Gamilaraay language facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gamilaraay
Darling tributaries
Native to	Australia
Region	Central northern New South Wales
Ethnicity	Gamilaraay, Ualarai, Kawambarai
Extinct	"recently extinct" as of 2007
Language family	Pama–Nyungan Wiradhuric Gamilaraay
Dialects	Gamilaraay (Kamilaroi) Yuwaalaraay (Euahlayi) Yuwaalayaay (Yuwaaliyaay) Guyinbaraay (Gunjbaraay) Gawambaraay (Kawambarai) Wirray Wirray (Wiriwiri) Waalaraay (Walaraay)
AIATSIS	D23
A map of the tribes of New South Wales, published in 1892. Gamilaraay is marked I.
Gamilaraay is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
This page contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters.

The Gamilaraay or Kamilaroi language is an Aboriginal Australian language. It belongs to the Pama–Nyungan language family. You can find it mostly in south-eastern Australia, especially in central northern New South Wales. It is the traditional language of the Gamilaraay people.

For a while, the Gamilaraay language was considered endangered. However, the number of people speaking it has grown. In the 2011 Australian Census, 87 people spoke Gamilaraay. By the 2016 Australian Census, this number increased to 105. Many thousands of Australians identify as Gamilaraay people. The language is now taught in some schools, helping it to grow stronger.

Some closely related languages and dialects include Wirray Wirray, Guyinbaraay, Yuwaalayaay, Waalaraay, Gawambaraay, and Yuwaalaraay (also known as Euahlayi).

What's in a Name?

The name Gamilaraay means 'gamil-having'. This is because gamil is the Gamilaraay word for 'no'. Other dialects and languages in the area are named in a similar way, based on their own word for 'no'.

The name Gamilaraay can be spelled in different ways. These include Goomeroi, Kamilaroi, Gamilaraay, and Gamilaroi.

Different Ways to Speak: Dialects

Traditional lands of Australian Aboriginal tribes around Sydney, New South Wales

Just like English has different accents and ways of speaking, the Gamilaraay language has different dialects. These are like different versions of the same language. The main dialects that are part of the Gamilaraay group include:

• Yuwaalaraay (also called Yuwaaliyaay or Euahlayi), spoken by the Yuwaalaraay people.
• Wirray Wirray (or Wiriwiri).
• Guyinbaraay (or Gunjbaraay).
• Yuwaalayaay.
• Waalaraay (or Walaraay).
• Gawambaraay (or Kawambarai), spoken by the Gawambaraay people.

Experts say that the Gamilaraay and Euahlayi peoples are a cultural group from northern New South Wales. The Gamilaraay language has its own dialects, and Euahlayi is a similar but separate language.

A Look Back: History of Gamilaraay

The first time the name "Gamilaraay" was written down was probably in 1819. Aboriginal guides told a surveyor named John Howe about the "Coomery Roy" country. This meant the land to the north-west, beyond the Liverpool Ranges.

The very first list of Gamilaraay words was written in February 1832 by an explorer named Thomas Mitchell.

Later, a Presbyterian missionary named William Ridley spent time studying the language. He worked on it from 1852 to 1856.

Is Gamilaraay Still Spoken?

In 2013, the Gamilaraay language was listed as an endangered language. This meant it was at risk of disappearing. In 2006, only about 35 to 37 people were speaking it, and they often mixed it with English.

However, things have changed! The number of speakers has grown. In the 2011 Census, 87 people spoke Gamilaraay. By 2016, this number went up to 105. This shows that efforts to bring the language back are working.

Gamilaraay Words We Use Today

Some words from the Gamilaraay language have become part of everyday Australian English. Here are a few examples:

See also

In Spanish: Idioma gamilaraay para niños