Limilngan language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Limilngan |
|
|---|---|
| Limil Manadja, Minitji |
|
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Arnhem Land, Northern Territory |
| Ethnicity | Limilngan (aka Buneidja) |
| Extinct | 2009 |
| Language family |
Darwin Region
|
| AIATSIS | N42 |
Limilngan is an Aboriginal Australian language that is now extinct. It was also known as Limil and Manidja (or Manitja). The last known speaker of Limilngan passed away in 2009.
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Understanding the Limilngan Language
The Limilngan language, along with its speakers, was known by three main names: Limilngan, Limil, and Manidja (or Manitja). The name Manidja was an exonym, which means it was a name given to them by people from outside their group.
Some people also referred to the language and its speakers as Buneidja. This name was considered to be for the same language and group of people.
Where Limilngan Was Spoken
The Limilngan language was traditionally spoken in the area behind the city of Darwin in Australia. This region is part of the Mary River (Northern Territory) area, which is now within Kakadu.
Sounds of Limilngan
Like all languages, Limilngan had its own unique sounds. It used a system of three main vowel sounds: /a/, /i/, and /u/. These sounds could change slightly depending on how they were used in words. The language also had a variety of consonant sounds, which were made using different parts of the mouth, like the lips, tongue, and throat.
Words from Limilngan
The Limilngan language had many words for the plants and animals found in its traditional lands. Here are some examples of words for animals and plants.
Limilngan Animal Names
| English name | Limilngan name |
|---|---|
| animal | lulayi |
| bandicoot | urugalitjbagi |
| cattle | bulikgi |
| dingo | dimarrkginyan |
| dog | ngiliyi |
| dugong | anmat dumuligan |
| echidna | mumuligan mamban |
| flying fox (black) | mumalingan |
| flying fox (red) | lumarninyan damban |
| horse | nandu |
| kangaroo | anmat dumuligan |
| mouse | liyil |
| native cat | dirdatj |
| native cat | gitjbi damban |
| old man kangaroo | madlingi minyayan |
| possum | lulikbi dinyayan |
| sugar glider | marnijurrkgurrk |
| tree rat | luwarli |
| wallaby (agile) | bungal minyayan |
| wallaby (short-eared rock) | itbilinyngan |
| wallaroo (black) | lunybim |
| black-headed python | iwirli |
| black whipsnake | lamurr |
| blue tongue lizard | mimiluk minyayan |
| Burton's legless lizard | laminy dagiyan |
| carpet snake | irrun damban |
| crocodile | latdinyayan |
| death adder | iyatdururr |
| file snake | bitjjurnurnu |
| freshwater crocodile | linan dirrinyan |
| frill-necked lizard | lam |
| goanna sp. | mirtbinalk mamban |
| goanna sp. | birnirriny |
| goanna | limiji damban |
| golden tree snake | lagun |
| keelback snake | limin biyal |
| king brown snake | alinyman dinyayan |
| lizard sp. | badambip |
| lizard sp. | lanay |
| lizard sp. | liminalk |
| lizard sp. | minyim binyayan |
| long-necked turtle | lulayk |
| MacLeay's water snake (Pseudoferania polylepis) | layi |
| olive python | lumuwat dumuligan |
| short-necked turtle | lamuk dikbugan |
| skink | imin mirlarli |
| slaty-grey snake (Stegonotus cucullatus) | lambirli |
| turtle leg | milingbi |
| water goanna | ngugun dagiyan |
| water snake | lambugay |
| western brown snake | iyaturu |
| bird sp. | jitbulkbulk |
| bird sp. | luwutjgi |
| bittern | nawarral |
| black cockatoo | lurrilmal |
| black kite | limin binal |
| brolga | lurrilyarr |
| bustard | dumugarnyi |
| butcherbird | minbulungbulung |
| comb-crested jacana | liyiny |
| cormorant (large species) | lumuwulkbarl |
| crow | lagurr |
| curlew | girriluk ~ limiluk |
| darter | iminy |
| dove | guluduk |
