by R. H. Mathews

R. H. Mathews (1841–1918), named on the paper as “L.S., Corres. Memb. Anthrop. Soc., Washington, U.S.A.”, wrote this paper as an outline of the grammar of the Wiradyuri language, which he describes as spoken over an immense region in the central and southern portions of New South Wales, a greater extent of territory than any other tongue there. He addressed it to the Institute to which he had recently reported the Kamilaroi language; his note gives that earlier paper as printed in the Journal of the Anthropological Institute. The edition gives no date or place of publication.

After an introduction and a note on his spelling, the paper takes the Wiradyuri language part of speech by part of speech, with paradigms of the pronouns and of the verb “to beat”. It then gives a shorter sketch of the Burreba-burreba language, spoken from about Deniliquin to Moulamein and towards the Murray, with a section on its initiation ceremonies and marriage laws that sets out its two phratries and four marriage sections; and a sketch of the Ngunawal language, spoken from Goulburn to Yass and Burrowa and south to Lake George and Goodradigbee. It ends with two vocabularies arranged by subject: about 430 Wiradyuri words collected on the Lachlan, Macquarie and Murrumbidgee rivers, and 290 Ngunawal words. These names are spelled as Mathews spelled them; Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal are the usual spellings today.

Mathews says that he took down everything in the paper himself, travelling through the Wiradyuri country to interview the old men and women who still spoke the language, and that he noted the Ngunawal words “from the lips of old men and women in the native camps”. He names earlier work on Wiradyuri: the grammar and vocabulary from the manuscripts of the Rev. James Günther published by Dr. J. Fraser in An Australian Language (Sydney, 1892), and the vocabularies in E. M. Curr’s The Australian Race. His accounts of the initiation ceremonies themselves are in other papers, which his notes list. He writes as a colonial observer of his time, of “natives” and of “aboriginal speech”, and the vocabularies include words for parts of the body and for sexual matters. This edition is complete: the whole paper, its tables and both vocabularies, and all sixteen notes.

This text is preserved from the Project Gutenberg edition (eBook no. 18978), which is in the public domain in the United States.

Contents

• Introductory
• Orthography
• The Wiradyuri Language
• The Burreba-Burreba Language
• The Ngunawal Language
• Vocabulary of Wiradyuri Words
• Vocabulary of Ngunawal Words

Introductory

The native tribes speaking the Wiradyuri language occupy an immense region in the central and southern portions of New South Wales. For their eastern and northern boundaries the reader is referred to the map accompanying my paper to the American Philosophical Society in 1898.[1] The western boundary is shown on the map with my article to the Royal Society of New South Wales the same year.[2] Their southern limit is represented on the map attached to a paper I transmitted to the Anthropological Society at Washington in 1898.[3] The maps referred to were prepared primarily to mark out the boundaries of the social organisation and system of marriage and descent prevailing in the Wiradyuri community, but will also serve to indicate the geographic range of their language.

The Wiradyuri language is spoken over a greater extent of territory than any other tongue in New South Wales, and the object of the present monograph is to furnish a short outline of its grammatical structure. I have included a brief notice of the Burreba-burreba language, which adjoins the Wiradyuri on the west. A cursory outline is also given of the language of the Ngunawal tribe, which bounds the Wiradyuri on a portion of the east. The Kamilaroi tribes, whose language I recently reported to this Institute,[4] adjoin the Wiradyuri on the north.

In all the languages treated in this article, in every part of speech subject to inflexion, there are double forms of the first person, of the dual and plural, similar in character to what have been reported from many islands in Polynesia and Melanesia, and the tribes of North America. Separate forms for "we two," and "he and I," were observed by Rev. James Günther among the pronouns of the Wiradyuri natives at Wellington,[5] but as he does not mention anything of the kind in the plural, we may conclude that he did not observe it.

