| Marrku–Wurrugu | |
|---|---|
| (proposed) | |
| Geographic distribution | Cobourg Peninsula region andCroker Island,Northern Territory |
| Linguistic classification | One of the world's primary language families |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | marr1257 |
TheMarrku–Wurrugu languages are a possiblelanguage family ofAustralian Aboriginal languages spoken in theCobourg Peninsula region of WesternArnhem Land. They are the extinctMarrgu andWurrugu languages.[1] They were once classified as distant relatives of theIwaidjan languages, untilNicholas Evans found the evidence for Marrgu's membership insufficient, concluding that similarities were due to borrowing (including of verbal paradigms).[2]
The genetic grouping of Marrgu and Wurrugu is supported by the following observations:[1]
Capell (1942) lists the following basic vocabulary items:[3]
| gloss | Mara | Margu |
|---|---|---|
| man | gärijimar | geiag |
| woman | girija | njunɔn |
| head | maraŋuɽu | waɽi |
| eye | maguɽ | daːɭa |
| nose | djiɽi | ɣïːni |
| mouth | ŋaːndal | ŋaɽjad |
| tongue | djiːjil | ŋaɽjad |
| stomach | gunjan | ɣiwud |
| bone | ŋajigad | aruwa |
| blood | ŋulidji | didjaːridj |
| kangaroo | girmọ | wïːdjud |
| opossum | gudjaɳi | wiːɽiɽin |
| emu | djiwiɖiwiɖi | mangunuba |
| crow | waŋganaŋi | reimbiriri |
| fly | guɳɖil | mɔlg |
| sun | gunaru | muɽi |
| moon | waɖaŋari | rana |
| fire | waɖgar | djuːɳa |
| smoke | guŋoŋo | ŋoɭan |
| water | ŋọgọ | wobaidj |