Madhi Madhi language

Madhi-Madhi
Region New South Wales
Ethnicity Madhi Madhi
Extinct late 20th century
Pama–Nyungan

  • Kulinic

    • Wemba-Wemba[1]
      • Madhi–Ladji–Wadi
        • Madhi-Madhi
Language codes
ISO 639-3 dmd
Glottolog None
AIATSIS[2] D8

Madhi-Madhi (Muthimuthi) is an Indigenous Australian language spoken by the Muthi Muthi Aboriginal people of New South Wales. Louise Hercus[3] recorded a substantial amount of Muthi Muthi language from Jack Long whom she described as "the last Madimadi man". It was as a result of her statements that many linguists have recorded in error that the language became extinct when Jack Long died. This issue has been perpetuated in the book The Mathi Group of Languages[4] which describes the northern Kulin languages including Muthi Muthi, Yita Yita, Wemba Wemba and Latji Latji. This substantial edition was published without a single Aboriginal person being consulted. Had the authors contacted the Muthi Muthi people they would have realized that there are several people of the Muthi Muthi tribe who are today fluent in the language and that the language is actively being taught to Muthi Muthi children.

References

  1. ↑ R. M. W. Dixon, Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development: v. 1 (Cambridge Language Surveys). Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0-521-47378-1
  2. ↑ Madhi-Madhi at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  3. ↑ Hercus, L. A. 1989. Three linguistic studies from far south western NSW. Aboriginal History - 1989; v. 13 no. 1-2, p. 44-62
  4. ↑ Blake, B. J. etal 2011 The Mathi group of languages