The materials from which this paper has been prepared have been gathered by me while travelling through various parts of the Wiradyuri country, for the purpose of visiting and interviewing the old native men and women who still speak the native tongue, from whom I noted down all the information herein reproduced. When the difficulties encountered in obtaining the grammar of any language which is purely colloquial are taken into consideration, I feel sure that all necessary allowances will be made for the imperfections of my work.

The initiation ceremonies of the Wiradyuri tribes, which are of a highly interesting character, have been fully described by me in contributions to several societies and other learned institutions.[6]

It will be as well to state that in 1892, Dr. J. Fraser, from the MSS. of the late Rev. James Günther, published some gramatical rules and a vocabulary of the Wiradyuri language. This forms part of a volume entitled An Australian Language (Sydney, 1892), Appendix, pp. 56-120.

Mr. E. M. Curr published several vocabularies collected in different parts of the Wiradyuri territory.—The Australian Race, vol. iii, pp. 363-401.

Orthography

The system of orthoepy adopted is that recommended by the Royal Geographical Society, London, with the following qualifications:

Ng at the beginning of a word or syllable has a peculiar sound, which I have previously illustrated.[7] At the end of a syllable or word, it has substantially the sound of ng in "sing."

Dh and nh have nearly the sound of th in "that," with a slight initial sound of the d or n as the case may be.

Ty and dy at the commencement of a word or syllable, as dyirril (a spear), has nearly the sound of j. At the end of a word, as gillaty (to-day), ty or dy is pronounced nearly as tch in the word "batch," but omitting the final hissing sound.

w always commences a syllable or word, and has its ordinary sound. G is hard in all cases. R has a rough trilled sound, as in "hurrah!"

The sound of the Spanish ñ is frequent. At the commencement of a syllable or word I have given it as ny, but when terminating a word I have used the Spanish letter.

T is interchangeable with d; p with b; and g with k in most words where they are used.

As far as possible, vowels are unmarked, but in some instances, to avoid ambiguity, the long sound of a, e and u are indicated thus: â, ê, û. In a few cases the short sound of u is marked u. Y at the beginning of a word has its ordinary consonant value.

The Wiradyuri Language

Articles

There are no articles, properly so-called, in the language. The demonstratives "this" and "that" do duty for our "a" and "the." If it be desired to definitely say that only one is meant, the numeral, ngunbai, is employed.

In all the sentences illustrating the cases of nouns and other parts of speech in this paper, the demonstratives are omitted. A native would say, "Man [that over yonder] beat child [this in front]," the proper demonstratives being inserted where illustrated by the brackets.

Nouns

Number.—There are three numbers, singular, dual and plural. Wamboin, a kangaroo. Wamboinbula a couple of kangaroos. Wamboingirbang, several kangaroos.

Gender.—In human family different words are used, as mên or gibir, a man; bullâdyeru or inar, a woman; birrengang, a boy; ingargang, a young girl; yiramurung, a youth; megai, a maiden; burai, a child.

Among animals, word are used signifying "male" and "female" respectively. Wille bidyur, a buck opossum; wille gunal, a doe opossum. Nguruñ burramai, hen emu; nguruñ bidyur, a cock emu.

Case.—The cases are the nominative, nominative-agent, genitive, accusative, instrumental dative and ablative.

The nominative simply names the person or thing under attention, as, mirri or burumain, a dog; burrandang, a native-bear; wille or womburan, an opossum; wagan, a crow; bulgang or burgan, a boomerang.

The nominative-agent requires a suffix to the noun, as, gibirru womburan dhê, a man an opossume ate. Bullâdyerudu dhurung bumê, a woman a snake struck (or killed). Inarru wille dharalgiri, a woman an opossum will eat. Burrandangu gurril dhara, a native-bear leaves is eating. Mirridu wille buddhe, a dog an opossum bit.

Genitive.—Mêngu bulgang, a man's boomerang. Bullâdyerugu kunne, a woman's yamstick. Burrandanggu bullung, a native-bear's head.

