Wergaia language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wergaia |
|
|---|---|
| Region | Victoria |
| Ethnicity | Wergaia, Wotjobaluk |
| Extinct | (date missing) |
| Language family |
Pama–Nyungan
|
| Dialects |
Biwadjali
Wudjubalug
|
| AIATSIS | S17 |
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Map of Victorian Aborigines language territories
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Wergaia or Werrigia is an Aboriginal language from the Wimmera area in north-western Victoria, Australia. It's like a special way of speaking that belongs to the land and its first people.
The Wergaia language had four main ways of speaking, called dialects. These were Wudjubalug/Wotjobaluk, Djadjala/Djadjali, Buibadjali, and Biwadjali. Think of dialects as different accents or slight variations within the same language. Wergaia was also connected to the Wemba Wemba language, and both are part of a bigger group of languages called Kulinic. These Kulinic languages are part of an even larger family of languages known as Pama–Nyungan.
The Aboriginal people who traditionally speak Wergaia dialects include the Maligundidj people and the Wotjobaluk people. The word "Maligundidj" means "people belonging to the mali (mallee)" eucalypt bushland. This type of bushland covers a lot of their traditional lands.
Bringing the Language Back
In the middle of 2021, an exciting project began to bring the Wergaia language back to life. This project started at the Wotjobaluk Knowledge Place, which opened in December 2020 in a town called Dimboola. The plan was to run a special Wergaia language program for 20 weeks. This helps younger generations learn and use their ancestors' language, keeping their culture strong.
How Wergaia Sounds
Just like English has different sounds, the Wergaia language also has its own unique sounds. For example, the Djadjala dialect of Wergaia uses a variety of consonant sounds. These include sounds made with your lips (like 'b' or 'm'), sounds made with the tip of your tongue behind your teeth (like 'd' or 'n'), and even sounds made further back in your mouth.
The language also uses four main vowel sounds: /a/, /e/, /i/, and /u/. These sounds help form all the words in Wergaia.
Some Wergaia Words to Learn
Learning a few words from another language is a great way to understand a culture! Here are some words from the Wergaia language:
- dhallung – This word means a male kangaroo, sometimes called a "buck."
- gal – This is the word for a dog.
- kulkun – This word means a boy.
- laiaruk – This word means a woman.
- lanangurk – This word means a girl.
- mindyun – This is another word for a kangaroo.
- muty – This word means a female kangaroo, sometimes called a "doer."
- winya nyua – This is a question that means "Who is there?"
- wotjo – This word means a man.
