Yirandhali language

Yirandhali (Yirandali, Jirandali), also known as Pooroga,[3] is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language of Hughenden in Central Queensland.[4] Yirandhali is a Pama–Nyungan language. Dixon (2002) speculates that it may belong in the Maric branch of that family, but further research is required before this can be verified, due to the limited lexical material that is available in the language.[5][6]

Yirandhali
Native toAustralia
RegionQueensland
EthnicityYirandhali
Extinct(date missing)
Language codes
ISO 639-3ljw
Glottologyira1239
AIATSIS[2]L42

There is very little information available about the languages of this region. Oral recounts suggest that the town area of Hughenden was a place that was passed through rather than a place that was used as a regular campsite. The Flinders River is often a dry river bed.

At the nearby Porcupine Gorge, in an area known locally as 'the Tattoos', there are signs of Aboriginal rock drawings. This area would have been a more reliable source of water.

Classification

A Pama–Nyungan language, Dixon (2002) speculated that the language may belong in the Maric subfamily, and this is accepted in Bowern (2011),[7] but this cannot be verified, due to the limited lexical material available.[5][8]

Grammar

One of the distinguishing features of the language is that every word ends with a vowel sound. For instance, the root word ŋamun (breast) common in other languages of the region has been incorporated in Yirandali as "ŋamuna".[5]

References
  1. RMW Dixon (2002), Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development, p xxxiii
  2. L42 Yirandhali at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  3. Detailed record of the Jirandali, AusAnthrop Australian Aboriginal tribal database
  4. Foundingdocs website
  5. Dixon, Robert (2002) Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. ISBN 0521473780.
  6. Koch, Harold (2004), A methodological history of Australian linguistic classification. ISBN 9027247617
  7. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)
  8. Koch, Harold (2004), A methodological history of Australian linguistic classification. ISBN 9027247617


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