Gippsland languages facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gippsland |
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| Geographic distribution: |
Gippsland, New South Wales |
| Linguistic classification: | Pama–Nyungan
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| Subdivisions: | |
 Gippsland languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan). The section on the coast is Gaanay.
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The Gippsland languages are a group of Pama–Nyungan languages from Australia. People once spoke these languages in the Gippsland area. This region is the most southern part of mainland Australia, right next to the Bass Strait.
There were three main branches of these languages. Sometimes, people thought of them as single languages. However, the different ways of speaking Gaanay were often counted separately.
What are the Gippsland Languages?
The Gippsland language family included these three main languages:
- Gaanay (also known as Kurnai): This language had several different ways of speaking, like Muk-thang, Nulit, Thangquai, and Bidhawal.
- Dhudhuroa
- Pallanganmiddang
Sadly, all of these languages are now extinct. This means that no one speaks them anymore as their everyday language.
Unique Sounds in Gippsland Languages
The Gippsland languages, especially Gaanay, had some interesting features. The way sounds were put together in these languages was quite unusual. This is called phonotactics. It was different from most other languages spoken on mainland Australia. However, these sound patterns were similar to those found in Tasmanian languages.
See also
In Spanish: Lenguas gippsland para niños
