Guugu Yalandji language
Australian Aboriginal language
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Guugu Yalandji, also spelt Kuku-Yalanji, is an Australian Aboriginal language of Queensland. It is the traditional language of the Kuku Yalanji people.
| Guugu Yalandji | |
|---|---|
| Region | Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Kuku Yalanji, Yungkurara, Kuku Nyungkal, Kokobididji, Kokobujundji, Kokokulunggur, Kokowalandja, Wakara, Wakaman,[a] Djankun, Muluridji, ?Wulpura |
Native speakers | 388 (2021 census)[5] |
| Dialects |
|
| Latin | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:gvn – Kuku-Yalanjidjf – Djangunvmu – Muluridyi |
| Glottolog | yala1261 |
| AIATSIS[7] | Y78 |
| ELP | Kuku-Yalanji |
| Djangun | |
| Muluridyi | |
Speakers
Despite conflicts between the Kuku Yalanji people and British settlers in Queensland, the Kuku Yalanji language has a healthy number of speakers, and that number is increasing.[when?] Though the language is threatened, the language use is vigorous and children are learning it in schools. All generations of speakers have positive language attitudes.
The Kuku Yalanji still practise their traditional religion, and they have rich oral traditions. Many people in the Kuku Yalanji community also use English. Around 100 Kuku Yalanji speakers can both read and write in Kuku Yalanji.[when?]
Phonology
Vowels
Kuku-Yalanji uses the typical three-vowel system, /a, u, i/, used in other Aboriginal Australian languages.[8]
Consonants
This table uses the standard orthography used by both linguists and the speech community. Where the orthography differs from the IPA representation, the orthography is in brackets.
Stop sounds can range between voiced and voiceless releases.[8]
Footnotes
- Not to be confused with the language of the Wakaman people, Wagaman, probably a variant of the mutually intelligible Agwamin and Wamin languages, Wakaman a dialect of Kuku Yalanji. See also Wagaman language (disambiguation).[1][2][3][4]