Djambarrpuyŋu
Djambarrpuyngu
Pama-Nyungan (Yolŋu, Dhuwal)
Djambarrpuyŋu is a Yolŋu Matha variety of the Dhuwal group, spoken across north-east Arnhem Land in Australia's Northern Territory and centred on Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island). It is the most widely spoken Aboriginal language of the region and works as a lingua franca between Yolŋu clans, which is why the 2021 census counted about 3,800 speakers — more than for almost any other traditional Australian language. Grammatically it is Pama-Nyungan: heavily case-marking, with very free word order and a pronoun system distinguishing singular, dual and plural as well as inclusive and exclusive 'we'. Its lexicon carries a distinctive layer of Macassan loans from centuries of trepang trade with Sulawesi — walu 'sun, day' is traced to Makasar allo. Unusually for an Australian language it is still acquired by children as a first language, and it has a complete New Testament (2008) as well as a large dictionary and reference grammar.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Djambarrpuyngu
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Pama-Nyungan (Yolŋu, Dhuwal)
| Meaning | Djambarrpuyngu | Ngunnawal | Walmajarri | Warlpiri | Guugu Yimithirr | Wiradjuri | Adnyamathanha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | gapu /ɡapu/ | kungal /kuŋal/ | ngapa /ˈŋapa/ | ngapa /ŋapa/ | buurraay /buːraːj/ | galing /ˈɡaliŋ/ | awi /awi/ |
| Fire | gurtha /ɡuɻt̪a/ | warba /waɻba/ | warlu /ˈwaɭu/ | warlu /waɭu/ | yugu /juɡu/ | wiiny /wiːɲ/ | ardrla /aʈɭa/ |
| Sun | walu /walu/ | winyu /wiɲu/ | purangu /puɻaŋu/ | wanta /wanta/ | ngalan /ŋalan/ | yiray /ˈjiɻaj/ | yurnrdu /juɳʈu/ |
| Moon | ŋaḻindi /ŋaɭindi/ | birrang /biɻaŋ/ | yakarn /jakaɳ/ | kirntangi /kiɳʈaŋi/ | giidha /ɡiːd̪a/ | giwang /ˈɡiwaŋ/ | viRa /viɹa/ |
| Star | ganyu /ɡaɲu/ | dyurra /ɟura/ | wirl /wiɭ/ | yanjilypiri /jaɲɟiʎpiɻi/ | dawaar /dawaːɻ/ | giralang /ˈɡiɻalaŋ/ | vurdli /vuʈli/ |
| Night | gämuk /ɡaːmuk/ | kaku /kaku/ | pukanya /pukaɲa/ | munga /muŋa/ | nilawudurbe /nilawudurbe/ | ngurung /ˈŋuruŋ/ | wilydya /wiʎca/ |
| Rain | waltjaṉ /walcaɳ/ | garrit /ɡaɻit/ | yurrikarra /jurikara/ | — | madyi /maɟi/ | — | warrana /warana/ |
| Wind | wäŋi /waːŋi/ | — | walypa /ˈwaʎpa/ | warlpa /waɭpa/ | daan.gaay /daːnɡaːj/ | girrarr /ˈɡirar/ | milyaRu /miʎaɹu/ |
| Earth | munathaʼ /munat̪aʔ/ | dhaura /d̪auɻa/ | nguwa /ˈŋuwa/ | walya /walja/ | bubu /bubu/ | dhaagun /ˈd̪aːɡun/ | yarta /jaʈa/ |
