| Gunwinyguan | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution: |
Arnhem Land, northern Australia |
| Linguistic classification: | Macro-Pama–Nyungan |
| Subdivisions: |
Gunwinyguan proper
Marran
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Gunwinyguan (north center of inset) and Burarran (northern coast)
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The Gunwinyguan languages (or Gunwingguan) form the second largest family of Australian Aboriginal languages. They are spoken in Arnhem Land in northern Australia. The most populous language is Gunwinygu, with some 1500 speakers.
Gunwinyguan languages proper have a fortis–lenis contrast in plosive consonants. Lenis/short plosives have weak contact and intermittent voicing, while fortis/long plosives have full closure, a more powerful release burst, and no voicing.
Although the validity of the Gunwinyguan proper is widely accepted, the inclusion of some lesser known language isolates is debated. Ethnologue, for example, includes the Burarran languages, Gagadu, and Enindhilyagwa, which are not included here.[1] What follows is based on a 1997 classification by Nicholas Evans at the Australian National Universtity.
(Not to be confused with the Maran languages of Pama–Nyungan.)
Evans has proposed that Gunwinyguan is related to Pama–Nyungan in a family he calls Macro-Pama–Nyungan.
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