Ngan'gi language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ngan'gi |
|
|---|---|
| Ngan'gityemerri, Ngan'gikurunggurr | |
| Native to | Northern Territory, Australia |
| Region | Mission, Tipperary Station, Flora and Daly rivers junction, Daly River |
| Ethnicity | Ngan'gimerri and others |
| Native speakers | 26; up to 200 (2016 census; Nick Reid) |
| Language family |
Southern Daly?
|
| Dialects |
Ngan'gikurunggurr
Ngan'giwumirri
Ngan'gimerri
|
| AIATSIS | N157, N8, N17 |
Ngan'gi is an Aboriginal language from Australia's Northern Territory. It's spoken near the Daly River. People sometimes call it by other names like Ngan'gityemerri or Moil. This language has three main types, called dialects, that are similar enough for speakers to understand each other. These include Ngen'giwumirri and Ngan'gimerri.
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Long ago, in 1974, a linguist named Darrell Tryon studied Ngan'gi. He thought it was part of a group called "Daly Family languages." He saw Ngan'gikurunggurr and Ngen'giwumirri as two languages in this group.
Today, experts see Ngen'giwumirri and Ngan'gimerri as very close dialects. They share about 90% of their words! Even though they are so similar, people who speak them see them as separate. The name Ngan'gi is now the official term for all these types of speech.
What are the other names for Ngan'gi?
You might hear Ngan'gi called by other names. These include Moil, Tyemeri, Marityemeri, and Nordaniman. Moil is a name linked to the Moyle River area.
The language has also been spelled in many ways over time. This can make it tricky to find information about it! Sometimes, nearby language groups also have their own names for Ngan'gi.
Who speaks Ngan'gi today?
About 150 to 200 people speak Ngan'gi. Most of them live around the Daly River. Their communities include Nauiyu (also known as Daly River Mission) and Peppimenarti. Some also live in smaller outstations on their traditional lands.
However, official government numbers from 2016 show only 26 people speaking Ngan'gi at home. This difference might be because of how the numbers are collected.
Sadly, the Ngan'gimerri dialect is no longer spoken. The Ngen'giwumirri dialect has about 30 speakers left.
What's special about Ngan'gi grammar?
Ngan'gi is different from many other languages, like English. It's a "head-marking" language. This means that important information about a sentence is often added to the main verb.
Ngan'gi has 31 main verbs. These verbs combine with many other words, called "coverbs." Together, they can form very complex words that carry a lot of meaning. In English, you would need a whole sentence to say the same thing!
The language also has 16 different noun classes. These are like groups for nouns (people, places, things). Words that describe these nouns also change to match their class. This is a bit like how we say "a dog" versus "an apple" in English, but much more complex!
Ngan'gi also has some unique sounds. It has two types of "stop" sounds (like 'p' or 't') and special "fricative" sounds (like 'f' or 's'). These sounds are not common in other Australian languages.