Dative.—Dhurrangu, to the creek (dhurrang). Ngurangu, to the camp (ngurang).

Ablative.—Dhurrandyi, from the creek; ngurandyi, from the camp. In this case, and also in the dative, the final g of both words is omitted before applying the suffix.

The accusative is the same as the simple nominative, as will be seen by the examples given under the nominative-agent.

Instrumental.—When an instrument is the remote object of the verb, the accusative remains unchanged, but the instrumental case takes the same suffix as the nominative-agent; thus, mêndu wagan burgandu bume, the man hit a crow with a boomerang. Inarru burumain kunnedu bangabe, the woman cut a dog with a yamstick.

In the above examples, as well as in the sentences illustrating the nominative-agent, it will be seen that the agent suffix has euphonic changes according to the termination of the word it is attached to. This may be said of the suffixes in all the cases of nouns and adjectives.

Adjectives

Adjectives take the same inflexions for number and case as the nouns they qualify, and are placed after them. They are without gender.

Womboin munun, a kangaroo large. Womboinbula mununbula, a pair of large kangaroos. Womboinmuddu mununmuddu, several large kangaroos.

Burumaindu munundu womburan buddhe, a dog large an opossum bit. Inarru bubadyallu burai bume, a woman small a child beat.

Womboingu munungu dhun, a large kangaroo's tail.

A big waterhole, dhâ-u munun. Dhâ-ugu munungu, to a big waterhole. Dhâ-wadyi munundyi, from a big waterhole.

Comparison.—Nyila murrumbangbun-gan, this is vey good. Nyilangai murrumbang wirrai, that is not good. If the articles compared be equal in quality, a native would say, This is good—that is good, and so on.

Pronouns

Pronouns are inflected for number and person, and comprise the nominative, possessive and objective cases, a few examples in each of which will be given. There are forms in the dual plural to express the inclusion or exclusion of the person addressed.

Singular.

Dual.

Plural.

There are other forms of the objective case meaning "from me," "with me," "towards me," etc., which have numerous modifications.

The extended forms of the pronouns given in the above table are not much used as separate words, except in answer to interrogatives, or assertively. Ngulliguna might, for example, be given in answer to the question, "Who killed the kangaroo?" "Whose boomerang is this?" might elicit the reply, Ngaddyi.

In a common conversation, however, the pronominal affixes are employed.

The third personal pronouns have several forms and are subject to much variation, depending upon the position of the parties referred to. Many of them are practically demonstratives.

Interrogatives.—Who, ngandi? Who (agent), nganduwa? Who (dual), nganduwanbula? Who (plural), nganduwandugir? Who for, ngandigula? Whose is this, ngangunginna? Nganduga is equivalent to "I wonder who?" or "I don't know who." Who from, ngangundiburrami? What, minyang? What is that, minyawanna? What for, minyangula? What from, minyalli? How many (what number), minyanggulmañ?

Demonstratives.—The following are a few examples:—This, nginna. These (dual), nginnabula. This other one, nginnagwal. From this, nginnalidhi. Belonging to this, nginnagula. With this, nginnadhurai. That, ngunnila. That other one, ngunniloagwal. That yonder, ngunnainbirra. A native will frequently state the location of an article by its compass direction from a particular tree or other well-known spot.

These demonstratives are very numerous—many of them being used as pronouns of the third person, and are declined for number, person, and case. They also vary according to the position of the object referred to in regard to the speaker, and likewise change with the relative position of the object to the person addressed.

In all parts of aboriginal speech, words are occasionally met with so closely alike in pronunciation that it is almost impossible for any one but a native to detect the difference.

Verbs

The moods are the indicative, imperative, conditional, and infinitive. The verb stem and a contraction of the necessary pronouns are incorporated, and the words thus formed are used in the conjugation. These are, however, modifications of the affixed particles in the past and future tenses to express differences in time.

