Southwest Pama–Nyungan languages facts for kids

The Southwest Pama–Nyungan language group is a collection of languages spoken by Aboriginal people in Australia. These languages are found mostly in the southwestern part of the country. This group is thought to be one of the largest and most varied parts of the bigger Pama–Nyungan language family. About fifty different languages are part of this group.

Exploring the Southwest Pama–Nyungan Languages

The Southwest Pama–Nyungan group includes many languages spoken by different Aboriginal communities. These languages are important for understanding the history and culture of Australia's First Peoples.

Main Language Groups

Within the Southwest Pama–Nyungan family, some languages seem more different from the others. The Kanyara and Mantharta languages are examples of these unique groups. Many of the other languages in this family are sometimes called Nyungic languages.

Here are some of the language groups found within this family:

• Kanyara
• Mantharta
• Nyungic
  • Ngayarda
  • Kartu
  • Nyungar
  • Mangarla
  • Mirning (Mirniny)
  • Wati (Western Desert language)
  • Marrngu
  • Ngarrka–Ngumpin
  • Yura

How Experts Study These Languages

Language experts, called linguists, study how these languages are related. They look for similar words and grammar rules to group languages together. Sometimes, they find that a proposed group might not be as closely related as first thought. For example, some experts now think that the "Southwest Pama–Nyungan" group might be smaller than once believed. They are always learning more about these fascinating languages.

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas pama-ñunganas suroccidentales para niños