Western Desert language Facts for Kids

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The Western Desert language, also known as Wati, is a group of closely related Aboriginal languages spoken in Australia. It belongs to the Pama–Nyungan language family. People often use the name Wati when they think of these as separate languages. The term Western Desert is used when they are seen as different forms (dialects) of one language.

Where Western Desert Language is Spoken
- Communities Speaking Western Desert Language
Understanding Western Desert Dialects
- Main Dialects of Western Desert Language
- Focus on Kukatja Dialect
The Language Itself
See also

Where Western Desert Language is Spoken

Speakers of the Western Desert Language traditionally lived across the desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Most Western Desert people still live on or near their traditional lands. Some now live in towns around the desert. These towns include Kalgoorlie, Laverton, Alice Springs, and Port Augusta.

Communities Speaking Western Desert Language

Here is a list of some communities where the Western Desert Language is spoken:

Kintore, Northern Territory
Docker River, Northern Territory
Ernabella, South Australia
Amata, South Australia
Fregon, South Australia
Pipalyatjara, South Australia
Kalka, South Australia
Warburton, Western Australia
Kiwirrkurra, Western Australia
Balgo, Western Australia
Aputula, Northern Territory (also called Finke)
Imanpa, Northern Territory (also called Mount Ebenezer)
Mutitjulu, Northern Territory
Jigalong, Western Australia

Understanding Western Desert Dialects

The Western Desert Language is like a network of very similar dialects. A dialect continuum means that different forms of a language are spoken across a large area. People living next to each other can understand each other easily. But people living far apart might find it harder to understand each other. Even so, all speakers of the Western Desert Language can generally understand each other.

Main Dialects of Western Desert Language

Here are some of the named dialects of the Western Desert Language. Some of these are so well known, like Pitjantjatjara, that people often call them separate "languages."

Antakarinya – spoken in north-east South Australia.
Kartutjarra – spoken near Jigalong, Western Australia.
Kukatja – spoken near Balgo, Western Australia.
Kokatha – spoken in central South Australia.
Luritja – spoken in central Australia.
Manyjilyjarra – spoken near Jigalong.
Martu Wangka – spoken by the Jigalong Community.
Ngaanyatjarra – spoken near Warburton, Western Australia.
Ngaatjatjarra – also spoken near Warburton, Western Australia.
Ngalia/Ngaliya – spoken in the Salt Lake areas of Western Australia.
Pintupi – spoken in Kintore, Northern Territory, and further west.
Pintupi Luritja – spoken in the Papunya and Kintore region, Northern Territory.
Pitjantjatjara – spoken in north-west South Australia.
Putijarra – spoken south of Jigalong, Western Australia.
Titjikala Luritja – spoken around Titjikala, Maryvale, and Finke, Northern Territory.
Tjupany – spoken in certain regions.
Wangkajunga – spoken south of Christmas Creek, Western Australia.
Watha – spoken east of Meekatharra, Western Australia.
Wawula – spoken south-east of Meekatharra.
Wonggayi – spoken from Kalgoorlie to Wiluna region, Western Australia.
Yankunytjatjara – spoken in north-west South Australia.
Yulparirra – spoken north of Jigalong.

Focus on Kukatja Dialect

As of 2019, researchers from the University of Queensland have been studying the Kukatja language. They are working in Balgo, Western Australia. Kukatja is a lingua franca, meaning it's a common language used by people from different groups. People of all ages in Balgo speak it fluently.

Researchers are recording conversations and mapping the language. They believe Kukatja could help us understand how languages spread around the world. They think Christian missions, like those in the Amazon, might have brought different groups together. This could have helped the language spread. The researchers are also creating a dictionary and a teacher's guide for Kukatja. This is important to help keep the language strong for younger generations.

As of 2020, the AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) lists two different Western Desert dialects named Kukatja.

The Language Itself

How Strong is the Western Desert Language?

The Western Desert Language is one of the strongest indigenous Australian languages. Thousands of people speak it. Children are still learning the language from their families. There are also many books and writings in the language. This is especially true for the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara dialects in South Australia. These areas once had special programs where children learned in both their native language and English.

Sounds of the Language (Phonology)

The Western Desert Language has a unique sound system. It uses a small number of vowel sounds but makes them longer or shorter. This creates different meanings.

Vowel Sounds

The language has three basic vowel sounds, like the 'i' in "sit", the 'u' in "put", and the 'a' in "cat". Each of these can be short or long, making a total of six vowel sounds.

Consonant Sounds

The Western Desert Language has many consonant sounds. It has sounds made with the lips, the back of the tongue, and different parts of the front of the tongue. It has sounds like 'p', 'k', 't', and 'm', 'n', 'ng'. It also has sounds made by rolling the tongue, like 'rr'.

The 'stop' sounds (like 'p', 't', 'k') are usually not breathed out strongly. They can sound voiced (like 'b', 'd', 'g') or unvoiced (like 'p', 't', 'k'). They are usually unvoiced at the start of a word. There are no 'fricative' sounds, like 'f' or 's'.

How the Language is Written (Orthography)

Even though the dialects sound very similar, they are written in different ways. This is because different researchers and states (Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory) had their own ideas about how to write the sounds. Each state also had its own history of language research and education rules.

Western Desert Sign Language

Many Aboriginal peoples in central Australia have (or used to have) ways of communicating using hand signs. For Western Desert peoples, sign language has been noted for Kardutjara, Yurira Watjalku, Ngaatjatjarra (Ngada), and Manjiljarra. The signed forms of Kardutjara and Yurira Watjalku were very well developed. It's not as clear how developed the Ngada and Manjiljarra sign languages were.

Western Desert language facts for kids

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