| Stone | guṉḏa /ɡuɳɖa/ | wullung /wuluŋ/ | pamarr /ˈpamar/ | pirli /piɭi/ | nambal /nambal/ | walang /ˈwalaŋ/ | adynya /acɲa/ |
| Mountain | buku /buku/ | — | — | pamarrpa /pamaɾpa/ | manydyal /maɲcal/ | — | — |
| Sea | moṉuk /moɳuk/ | — | jawurlata /ˈɟawuɭata/ | mangkuru /maŋkuɻu/ | dhalun /d̪alun/ | — | — |
| Mother | ŋäṉḏi /ŋaːɳɖi/ | guni /ɡuni/ | ngamaji /ŋaˈmaɟi/ | ngati /ŋati/ | ngamu /ŋamu/ | gunhi /ˈɡun̪i/ | ngami /ŋami/ |
| Father | bäpa /baːpa/ | pumba /pumba/ | ngarpu /ŋaɻpu/ | kirda /kiɖa/ | biiba /biːba/ | babiin /ˈbabiːn/ | vapi /vapi/ |
| Daughter | gäthu /ɡaːt̪u/ | — | kurntal /ˈkuɳʈal/ | yurntalpa /juɳʈalpa/ | ngudhurr /ˈŋut̪ur/ | ngamurr /ˈŋamur/ | — |
| I | ŋarra /ŋara/ | ngaya /ŋaja/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ | ngayu /ŋaju/ | ngadhu /ˈŋad̪u/ | ngayi /ŋaji/ |
| You | nhe /n̪e/ | ngindu /ŋindu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyundu /ɲundu/ | ngindhu /ˈŋind̪u/ | nhina /n̪ina/ |
| We | limurr / ŋanapurr /limur / ŋanapur/ | gulanyin / gulanyilla /ɡulaɲin / ɡulaɲila/ | ngalimpa / nganimpa /ŋalimpa / ŋanimpa/ | ngalipa / nganimpa /ŋalipa / ŋanimpa/ | nganhdhaan / nganhdhanun /ŋan̪d̪aːn / ŋan̪d̪anun/ | ngiyani /ŋiˈjani/ | ngarlpurla /ŋaɭpuɭa/ |
| Name | yäku /jaːku/ | yini /jini/ | yini /jini/ | yirdi /jiɖi/ | gadil /ɡadil/ | yuwin /ˈjuwin/ | mityi /mici/ |
| Person | yolŋu /jolŋu/ | wurrunbill /wuɻunbil/ | piyirn /ˈpijiɳ/ | yapa /japa/ | bama /bama/ | gibirr /ˈɡibir/ | yuRa /juɹa/ |
| Head | ḻiya /ɭija/ | guddagong /ɡuddaɡoŋ/ | jurlu /ˈɟuɭu/ | jurru /ɟuru/ | ngaabaay /ŋaːbaːj/ | balang /ˈbalaŋ/ | vapardrla /vapaʈɭa/ |
| Eye | mel /mel/ | mil /mil/ | mil /mil/ | milpa /milpa/ | miil /miːl/ | mil /mil/ | mina /mina/ |
| Ear | mäkiriʼ /maːkiɻiʔ/ | guri /ɡuɻi/ | pina /ˈpina/ | langa /laŋa/ | milga /milɡa/ | wuudha /ˈwuːd̪a/ | yuri /juɾi/ |
| Nose | ŋurru /ŋuru/ | nyigity /ɲiɡiɟ/ | punul /ˈpunul/ | mulyu /muʎu/ | budhiil /bud̪iːl/ | muurruu /ˈmuːruː/ | — |
| Mouth | dhä /d̪aː/ | dhambir /d̪ambiɻ/ | — | lirra /liɾa/ | barrgaar /barɡaːɻ/ | ngayn /ŋajn/ | — |
| Tooth | ḻirra /ɭira/ | weera /weːra/ | lirra /lira/ | kartirdi /kaʈiɖi/ | muliir /muliːɻ/ | yirrang /ˈjiraŋ/ | ira /iɾa/ |
| Tongue | matha /mat̪a/ | dalang /dalaŋ/ | jalany /ɟalaɲ/ | jalanypa /ɟalaɲpa/ | nganhdhaar /ŋan̪d̪aːɻ/ | dhalayn /ˈd̪alajn/ | yarli /jaɭi/ |
| Hand | goŋ /ɡoŋ/ | mara /maɻa/ | kurrapa /kurapa/ | rdaka /ɖaka/ | mangal /maŋal/ | marra /ˈmara/ | mara /maɾa/ |