| eagle (white-bellied sea) | imbinyman |
| eagle (wedge-tailed) | malungan |
| egg | umunngayan |
| egret | lurliny |
| emu | langitj |
| feather | lumulkban |
| flycatcher | wijit |
| galah | bilarrkbilarrk |
| goose | lamay |
| jabiru | larryal |
| jungle fowl | larnmingi dinyayan |
| kookaburra | lirrgi |
| long-tailed finch | mawitjbitj |
| magpie | jilalarr |
| magpie-lark | liwitjbut |
| masked lapwing | barrapbarrap |
| mopoke | gumitgumitgan |
| native hen | bibarrk |
| owl | mukmuk ilamirl |
| parrot (red-winged) | miyilarrk |
| pelican | marninyi mambirri |
| pheasant | mambarr birrinyan |
| pigeon (Torresian imperial) | lalkgi |
| plover | gurlawirtwirt |
| pygmy goose | laliny |
| quail | ligi |
| rainbow bee-eater | malarr |
| tern | larnung dirrinyngan ~ liwirarr dinyayan |
| whistling duck (plumed) | laminyanbarr |
| whistling duck (wandering) | danyarnngi |
| whistling kite | limarrambi |
| white cockatoo | ditjgan |
| white-throated grasswren | lamugarn |
| willy wagtail | jigirritj-jigirritj |
| wing | larnung |
| barramundi | diyan diminyan |
| black bream | luwitjbarl |
| catfish | gurdumardi |
| crab | makbangi dinyayan |
| crab | makbangi majan |
| eel | imilung dajan |
| fish | iwan |
| frog sp. | bagartbagart |
| garfish | jukjuk ilamirl |
| longbam | wugul-wugul |
| mangrove oyster | ulikbily |
| manta ray | langinyngan |
| mermaid | marung |
| mullet | ilyiwin muluman |
| mussel | liyinmungi |
| oyster | lumbangmam |
| prawn | lilkgany |
| sea snake | umalikgan |
| shark | arli |
| shellfish sp. | galpbangarruk |
| stingray | mumburarr |
| ant sp. | darnman |
| anthill | ayirri |
| blowfly | luwunbun |
| bull ant | luralkgalk |
| butterfly | mambirri |
| centipede | lurluk |
| dragon fly | liwijul |
| flea | manum birrinyan |
| fly | lalykgi |
| green ant | girralpbung |
| grub | limiyuk |
| hornet | uwurnitj |
| leech | lugi |
| little fly | luwutjgi |
| louse | limbi |
| louse egg | miyimbi |
| mangrove worm | dirrinyngangan |
| marchfly | lalk |
| mosquito | lanbayk |
| sandfly | mimilanitj |
| scorpion | lurngun |
| snail | lirrul |
| tick | mirtbinalk |
| wasp | malinyngan |
Limilngan Plant Names
| English name | Limilngan name |
|---|---|
| bamboo | mirnalitj |
| Banksia dentata | mambirram |
| banyon | minukban |
| billy goat plum | layi |
| black currant tree | manguk |
| black plum | miminikgitj |
| black wattle | iwirli |
| bush onion | lagurr |
| bush potato | bawitj |
| crab's eye vine | bakgarl |
| cycad | uwarrkbi |
| flower | mimilngan |
| grass | marniyi |
| grass (knife) | barram |
| green plum | ilidamban |
| Grewia retusifolia | magangurl |
| Haemodorum coccineum | wilwil ilam |
| ironwood | marral |
| ironwood wax | nguwuk |
| leaf | luwutjgi |
| lily (grass) | minumbirr |
| lily (red) | uwukgi damban |
| lily bulb (white) | minayuk |
| lily flower (white) | manyal |
| lily stem (white) | ulikbily |
| lily tuber (white) | mingililuk |
| dense tree cover | miyimil |
| milkwood | mimilugutj |
| palm species | dilimin langan |
| palm species | mulpbay |
| pandanus nut | langitj |
| Pandanus spiralis | liyarr |
| paperbark | agal |
| Persoonia falcata | latjji |
| Phragmites | lamitj |
| pig tucker tree | laliny |
| red apple | mamun birritj ~ mamun burrnginy |
| root | madlingi |
| scrub | lalagan |
| seaweed | malngi |
| stringybark | linngulitj |
| tea tree | agi-agi |
| tree | bangi |
| unidentified plant species | miyingal |
| white apple | lalykgi damban |
| white cedar | liwirnal |
| white gum | limin balyi |
| wild banana | langinyngan |
| wild peanut tree | imiligarnmi |
| woollybutt | muwurn ditjgan |
| yam (long) | limbi |
| yam (round) | mirnngayal |
| yam (water) | darndamban |
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Limilngan language Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.