Yarli language facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yarli
Region	Northwestern New South Wales
Ethnicity	Malyangapa, Yardliyawara, Wadikali, Karenggapa
Native speakers	possibly extinct; 2 speakers in 1987  (2004)e18 Malyangapa extinct 1976 with the death of Laurie Quayle. Wadikali extinct before that.
Language family	Pama–Nyungan Yarli
Dialects	Malyangapa Yardliyawarra
Writing system	Latin
AIATSIS	L8 Malyangapa, L7
Yardli languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan)

Yarli (also called Yardli) was a group of closely related Australian Aboriginal languages. These languages were spoken in the northwestern part of New South Wales and also in northeastern South Australia. The main forms of Yarli included Malyangapa, Yardliyawara, and Wadikali. Another related language, Karenggapa, was also part of this language area, but we don't have much information about it.

Sadly, the Yarli languages are now thought to be extinct. This means they are no longer spoken by anyone. In 1987, only two speakers were known. Malyangapa became extinct in 1976, and Wadikali disappeared even earlier.

Where Did Yarli Languages Come From?

The Yarli languages are part of a very large group called the Pama–Nyungan languages. This is one of the biggest families of Aboriginal languages in Australia.

How Yarli Languages Are Grouped

Experts have different ideas about how the Yarli languages fit together.

• Some researchers, like Hercus and Austin (in 2004), believe Malyangapa, Yardliyawara, and Wadikali are all very close. They see them as a special "Yarli branch" within the larger Pama–Nyungan family.
• Other experts, like Dixon (in 2002), think these three are actually just different dialects of a single language. A dialect is a different way of speaking the same language, often with small changes in words or pronunciation.
• Bowern (in 2002) also looked at these languages. She decided they were not part of another group called the Karnic languages, where they had sometimes been placed before.