| Foot | ḻuku /ɭuku/ | dyinang /ɟinaŋ/ | jina /ˈɟina/ | wirliya /wiɭija/ | dhamal /d̪amal/ | dhinang /ˈd̪inaŋ/ | idna /idna/ |
| Heart | ḏoṯurrk /ɖoʈurk/ | gauar /ɡauar/ | kurturlu /kuɭˈtuɭu/ | rduku-rduku /ɖukuɖuku/ | dadhali /dad̪ali/ | giiny /ɡiːɲ/ | yurlk-aka /juɭkaka/ |
| Bone | ŋaraka /ŋaɻaka/ | wiak /wiak/ | kiji /kiɟi/ | larrpa /laɾpa/ | badhibay /bad̪ibaj/ | dhabal /ˈd̪abal/ | warlpu /waɭpu/ |
| Blood | gulaŋ /ɡulaŋ/ | guruba /ɡuruba/ | nungu /nuŋu/ | yalyu /jaʎu/ | ganbi /ɡanbi/ | guuwayn /ˈɡuːwajn/ | arti /aʈi/ |
| Poop | guḻaʼ /ɡuɭaʔ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | kura /ˈkuɻa/ | kuna /kuna/ | mangga /maŋɡa/ | guunang /ˈɡuːnaŋ/ | udna /utna/ |
| Love | djäl /ɟaːl/ | marmit /maɻmit/ | — /—/ | yulkami /julkami/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | ngadha-pa- /ŋat̪apa/ |
| Tree | dharpa /d̪aɻpa/ | warabi /waɻabi/ | mana /mana/ | watiya /watija/ | yugu /juɡu/ | madhan /ˈmad̪an/ | wirti /wiʈi/ |
| Dog | wuŋgan /wuŋɡan/ | mirri /miɻi/ | kunyarr /kuˈɲar/ | jarntu /ɟaɳʈu/ | gudaa /ɡudaː/ | mirri /ˈmiri/ | wirlka /wiɭka/ |
| Cat | butjikit /bucikit/ | poosi /puːsi/ | — /—/ | mungalpa /muŋalpa/ | buthigan /but̪iɡan/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | guya /ɡuja/ | kuya /kuja/ | kapi /kapi/ | yawu /jawu/ | guudyu /ɡuːɟu/ | guuya /ˈɡuːja/ | varru /varu/ |
| Butterfly | boṉba /boɳba/ | — | pirrpirntipirnti /pirpiɳʈipiɳʈi/ | pinta-pinta /pintapinta/ | walbuulbul /walbuːlbul/ | buuja-buuja /ˈbuːɟabuːɟa/ | arli vilhi-vilhi /aɭi vil̪i-vil̪i/ |
| Egg | mapuʼ /mapuʔ/ | gubbong /ɡubboŋ/ | kampiny /kampiɲ/ | ngipiri /ŋipiɻi/ | gundil /ɡundil/ | gabuuga /ˈɡabuːɡa/ | vipi /vipi/ |
| Horse | yarramanʼ /jaramanʔ/ | — | dimana /ˈdimana/ | nantuwu /nantuwu/ | yarraman /jaraman/ | yarraman /ˈjaraman/ | — |
| House | buṉbu /buɳbu/ | kuni /kuni/ | mayaru /majaɻu/ | yuwarli /juwaɭi/ | bayan /bajan/ | ngurang /ˈŋuɻaŋ/ | wardrli /waʈɭi/ |
| Milk | ŋamunʼkurr /ŋamunʔkur/ | — | — | lampurnu /lampuɳu/ | guyuu /ɡujuː/ | — | ngama /ŋama/ |
| Honey | guku /ɡuku/ | kawangkal /kawaŋkal/ | karlaka /ˈkaɭaka/ | ngarlu /ŋaɭu/ | mula /mula/ | ngarruu /ˈŋaruː/ | — |
| Salt | djeʼla /ɟeʔla/ | — | — | jarlti /ɟaɭti/ | — | — | — |
| Wine | borum wiyikaʼ /boɻum wijikaʔ/ | — | wayin /ˈwajin/ | pama /pama/ | — | — | — |
| Iron | balaʼ /balaʔ/ | — | — | yayini /jajini/ | — | — | — |
| Wheel | ḻuku /ɭuku/ | — | — | wirli /wiɭi/ | — | — | — |
| Book | djorraʼ /ɟoraʔ/ | — | — | pipa /pipa/ | — | — | — |
