Light Warlpiri facts for kids

Light Warlpiri is a unique mixed language found in Australia. It's like a blend of three different languages: the traditional Warlpiri language, Kriol, and Standard Australian English. This special language was first studied and written about by a linguist named Carmel O'Shannessy from the University of Michigan.

You can hear Light Warlpiri spoken mainly in the Warlpiri community of Lajamanu, which is in the Northern Territory of Australia. Most of the people who speak it are under 40 years old. In 2013, about 350 people spoke Light Warlpiri as their first language. Interestingly, all these speakers also know traditional Warlpiri, and many can speak Kriol and English too.

How Light Warlpiri Works

Light Warlpiri is a "mixed language," which means it takes different parts of its grammar from different parent languages. Think of it like building a new car using parts from several different car models.

For example, most of the nouns (words for people, places, things) in Light Warlpiri come from either Warlpiri or English. These nouns then use Warlpiri rules to show their role in a sentence (like who is doing what). However, most of the verbs (action words) and how they change to show time (like past or future) or who is doing the action, come from Kriol and Australian Aboriginal English. This mix makes Light Warlpiri very interesting to linguists.

The Story of Light Warlpiri

Light Warlpiri seems to have started in the 1980s. At that time, adults in the community would often switch between Warlpiri, Kriol, and English when talking to young children. This is called "code-switching."

The children who heard this mix of languages didn't see them as separate. Instead, they processed all the different words and grammar rules as one single system. They even added their own new ways of forming verbs. Within the Lajamanu community, people see Light Warlpiri as a modern version or a special way of speaking Warlpiri.

See also

• Gurindji Kriol