Mangarrayi language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mangarrayi |
|
|---|---|
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Northern Territory |
| Ethnicity | Mangarrayi |
| Native speakers | 2 speakers |
| Language family |
Macro-Gunwinyguan
|
| AIATSIS | N78 |
Mangarrayi (also called Manggarrai, Mungerry, or Ngarrabadji) is an Indigenous Australian language. It comes from the Northern Territory in Australia. Experts are still working to fully understand its language family.
A researcher named Margaret Sharpe wanted to study Mangarrayi. However, she was not allowed to continue her work. She then started studying the Alawa language instead.
Who Speaks Mangarrayi?
In 2016, a count showed that there were no Mangarrayi speakers left. But two elders, Sheila Conway and Jessie Roberts, still speak the language.
Sheila Conway is helping to bring the language back to life. She works with the community in Jilkminggan, Northern Territory.
Counting in Mangarrayi
The Mangarrayi language has a special way of counting. It only has words for numbers up to three.
Mangarrayi Words
In 1940, a researcher named Arthur Capell wrote down some basic Mangarrayi words. Here are a few examples:
| English Meaning | Mangarrayi Word |
|---|---|
| man | malaṉ |
| woman | gaɖugu |
| head | gaia |
| eye | djib |
| nose | miliŋ |
| mouth | djäɽäb |
| tongue | djawi |
| stomach | daɽa |
| bone | dama |
| blood | guranjin |
| kangaroo | garawi |
| opossum | widjwidj |
| crow | wagwag |
| fly | mɔːdj |
| sun | ganjwar |
| moon | giidj |
| fire | damaia |
| smoke | gunburau |
| water | ŋogo |
