Yir-Yoront language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yir-Yoront |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yir | ||||
| Native to | Australia | |||
| Region | Cape York Peninsula, Queensland | |||
| Ethnicity | Yir-Yoront | |||
| Extinct | by 2005aiatsis | |||
| Language family |
Pama–Nyungan
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| Dialects |
Yirr-Thutjim (Yir-Yoront)
Yirrk-Thangalkl (Yirrk-Mel)
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| AIATSIS | Y72 Yir Yoront, Y214 | |||
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The Yir-Yoront language was a language from the Paman family. It used to be spoken in two places: Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw. These towns are located on the southwestern part of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. The Yir-Yoront people spoke this language.
By 1991, only about 15 people still spoke Yir-Yoront. Most Yir-Yoront people started speaking English or another language called Kuuk Thaayorre. Today, it is believed that no one speaks Yir-Yoront anymore, meaning it is extinct.
Yir-Yoront had two very similar versions, or dialects. These were Yir-Yoront itself and Yirrk-Thangalkl. Sometimes, both are just called 'Yir'.
Contents
What Does the Name Yir-Yoront Mean?
The first part of the name, Yir, comes from the word yirrq. This word means speech or language. The second part of the name, Yoront, is the name of the people who spoke the language.
When written, Yir-Yoront often has a hyphen in the middle. This hyphen helps show that the part of the word after it is stressed, meaning it is said with more emphasis. In the proper way of writing it, the name is Yirr-Yorront. The "rr" sound is like the "r" in "red".
Sometimes, the stress can be on the first part of the word. This can be written as YirrqYorront. You might also see other spellings like Yir Yoront or Jir Joront.
Other Names for the Language
The Yir-Yoront language was known by several other names, depending on who was talking about it.
- Yirr-Thuchm: This name means "from the sandridges" and describes where some of the Yir-Yoront people lived.
- Kok-Minychen: This is what the Koko-Bera people called the Yir-Yoront language.
- Koko-Minychena, Kokomindjen, Mandjoen, Mind'jana, Mundjun, and Myunduno are other ways this name was spelled.
- Kuuk-Thaanhon: This is the name used by people who spoke the Kuuk Thaayorre language.
- Gwandera: This name was sometimes incorrectly used for the Yir-Yoront people and their language.
- Millera: The meaning or origin of this name is not known.
Sounds of the Yir-Yoront Language
This section describes the sounds of the main Yir-Yoront language. Another dialect, Yirrk-Thangalkl, might have slightly different sounds.
Vowel Sounds
Yir-Yoront had 6 vowel sounds. Vowels are sounds like 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o', 'u'.
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrounded | Unrounded | Rounded | |
| Close | i | u | |
| Close-mid | e | o | |
| Mid | ə | ||
| Open | a |
Consonant Sounds
Yir-Yoront had 20 consonant sounds. Consonants are sounds made by blocking air in your mouth, like 'b', 'c', 'd', 'f'.
| Peripheral | Laminal | Apical | Glottal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilabial | Velar | Postalveolar /Palatal |
Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | ||
| Nasal | m /m/ | ng /ŋ/ | ny /ɲ/ | nh /n̪/ | n /n/ | rn /ɳ / | |
| Plosive | p /p/ | k /k/ | ch /c/ | th /t̪/ | t /t/ | rt /ʈ / | q /ʔ/ |
| Trill | rr /r/ | ||||||
| Tap | r /ɾ/ | ||||||
| Approximant | w /w/ | y /j/ | lh /l̪/ | l /l/ | rl /ɭ / | ||
Yir-Yoront Sign Language
The Yir-Yoront people also had a very well-developed sign language. This was a way of communicating using hand signs instead of spoken words. It might have influenced other sign languages in Far North Queensland. However, it is possible that this sign language also disappeared too early to have a big impact.
See also
- In Spanish: Idioma yir yoront para niños
