| Nunggubuyu | |
|---|---|
| Wubuy | |
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Numbulwar,Northern Territory |
| Ethnicity | Nunggubuyu people |
Native speakers | 283 (2021 census)[1] perhaps 400 semi-speakers and second language speakers |
Macro-Pama-Nyungan?
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | nuy |
| Glottolog | nung1290 |
| AIATSIS[2] | N128 |
| ELP | Wubuy |
 Nunggubuyu is classified as Severely Endangered by theUNESCOAtlas of the World's Languages in Danger. | |
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Nunggubuyu orWubuy is anAustralian Aboriginal language traditionally spoken by theNunggubuyu people. It is the traditional language spoken in the community ofNumbulwar in theNorthern Territory, although Numbulwar is traditionally associated with the Warndarrang language.[3]
The language is classified as severely endangered byUNESCO.[4]
Wubuy is the language'sendonym. The name Nunggubuyu probably originates from the English pronunciation ofnun (gentilic prefix) andwubuy, meaning "people (speaking) Wubuy".[5]
The classification of Nunggubuyu is problematic. Heath (1997) postulates that Nunggubuyu is most closely related toNgandi and Anindilyakwa. However, Evans (2003) believes that the similarities are shared retentions rather than shared innovations, and that Nunggubuyu is closest to the easternGunwinyguan languages.[6]
Brett Baker (2004) demonstrates that Ngandi and Wubuy form an "Eastern Gunwinyguan" subgroup as distinct from the "jala"/"Rembarngic" subgroup which includesRembarrnga andNgalakgan.[7] Furthermore, Van Egmond's (2012) study of the genetic position ofAnindilyakwa supports Heath's hypothesis thatNgandi, Anindilyakwa and Wubuy/Nunggubuyu do constitute one subgroup withinGunwinyguan.[8] Van Egmond and Baker (2020) expand Van Egmond's (2012) evidence with lexical comparison, demonstrating that Wubuy is related to both Ngandi andAnindilyakwa, but shares more sound changes and lexical items with the latter.
The language is classified as severely endangered byUNESCO,[4] with only 283 speakers according to the 2021 census.[1] Most children inNumbulwar can understand Nunggubuyu when spoken to, but cannot speak it themselves, having to reply inKriol. To counter this, starting in 1990, the community has been embarking on arevitalisation programme for the language by bringing in elders to teach it to children at the local school.[9]
| Peripheral | Laminal | Apical | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilabial | Velar | Palatal | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | |
| Nasal | m | ŋ | ɲ | n̪ | n | ɳ |
| Plosive | p | k | c | t̪ | t | ʈ |
| Tap | ɾ | |||||
| Lateral | l̪ | l | ɭ | |||
| Approximant | w | j | ɻ | |||
/n̪/ is rare./ɾ/ may optionally be pronounced as atrill when it occurs in word-initial position, which is rare.[10]
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | iiː | uuː |
| Low | aaː | |
Nunggubuyu uses aquinary number system.[11]
| base numeral | +5 | ×5 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | anjbadj | 115 | 6 | maralibalinala mari anjbadj | 105 | 5 | marangandjbugidj | ||
| 25 | 2 | wulawa | 125 | 7 | maralibalinala mari wulawa | 205 | 10 | wurumulumara ngandjabugidj | ||
| 35 | 3 | wulanjbadj | 135 | 8 | maralibalinala mari wulanjbadj | 305 | 15 | wurumulumbulanbadj | ||
| 45 | 4 | wulawulal | 145 | 9 | maralibalinala mari wulawulal | 405 | 20 | wurumulumbulalwulal | ||
| 105 | 5 | marangandjbugidj | 205 | 10 | wurumulumara ngandjabugidj | |||||
Ba-marang-dhayiyn
Ba-marang-gagagiyn
B a-marang-dhayiyn
Ba-marang-jaljaliyn
Ba-wan.ngang "hokey pokey"
Badhawawa-rumiyn
Aba dani-yung-bugij
(theHokey Pokey in Wubuy)[12]
The major language spoken in Numbulwar is Noongabuyu (Noon-ga-boy-you) along with creole. English is generally regarded as a third language in the community.
Authority control databases: National |
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