Wiradhuric languages

Wiradhuric
Central New South Wales
Geographic
distribution:
New South Wales
Linguistic classification:

Pama–Nyungan

  • Southeastern
    • Wiradhuric
Subdivisions:
Glottolog: wira1261[1]

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Wiradhuric languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan)

The Wiradhuric languages, or Central (Inland) New South Wales, are a family of Pama–Nyungan languages of Australia. There are three languages:

All are now moribund.

Wiradhuri and Ngiyambaa appear to be more closely related to each other than to Gamilaraay, as they show some common features that Gamilaraay lacks. The languages are close enough to be accepted as related in the conservative classification of Dixon (2002). Bowern (2011) lists the Yuwaaliyaay and Yuwaalaraay varieties of Gamilaraay as separate languages.[2] Bigambal may have been another, if it wasn't one of the Banjalung languages. The Gujambal language has been listed as Wiradhuric, but is undocumented.

Comparison

Wiradhuric Non-Wiradhuric
Wiradhuri Ngiyambaa Gamilaraay Baagandji
ngandhi ngandi- ngaana wintyika who?
minyang minja- minya minha what?
ngadhuu ngadhu ngaya ngathu I
ngali ngalii ngali ngali we two
ngiyani ngiyanu / ngiyani ngiyaani ngina we (pl.)
nginduu ngindu nginda ngintu you (sg.)
nginduu buula ngindubula ngindaali ngupa you two
nginduugirr ngindugal ngindaay ngurta you (pl.)

See also

References

  1. Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Wiradhuric". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  2. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)