/ | warta /waʈa/ |
| Dog | guda /ˈɡuda/ | mirri /ˈmiri/ | kunyarr /kuˈɲar/ | defa /ˈdɛfa/ | jarntu /ɟaɳʈu/ | cane /ˈkane/ | papa /papa/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mungalpa /muŋalpa/ | ghjattu /ˈɟattu/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | jabu /ˈɟabu/ | guuya /ˈɡuːja/ | kapi /kapi/ | seumeti /seumeti/ | yawu /jawu/ | pesciu /ˈpeʃu/ | yurta /juʈa/ |
| Bird | dundu /ˈdundu/ | buujaan /ˈbuːɟaːn/ | jiriki /ˈɟiɻiki/ | asa /ˈasa/ | jurlpu /ˈɟuɭpu/ | uccellu /utˈtʃɛllu/ | pilurnpa /piluɳpa/ |
| Egg | bambu /bambu/ | gabuuga /ˈɡabuːɡa/ | kampiny /kampiɲ/ | waa /waa/ | ngipiri /ŋipiɻi/ | ovu /ˈɔvu/ | ngampu /ŋampu/ |
| House | mija /ˈmiɟa/ | ngurang /ˈŋuɻaŋ/ | mayaru /majaɻu/ | oma /ˈoma/ | yuwarli /juwaɭi/ | casa /ˈkaza/ | ngurra /ŋura/ |
| Eat | janggay /ˈɟaŋɡaj/ | dharra /ˈd̪ara/ | nga- /ŋa/ | nawa /ˈnawa/ | ngarni /ŋaɳi/ | manghjà /manˈɟa/ | ngalku- /ŋalku/ |
| Drink | gunyjal /ˈɡuɲɟal/ | widyarra /ˈwiɟara/ | nga- /ŋa/ | gehe /ˈɡɛhɛ/ | purrami /puɾami/ | beie /ˈbeje/ | jikirnu /cikiɳu/ |
| Sleep | bungil /ˈbuŋil/ | — | manyan /ˈmaɲan/ | tae /tae/ | jarda ngunami /ɟaɖa ŋunami/ | durmì /durˈmi/ | kunyalarri- /kuɲalari/ |
| One | yunggul /ˈjuŋɡul/ | ngumbaay /ˈŋumbaːj/ | layi /laji/ | u /ʔu/ | jinta /ɟinta/ | unu /ˈunu/ | kuju /kucu/ |
| Two | bulay /ˈbulaj/ | bula /ˈbula/ | kurriny /kuriɲ/ | lolae /loˈlae/ | jirrama /ɟiɾama/ | dui /ˈdui/ | kujarra /kucara/ |
| Three | garbu /ɡaɻbu/ | bula-ngumbaay /ˈbulaŋumbaːj/ | mungkartu /muŋkaʈu/ | lolitu /lolitu/ | jirrama-kari-jinta /ɟiɾamakaɾiɟinta/ | trè /trɛ/ | yurri /juri/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | yaama /ˈjaːma/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | salute /saˈlute/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | mandaang guwu /ˈmandaːŋ ˈɡuwu/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | grazie /ˈɡratsje/ | — /—/ |
| Good | jigil /ˈɟiɡil/ | marang /ˈmaɻaŋ/ | wulyu /wuʎu/ | rau /rau/ | ngurrju /ŋuɾɟu/ | bonu /ˈbɔnu/ | palya /paʎa/ |
| New | gunyu /ˈɡuɲu/ | — | jalangjalang /ˈɟalaŋɟalaŋ/ | supa /ˈsupa/ | jalangu-warnu /ɟalaŋuwaɳu/ | novu /ˈnɔvu/ | nyuwanpa /ɲuwanpa/ |
| Red | gunggu /ɡuŋɡu/ | girri-girri /ˈɡiriɡiri/ | ngirljarti /ŋiɭɟaʈi/ | imiri /imiri/ | yalyu-yalyu /jaʎujaʎu/ | rossu /ˈrossu/ | miji-miji /miɟimiɟi/ |
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