Wagaydyic languages facts for kids

The Wagaydyic languages, also called the Anson Bay languages, are two closely related Australian Aboriginal languages. They are spoken near the Daly River in Australia's Northern Territory.

One of these languages is Wadjiginy, which is 'moribund'. This means very few people still speak it. The other is Kandjerramalh, also known as Pungupungu, which is now 'extinct'. This means no one speaks it anymore.

A researcher named Tryon looked at these two languages in 1980. He found that about 79% of their words were similar. These similar words are called 'cognates'. However, the languages have big differences in their grammar. This means they are seen as two separate languages, not just different ways of speaking one language.

There was also a language called Giyug. We don't have much information about it. It might have been a dialect of Wadjiginy, or perhaps another related language.

For a while, the Wagaydyic languages were grouped with another language called Malak-Malak. They were thought to be part of a larger group called the Northern Daly family. But now, experts think the similarities are because words and grammar were borrowed. This means Wadjiginy likely borrowed words from Malak-Malak, rather than them being from the same language family.

Words in Wagaydyic Languages

Here are some interesting words from Wadjiginy and Pungupungu. These words were collected by Tryon in 1968. You can see how some words are very similar, while others are quite different.

See also

• Daly languages