In the following conjugation of the verb "to beat" the present tense is given in full. In the past and future tenses, one example in the first person singular is thought sufficient, because any required person and number in each tense can be obtained by following the directions given in the text.

Indicative Mood—Present Tense.

Past Tense.

Dhu, softened to dyu in some cases, is a contraction of ngadhu.

Future Tense.

Owing to the several inflections of the verb in the past and future tneses, for immediate, proximate, and more or less remote times of the performance of the action,[8] it is often found convenient, especially when speaking in the dual or plural, to prefix a complete pronoun from the table of pronouns. Thus, instead of saying, Bumulbênli, a native frequently expresses it, Ngulli bumulbên. Again, instead of saying, Bumulgiriniguna, he would use, Ngeaniguna bumulgiri. This leaves the termination of the verb freer for the numerous inflexions.

Imperative Mood.

Conditional Mood.

Perhaps I will beat. Yama bumulgiridyu.

Infinitive Mood.

To beat Bumulli.

Reflexive.

There is a reflex form of the verb, as when one does anything to himself:

I am beating myself Bumungadyilliñdyu.

Reciprocal.

The dual and plural contain a reciprocal form of the verb, as where two or more persons beat each other:

We, (dual excl.,) are beating each other Ngulliguna bumullên.
We, (pl. excl.,) are beating each other Ngeaniguna bumullên.

There is no passive. The sentence, A woman was bitten by a dog, is expressed by, A dog bit a woman.

The prohibitive or negative in all the moods, tenses, and numbers is obtained by using the word Kurria with the verb, thus: Kurria buma, beat not. Kurria bumulgiridyu, I will not beat. Another form is used where there is uncertainty, as, Wirraigurra bumulgiridyu, which expressed the meaning "I don't think I will beat," or, "Perhaps I will not."

Murrung nginyadhu has the meaning of "I am well," and may be called a substitute for our verb "to be." By incorporating yalu with this expression, it makes it more emphatic, as, Yalu murrung nginyadhu, "Really I am well." Any adjective describing a human attribute may be taken as a predicate, as, good, bad, strong, sleepy, and employed with the modifications of the word nginya.

Prepositions

A number of prepositions are independent words, as: Behind, yabbungura. In front, willidya. Across, dargin. Around, waiangadha. Outside, or, on the other side, ngunningura. Inside, muguma. This side, nginnungaradha. Billaga ngunningura, the other side of the creek. On the right, bumalgala. On the left, mirrangur. Ahead, banganañ. In the rear, ngunnagangura.

Frequently the verb includes the meaning of a preposition, as in the following examples:

Ngadhu ngadyên dyirramuddyi gullegiri, I that hill go-up-will. Ngadhu dyila dyirramuddyi birrawagiri, I that hill go-down-will. Ngadhu ngidyi gigulle waiangugiri, I that tree go-round-will. Ngeani birgudyi wurungiri, We (pl. incl.) the scrub through-will-go. Ngulliguna billadyi errugiri, We (dual excl.,) the creek will-cross. Ngadhu dyirramudyi ngagungurgu gulleamurrigiri, I will climb over the hill.

Adverbs

The following are a few of the adverbs, some of which are inflected for number, case, and tense: Wirrai, no. Ngaiin, yes. Yandhal, now. Dhallan, soon. Yêre, to-day. Ngurrungal, the morning. Yêregwala, yesterday. Ngunnigunala, day before yesterday. Ngunnungalâgal, day after to-morrow. Murradhulbul, long ago. Buruandhangga, night-time.

Here (now), nginna. Here (was), nginni. This way, dhain. Farther away, ngunna. Still farther, ngunneng. A good way off, ngunnagunalla. There in the rear, ngunnagangura. These pronominal adverbs, like the demonstrative pronouns, are very numerous and also include the points of the compass.

How, widdyallangalu? How thou, widdyawandu? How you (dual), widdyawandubla? How you (plural), widdyawandugir? How obtained, widdyunggurrunda burramai? _Widdyunggâwa has the meaning of "when?"

