Yugambeh language

Yugambeh (many other names; see below) is an Australian aboriginal language spoken by the Yugambeh Bundjalung people living on the South-East Queensland coast between the Logan River and the Tweed River (including South Stradbroke Island).^[1]

Yugambeh is one of some dozen or two dozen dialects of the Bandjalang language. Among the differences in Yugambeh is that yugambeh (or yugam) is the word for no. The Yugambeh people use this to identify their language (those who say yugambeh for no).^[2]

There were no Yugambeh People, a linguists attempt to describe a Language chain based on the word for No or Nothing has been misconstrued to describe a People that never existed.

The Badjal-Lang dialect chain is the Yugambeh dialect chain.

Yugambeh was the word for No, None or Nothing from the Logan River to the Clarence.^[3]

Names

Yugambeh may also be referred to as:

• Yugambal, Yugumbal, Yugambir, Yugabeh
• Yubumbee
• Jugumbir, Jukamba
• Manaldjali (probably from Mununjali, the name of a family group speaking Yugambeh)
• Minjanbal (probably from Minjungbal, the name of a family group speaking Yugambeh)

References

1. ^ Yugambeh Museum web site introduction (web site by the Kombumerri Aboriginal Corporation for Culture)
2. ^ Macquarie Aboriginal Words, Macquarie University, 1994, paperback ISBN 0-949757-79-9, chapter 1
3. ^ "Edward Curr, The Australian Race" 1886. http://www1.aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/e_access/r_book/curr/pdfs/m0033929_a.pdf

Further reading

• Dictionary of Yugambeh Including Neighbouring Dialects, compiled by Margaret Sharpe, Pacific Linguistics: Australian National University, 1998.

External links

• Ethnologue report for language code:yub
• Borobi and his friends Virtual book read in Yugambeh language by Axel Best. From the State Library of Queensland virtual book collection.
• Linguist List (2005) Synopsis of Grammar and Texts of the Yugambeh-Bundjalung Dialect Chain in Eastern Australia Accessed 20 May 2008