Wati languages facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wati |
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| Geographic distribution: |
central Australia |
| Linguistic classification: | Pama–Nyungan
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| Subdivisions: | |
 Wati languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan)
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The Wati languages are an important group of Indigenous Australian languages. They are spoken in the central parts of Australia. These languages are part of the larger Pama–Nyungan family, which covers most of Australia.
What are Wati Languages?
The Wati languages include a few different language groups. One is the Wanman language, which is almost gone. Another is the Western Desert language, which is actually a group of very similar languages. People sometimes think of the Western Desert language as more than ten separate languages. It is not fully clear if the Antakarinya language is part of Wanman or Western Desert.
Where are Wati Languages Spoken?
These languages are mainly spoken in the central areas of Australia. This region includes parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. The map in the infobox shows where these languages are found.
How Wati Languages are Related
A language expert named Bowern added the Ngardi language to the Wati group in 2011. Before that, Ngardi was thought to be part of a different language family called Ngumpin–Yapa.
The Wati languages are often included in a bigger group called Southwest Pama–Nyungan. However, some experts believe that Southwest Pama–Nyungan might just be a group of languages spoken in the same area, rather than a true language family. Bowern's 2011 study does not include it as a main group.
