Nyungic languages

The Nyungic languages are the south-westernmost of the Australian Aboriginal languages:[1]

Nyungic
(reduced)
Geographic
distribution
South West (Western Australia)
Linguistic classificationPama–Nyungan
  • Southwest
    • Nyungic
Subdivisions
GlottologNone
Nyungic languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan). Classification of Bowern (2011). Nyungar is the section in the southwest.

Galaagu and Kalaamaya/Natingero are poorly attested; it is not clear how close they are to each other or to Nyungar, and Kalaamaya may have been a variety of Nyungar proper. A variety called Nyaki Nyaki (Njakinjaki) has been variously said to be a dialect of Nyungar or of Kalaamaya.[2]

The term Nyungic has been used for the bulk of the Southwest Pama–Nyungan languages (see). However, that is a geographical group, not a demonstrable family. Bowern restricts both terms to Nyungar plus Galaagu, which is poorly attested and had been misclassified as one of the Mirning languages.

References

  1. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)
  2. A1 Nyaki Nyaki / Njaki Njaki at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
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