Where is it, dhagawana? Where (having the meaning of "which one,") dhagala? Where are thou, dhagawandu? Where are you (dual), dhagawandubla? Where are you (plural), dhagawandugir? From where, dhadyindaburramai? Where art thou from, dhadyigalliwandu? Where is the camp, dhagawa ngurung?

Interjections

Yah! calling attention. Wai! look out. Wah! ngarrarbang! Ah! poor fellow! Listen, winnangga! Any vocative can be inflexed for number.

Numerals

Ngunbai, one; bulla, two.

The Burreba-Burreba Language

The Burreba-burreba is spoken from about Deniliquin to Moulamein, and from the latter southerly towards the Murray river. The following is a sketch of its grammatical structure. A dialect of this language, called Burêba, is spoken on the Murray river, near Swan Hill.

Number.—There are the singular, dual, and plural numbers. Wille, an opossum; willebulet, a pair of opossums; willebarak, or willeguli, several opossums.

Gender.—Wuthu, a man; lêurk, a woman; bangga, a boy; kurregûrk, a girl; buban, a child of either sex; wuthuginbal, means a man and his wife. The gender of mammals and birds is marked by adding mamuk for male, and babuk for female; thus, gurê mamuk, a buck kangaroo; gurê babuk, a doe kangaroo.

Case.—The language has the nominative, nominative-agent, genitive, accusative, instrumental, dative and ablative cases. In the nominative, there is no change in the noun, except when it is the subject of a transitive verb, and then it requires the agent-suffix; as, Wuthung wirrungan burdumin, a man a dog beat; lêuru wirringal kurgin, a woman a perch caught; wirrunganu gurê bundin, a dog a kangaroo bit.

In the possessive case, the name of the proprietor and of the property each take a suffix, as, Wuthunggety wanuk, a man's boomerang; lêurgety lârnuk, a woman's camp; wirrungangety birkuk, a dog's tail.

Instrumental.—This is the same as the nominative-agent, thus, Ngaty gurê duggin wanu, I a kangaroo hit with a boomerang.

Dative.—lârngak, to a camp. Ablative.—wuthunyu, from a man. The accusative is the same as the nominative.

Adjectives

Adjectives follow the nouns and take similar declensions.

Number.—Wuthu kurumbirt, a man large. Wuthubulet kurumbirtbulet, a couple of big men. Wuthubarak kurumbirtbarak, several big men.

Nominative-agent.—Wuthung kurumbirru wille burdumin, a large man an opossum killed.

Possessive.—Wuthunggety kurumbirungety wanuk, a big man's boomerang.

Ablative.—Wuthunyung kurumbirung_, from a big man.

The comparison of adjectives follows rule similar to those explained in my article on "The Gundungurra Language."[9]

It will be observed that there are modifications in the case-endings of nouns and adjectives, depending upon the termination of the word declined. Moreover, these suffixes for number and case are applied to the simple nominative—not the nominative-agent.

Pronouns

Pronouns take inflexion for number, person and case. There are two forms in the first person of the dual and plural—one in which the person or persons addressed are included with the speaker, and another in which they are exclusive of the speaker; these are marked "incl." and "excl." in the following table:

Singular.

Dual.

Plural.

Interrogatives.—Who, winyar? (singular)—winyarbula (dual) and winyartukuli (plural). What, nganyu? which also has a dual and plural form.

Demonstratives.—This, ginga, which has a dual and plural suffix. Malu, that; kila, that near you. Munya, that farther away. Kigety, belonging to that. Kigety-bulugety, belonging to those two. Kigety-guligety, belonging to all those.

Verbs

Verbs have the same tenses and moods as those of the Wiradyuri, as will be demonstrated in the conjugation of the verb "to beat." In the Burreba-burreba verb there are, however, no regular modifications of the past and future tenses, such meanings being expressed by separate words.

