Worimi language

Worimi (also spelt Warrimay), or Gadjang (also spelt Kattang, Kutthung, Gadhang, Gadang, Gathang) is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is the traditional language of the Worimi people, whose descendants now speak English. Work has started on revitalising the language with a dictionary and TAFE course in Gathang.[3]

Worimi
Gadhang
Lower North Coast language
RegionNew South Wales
EthnicityWorimi, Birpai, Gringai
Extinct(date missing)
Dialects
  • Gadjang (Kattang, Katthang, Gathang)
  • Worimi (Warimi)
  • Birbay (Birrpayi)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3kda – inclusive code
Individual code:
xbj – Birrpayi
Glottologwori1245  Worimi
AIATSIS[2]E67

Classification
Traditional lands of Australian Aboriginal tribes around Sydney, New South Wales.[4]

Worimi is most closely related to Awabakal, in the Yuin–Kuric group of Pama–Nyungan.

Bowern (2011) considers Gadjang, Worimi, and Birrpayi to be separate languages.

Phonology

Vowels
Front Back
High ɪ iː i ii ʊ uː u uu
Low ə aː a aa

There is also the diphthong "ay", pronounced [aj].

Consonants
Bilabial Velar Dental Palatal Alveolar
Voiceless Stop p p k k t̪ th c tj t t
Voiced Stop b b g g d̪ dh ɟ dj d d
Nasal m m ŋ ng n̪ nh ɲ ny/yn n n
Lateral l l
Approximant w w j y ɹ~ɾ r
Flap/Trill ɾ~r rr

Within the orthography, both voiceless and voiced stops are written, words begin with voiced stops only and only voiced stops may occur in consonant clusters or suffixes. There is some inconsistency in the orthography to choice of stop intervocalically, the dictionary/grammar written by Amanda Lissarrague prescribes voiceless stops intervocalically, but this is violated many times such as in magu - axe. The phonemes /p/ and /b/ may contrast, such as gaparr - baby, boy, and gabarr - head. This is unclear.

There is some evidence of a merger of the dental and palatal stops/nasals, with free variation existing in many words, such as djinggarr~dhinggarr - silver, grey.

At the end of a word, a nasal may also be pronounced as its corresponding stop. (E.g. bakan~bakat - rock).

Intervocalically, "b" may be pronounced as [v].

References
  1. Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxiv.
  2. E67 Worimi at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  3. Sati, Wiriya (2 April 2019). "Revitalising the Aboriginal language Gathang is about learning and speaking it together every day". ABC news. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  4. This map is indicative only.


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