Kuku Nyungkal dialect facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kuku Nyungkal |
|
|---|---|
| Gugu Njunggal | |
| Region | Annan River, Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Kuku Nyungkal people |
| Native speakers | 5 (no date) |
| Language family |
Pama–Nyungan
|
| Writing system | Latin |
| AIATSIS | Y90 |
The Kuku Nyungkal language is an Aboriginal language from Far North Queensland. It's spoken by the Kuku Nyungkal people. This language is a special kind of Kuku Yalanji. Today, most people who speak Kuku Nyungkal live in Wujal Wujal and Mossman.
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About Kuku Nyungkal
The Kuku Nyungkal language is also known by other names. These include Kuku Nyungkul, Kuku Njunggal, Guugu Nyungkul, Gugu Njunggal, Kuku Njungkul, and Kuku Ngungkal.
Sadly, the Kuku Nyungkal language is in danger. UNESCO, a big world organization, says it is "severely endangered." This means very few people still speak it. It's part of a larger group of Kuku Yalanji languages that are all facing this challenge.
Helping the Language Survive
As of 2020, Kuku Ngungkal is one of 20 languages getting special help. This help comes from a project called the Priority Languages Support Project. First Languages Australia runs this project. The Australian government helps pay for it.
The project wants to find and record languages that are in great danger. These are languages that have not been written down much. They also might not have many recordings. The goal is to save these languages by documenting them. This way, future generations can learn and use them.
The Sounds of Kuku Nyungkal
Like all languages, Kuku Nyungkal has its own special sounds. These sounds are made up of vowels and consonants.
Vowels
Kuku Nyungkal has three main vowel sounds. They are similar to some English sounds.
| Vowels | English Example |
|---|---|
| a | as in father |
| i | as in pit |
| u | as in put |
Consonants
Kuku Nyungkal has thirteen consonant sounds. Most of these sounds are like English consonants.
| b | d | j | k | l | m | n | ny | ng | r | rr | w | y |
The "rr" sound is special. It's like a rolled "r" sound. You might hear this sound in some Scottish words. All other consonants are pronounced like they are in English.
