| Gunaikurnai | |
|---|---|
| Gaanay | |
| Kannai,muk-thang | |
| Region | Gippsland,Victoria,Australia |
| Ethnicity | Gunaikurnai (Brabiralung,Braiakaulung,Bratauolung,Krauatungalung,Tatungalung),Bidawal |
Native speakers | 4 (2016 census)[1] |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Dialects | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:unn – Kurnaiihw – Bidawal |
| Glottolog | gana1279 |
| AIATSIS[3] | S68 Gunnai (cover term),S49 Bidawal |
| ELP | Kurnai |
 Sketch map of Gippsland - showing approximately the positions of the clans of the Kurnai tribe. | |
TheGunaikurnai or Gunai/Kurnai (/ˈɡʌnaɪkɜːrnaɪ/GUN-eye-kur-nye) language, also speltGunnai,Kurnai, Ganai, Gaanay, or Kurnay/ˈkɜːrnaɪ/KUR-nye) is anAustralian Aboriginaldialect cluster of theGunaikurnai people inGippsland in south-eastVictoria.Bidawal was either a divergent dialect or a closely related language.[3]
Gunai means 'man'. The language had no traditional name, but each of its dialects was referred to separately.
In a 1996 report to theVictorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages, Clark refers to five Gunaikurnai dialects:Brabralung,Braiakalung,Brataualung,Krauatungalung andTatungalung.[4]
Gunaikurnai dialects have been confused with Muk-thang/Bidawal; there appear to be two distinct languages here, but it is not clear which variety belongs to which, as they both share the nameMuk-thang.[3][6]
Since the early 1990s, theVictorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL) organisation, established the Yirruk-Tinnor Gunnai/Kŭrnai language program which focused on reviving and reclaiming the Gunnai language ofGippsland. Doris Paton, Coordinator of the Program and Lynnette Solomon-Dent, Language worker and consultant are involved in the program. They have been responsible for developing a number of resource materials to support and educate further knowledge of the Gunnai language and Culture. Lynnette Solomon-Dent co-wrote with Christina Eira the VACL Linguist, theVictorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)Aboriginal Languages, cultures and reclamation in Victorian schools: standards P-10 and protocols and were involved in theVCE Revival and Reclamation Study. These teaching documents and resources are collectively used to educate school aged children P-10, VCE, higher learning institutions and the Aboriginal community members, to further their knowledge and allow community members to continue to educate future generations.[7]
Gunaikurnai was featured in a stage performance for the first known time in 2021, whenVeronica Gorrie's play "Nullung" ("paternal grandmother") was presented as a play reading by theMelbourne Theatre Company.[8]
Like otherVictorian languages, Gunaikurnai allowed initial⟨l⟩ in its words. However, it also allowed initial⟨rr⟩, and well as the clusters⟨gr⟩ (⟨kr⟩) and⟨br⟩ (⟨pr⟩). This is quite unusual for an Australian language, and the same pattern was found in theTasmanian languages acrossBass Strait.[original research?]
| Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | p/b | t̪/d̪ | t/d | ʈ/ɖ | c/ɟ | k/ɡ |
| Nasal | m | n̪ | n | ɳ | ɲ | ŋ |
| Rhotic | r | |||||
| Lateral | l | |||||
| Approximant | w | ɻ | j |
Hercus (1969), states that plosives are conditionally voiced.[11] Fesl also excludes/n̪/ in her thesis but notes that its absence may be due to a lack of data.[12]
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Low | a |
/e/ and/o/ are said to occur less than/a/,/i/, and/u/.[14]
A number of placenames in Gunaikurnai country feature the ending-munjie, meaning "place".
| Placename | Origin |
|---|---|
| Boolarra | Thought to mean "plenty".[15] |
| Briagolong | From the name of the Braiakulung clan. |
| Buchan | FromBukkan-munjie, meaning "place of the bag". |
| Croajingolong National Park | From the name of the Krauatungulung clan. |
| Moe | From the termMouay meaning "swamp", in reference to the large swamp present before being drained by early European settlers. |
| Moondarra | "Thunder" |
| Morwell | Allegedly the anglicised form of the Gunaikurnai wordsmore willie meaning "woolly possum".[16] However, other sources debate this, as the Gunaikurnai word for possum waswadthan, as opposed towille orwollert inKulin languages further west.[17] |
| Traralgon | Origin uncertain. It is popularly believed to be derived from wordstarra meaning "river" andalgon meaning "little fish". However, these words are not reflected in modern linguists' knowledge of the Gunaikurnai language, where, for example, the word for river iswun wun orwurn wurn.[18] Variations oftarla andgany have been recorded meaning "little" and "fish" respectively.[19] |
| Wy Yung | Some sources givespoonbill,[20] others a type of duck.[21] |
| Yallourn | Possibly from a term for "brown fire".[22] |
| Yarram | Possibly from a termYarraam Yarraam meaning "plenty of water". |
| Yinnar | Thought to be from the word for "woman".[23] |