Alngith dialect facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alngith |
|
|---|---|
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Cape York Peninsula, Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Alngith |
| Extinct | by 2021 |
| Language family | |
| AIATSIS | Y32 |
Alngith (pronounced al-ngeeth) was a language once spoken by the Alngith people in Queensland, Australia. Specifically, it was used on the Cape York Peninsula. Sadly, Alngith is now an extinct language, meaning there are no longer any people who speak it. The last known speakers of Alngith lived into the 1980s.
Alngith belongs to a group of languages called Paman languages. These languages are found in the northern part of Australia. Alngith was very similar to another language called Linngithigh.
Where Was Alngith Spoken?
The Alngith language was spoken in the western part of the Cape York Peninsula. This area is near a town called Weipa. The traditional lands where Alngith was spoken included places around Albatross Bay and Mission River. These areas are now part of the Weipa Town Council and the Shire of Cook.
Alngith is thought to be a type of the Thaynakwith language. Thaynakwith was also spoken in the same general region.
A Special Word
In the Alngith language, the phrase Nje 'alan meant 'good day'. It's interesting to learn even a small part of a language that is no longer spoken.
