Ngarla language

Ngarla is a Pama–Nyungan language of Western Australia.

Ngarla
Spoken in Port Hedland area of Western Australia
Native speakers 4  (2010)[1]
Language family
Language codes
ISO 639-3 nlr
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Ngarla is possibly mutually intelligible with Panyjima and Martuthunira, but the three are considered distinct languages.

Contents

Phonology

Consonants

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Bilabial Velar Palatal Dental Alveolar Retroflex
Stop p k c t̪ t ʈ
Nasal m ŋ ɲ n̪ n ɳ
Lateral ʎ l̪ l ɭ
Rhotic r ɻ
Semivowel w j

Vowels

Front Back
High i iː u uː
Low a aː

The long vowels are rare.

Grammar

Tense markers

Ngarla tense markers for verbs [2]

Tense marker Tense
-n past
-ngkaya present
-kuRa future

Classification

Ngarla is classified as a member of the Ngayarda subgroup of the Southwest Pama–Nyungan languages. Under Carl Georg von Brandenstein's 1967 classification, Ngarla was classed as an Inland Ngayarda language, but the separation of the Ngayarda languages into Coastal and Inland groups is no longer considered valid.

Southwest Pama–Nyungan
Ngayarta

Palyku


Panyjima


Ngarla


Nyamal


Jurruru


Yinhawangka


Ngarluma


Kariyarra


Martuthunira


Nhuwala


Yindjibarndi


Kurrama



Kanyara languages


Mantharta languages


Kartu languages


Nyunga languages


Mirniny languages


Wati languages


Marrngu languages


Ngumpin languages


Nannga languages


Yura languages


Notes

  1. ^ Westerlund, T: När engelskan kom till Australien, page 51. Språktidningen, February 2010. (In Swedish)
  2. ^ Languages of the World: Indo-Pacific Fascicle Six”, Geoffrey O’Grady, C. F. Voegelin and F. M. Voegelin (1966:82)

References

External links