| Eat | ḻuka /ɭuka/ | daring /daɻiŋ/ | nga- /ŋa/ | ngarni /ŋaɳi/ | budal /budal/ | dharra /ˈd̪ara/ | ngarlku- /ŋaɭku/ |
| Drink | ḻuka /ɭuka/ | nyu /ɲu/ | nga- /ŋa/ | purrami /puɾami/ | dyidyal /cical/ | widyarra /ˈwiɟara/ | yapa- /japa/ |
| Sleep | ŋorra /ŋora/ | ngambori /ŋamboɻi/ | manyan /ˈmaɲan/ | jarda ngunami /ɟaɖa ŋunami/ | waarrnggu /waːrŋɡu/ | — | miya /mija/ |
| One | waŋgany /waŋɡaɲ/ | meddhung /med̪uŋ/ | layi /laji/ | jinta /ɟinta/ | nubuun /nubuːn/ | ngumbaay /ˈŋumbaːj/ | ubmanaka /upmanaka/ |
| Two | märrmaʼ /maːrmaʔ/ | bula /bula/ | kurriny /kuriɲ/ | jirrama /ɟiɾama/ | gudhiirra /ɡud̪iːra/ | bula /ˈbula/ | alypilhanha /aʎpil̪an̪a/ |
| Three | ḻurrkunʼ /ɭurkunʔ/ | bula mittong /bula mitoŋ/ | mungkartu /muŋkaʈu/ | jirrama-kari-jinta /ɟiɾamakaɾiɟinta/ | gundu /ɡundu/ | bula-ngumbaay /ˈbulaŋumbaːj/ | urlpa-rrina /uɭparina/ |
| Four | ḏämbumiriw /ɖaːmbumiɻiw/ | — | — | jirrama-kari-jirrama-kari /ɟiɾamakaɾiɟiɾamakaɾi/ | — | — | — |
| Five | goŋ-waŋgany /ɡoŋwaŋɡaɲ/ | — | — | rdaka-pala /ɖakapala/ | gaguwarr /ɡaɡuwar/ | — | — |
| Hello | Nhämirri nhe? /n̪aːmiri n̪e/ | yumalundi /jumalundi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | yaama /ˈjaːma/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | miyamala /mijamala/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mandaang guwu /ˈmandaːŋ ˈɡuwu/ | — /—/ |
| Good | manymak /maɲmak/ | walunga /waluŋa/ | wulyu /wuʎu/ | ngurrju /ŋuɾɟu/ | dabaar /dabaːɻ/ | marang /ˈmaɻaŋ/ | warnrdu /waɳʈu/ |
| New | yuṯa /juʈa/ | — | jalangjalang /ˈɟalaŋɟalaŋ/ | jalangu-warnu /ɟalaŋuwaɳu/ | nhilaa /n̪ilaː/ | — | marra /mara/ |
| Red | mikuʼ /mikuʔ/ | dhiram-dhiram /d̪iɾamd̪iɾam/ | ngirljarti /ŋiɭɟaʈi/ | yalyu-yalyu /jaʎujaʎu/ | diini /diːni/ | girri-girri /ˈɡiriɡiri/ | yalhdhatyi /jal̪t̪aci/ |
| White | watharr /wat̪ar/ | daguru-gurag /daɡuɾuɡuɾaɡ/ | parpjarti /ˈpaɻpɟaɻti/ | kardirri /kaɖiɾi/ | dyinggaa /ɟiŋɡaː/ | barrabarra /ˈbarabara/ | upa /upa/ |
| Black | gurrŋanʼ /ɡurŋanʔ/ | buru-bura /buɻubuɻa/ | kurnkurn /kuɳkuɳ/ | kirdily /kiɖiʎ/ | munhi /mun̪i/ | buudhang /ˈbuːd̪aŋ/ | — |
| Green | menydjuṉ /meɲɟuɳ/ | — | — | yukuri-yukuri /jukuɻijukuɻi/ | — | — | — |
| Blue | menydjuṉ /meɲɟuɳ/ | — | — | yukuri-yukuri /jukuɻijukuɻi/ | — | ngurrumirgang /ˈŋurumiɻɡaŋ/ | unarru /unaru/ |
| Tea | dilip /dilip/ | — | — | — | buurr /buːr/ | — | — |
| Coffee | gopi /ɡopi/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sugar | djokaʼ /ɟokaʔ/ | — | walyarra /ˈwaʎara/ | juka /ɟuka/ | — | — | — |
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