Yaygir language facts for kids

Yaygir (also spelled Yaygirr or Yegir) was an Aboriginal language from Australia. It was spoken by the Yaygir people. This group lived in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales.

Sadly, Yaygir is now an extinct language. This means it is no longer spoken by people as their main language. However, there are exciting efforts to bring it back to life.

What is the Yaygir Language?

The Yaygir language belongs to a large group of languages called Pama–Nyungan. More specifically, it was part of the Gumbaynggiric family. This family includes other languages from the same region.

In 1929, only two people were known to speak Yaygir. This shows how close the language was to disappearing completely.

Where Was Yaygir Spoken?

The Yaygir people lived in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. This area is known for its beautiful rivers and coastlines.

The Yaygir language had different forms, or dialects, depending on where people lived. These included:

• Yaegl, spoken near the mouth of the Clarence River.
• Yirraygirr, used further upriver from Maclean.
• Yunggaya, spoken around the town of Ulmarra.

Bringing the Language Back

Even though Yaygir is extinct, people are working hard to revive it. This means they are trying to teach it to new generations. They want to make it a living language again.

One big step in this effort was publishing a dictionary in 2012. A dictionary helps people learn words and their meanings. It is a very important tool for language revival. These efforts help keep the culture and history of the Yaygir people alive.

See also

In Spanish: Idioma yaygir para niños