| Maric | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | CoastalQueensland |
| Ethnicity | Murri peoples |
| Linguistic classification | Pama–Nyungan
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | mari1445 (Maric)grea1282 (Greater Maric) |
 Maric languages (green) among Pama–Nyungan (tan). The outlined solid area on the coast is Kingkel. The striped areas, which may be Maric, are Ngaro and Giya on the coast and Guwa and Yanda in the interior. | |
Maric is a branch of thePama–Nyungan family of Australian languages formerly spoken throughout much ofQueensland by many of theMurri peoples.[1] The well attested Maric languages are clearly related; however, the amount of documentation varies between languages, and their classification is uncertain. Many Maric languages are sleeping, while some are more recently being reawakened by their respective communities. The clear Maric languages are:
Dharumbal was added by Bowern (2011); it had been classified in the Kingkel branch ofWaka–Kabic. It is not clear if the other Kingkel language,Bayali, is also Maric; Bayali and Darumbal are not close.
Ngaro andGiya (Bumbarra), spoken on the coast, may also have been Maric, the latter perhaps a dialect of Biri.[2]
Of the interior, to the west, Breen (2007) writes of "Karna–Mari fringe" languages which are "a discontinuous group of languages, mostly poorly attested, scattered betweenKarnic and Mari languages but not showing much connection with either or with one another. The only one well attested is also the most remote geographically,Kalkutungu".[3] This includes theNgura languages, several of which belong to theKarnic branch of Pama–Nyungan (such as theWilson River dialects spoken by theGalali andWangkumara, though not theBulloo River dialects spoken by the same). However, Bowern (2011) lists theBadjiri variety as Maric.[4] Other poorly attested interior languages which may have been Maric includeNgaygungu (Dixon 2002),[5]Bindal (Bowern 2011),Barna (Bowern 2011),Dhungaloo (doubtful in Bowern, not listed at AIATSIS), andYirandhali (Dixon, Bowern).Yiman was classified by Beale (1975) as Maric,[6] but Breen (2009) disputes this, stating the language is likely Wakka-Kabic.[7] Dixon's "Greater Maric" area listed in Bowern (2011) also includesGuwa (Goa) andYanda. See alsoKarnic languages for additional varieties from the area.
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