Wanggamala language facts for kids

Wanggamala is an Aboriginal language that is now extinct. This means it is no longer spoken by anyone as their main language. It was once spoken by Indigenous people in the Northern Territory of Australia.

The Wanggamala language belonged to a large group of languages called the Pama–Nyungan family. In 2003, only one person was known to still speak Wanggamala.

Understanding Wanggamala: A Look at Dialects

The Wanggamala language had different ways of being spoken, known as dialects. Think of dialects like different accents or slight variations in words within the same language.

Wangkamanha and Wangka-Yutjurru

One important dialect was Wangkamanha. Some experts, like Gavan Breen, believed that groups like the Lanima and Yurlayurlanya people spoke this dialect. It's possible these were different names for the same group of speakers.

Another language, Wangka-Yutjurru, is also part of the Karnic language family, just like Wanggamala. Some linguists think Wangka-Yutjurru itself had two dialects: Wangka-Yutjurru and Wangkamanha. Other experts have even more ideas about these dialects.

Other Names for Wanggamala

Over time, the Wanggamala language has been known by many different names and spellings. These names were used by different researchers and groups.