Active Voice—Indicative Mood.

Present Tense.

Past Tense.

1st Person I beat Ngaty tyilbin.

Future Tense.

1st Person I will beat Ngaty tyilbên.

Imperative Mood.

Beat, tyilbak. Beat not, burreba tyilbak.

Conditional Mood.

Perhaps I will beat, Ngaty tyilbên mumbun.

In all the foregoing examples, the remaining persons and numbers of the verb can be supplied by the table of pronouns.

Middle Voice—Indicative Mood.

Present Tense.

Singular. I am beating myself. Tyilbanyungbenggat.

The conjugation can be continued through all the moods, tenses, etc., the same as in the indicative mood.

Reciprocal.

We two (incl.) are beating each other, Tyilptyerrungal.
We all (incl.) are beating each other, Tyilptyerrungungur.

There are forms for all the persons and tenses.

Adverbs

Yes, ngungui. No, burreba. To-day, gillaty. To-morrow, perbur. Yesterday, dyelli-dyellik. By and bye, gillandam. Some time ago, gillenadya. Long ago, yagaluk-wanda. Where, windyella? (singular); windyellaubul? (dual); windyellat? (plural). How many, nyabur? Here, kingga. There, nyua.

Numerals

One, kaiapmin. Two, buletya.

Initiation Ceremonies and Marriage Laws

The initiation ceremonies of the Burreba-burreba are the same in all essential respects as those of the Wiradyuri tribes, which I have described in detail elsewhere.[10] The social organisation is also similar to the Wiradyuri, comprising two phratries, each of which is subdivided into two sections, as exemplified in the following synopsis:—

Although marriages generally follow the above rules, yet in certain cases Murri can marry Butha, and Kubbi may take Ippatha as his spouse—a similar liberty being allowed the men of phratry B. Again, where there is no objection arising from nearness of kin, a Murri man may marry a Matha woman, but her totem must be different from his, and she must belong to a distant family. This applies to the men of every section. By the strict letters of the foregoing table, it would appear that the child of a brother can marry the child of a sister, but this is rigorously forbidden—the table being construed to mean that a brother's child's child marries a sister's child's child.

Each phratry has attached to it a group of totems, consisting of animals and inanimate objects. Every man, woman, and child in the community has his particular totem, which is inherited from birth. For further information on this subject the reader is referred to numerous papers contributed by me to different scientific societies.

The Ngunawal Language

The native tribes speaking the Ngunawal tongue occupy the country from Goulburn to Yass and Burrowa, extending southerly to Lake George and Goodradigbee.

In a contribution to the Anthropological Society at Washington in 1896, described the Bunan ceremony,[11] an elaborate type of initiation practised by the Ngunawal in common with other communities. In 1900 I published an account of the Kudsha[12] or Kuddya, an abridged form of inaugural ceremony which is likewise in force among the same people. The social organisation regulating marriage and descent, which I described in the last mentioned article,[13] also applies to the Ngunawal.

The Ngunawal is one of an aggregate of tribes whose sacred songs I have learnt and published, with the accompanying music, in an article I communicated to the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland in 1901.[14] These are the first sacred songs of the Australian Aborigines which have ever been set to music.

Nouns

Number.—Nouns have three numbers. Mirri, a dog; mirribula, a couple of dogs; mirridyimma, several dogs.

Gender.—Baual, a man; bullan, a woman. Words for "male" and "female" distinguish the gender of animals, as, gurabun muddun, a bear, male; gurabun dhuruk, a bear, female.

Case.—The principal cases are the nominative, causative, instrumental, genitive, accusative, dative and ablative.

The nominative is the name of the sbuject at rest, and is without flexion.

The causative, or nominative-agent, represents the subject in action, as, bullanga gudha ngubumuiñ, a woman a child beat.

Instrumental.—Baualga burraingu nguburiñ dyuiñga, a man a wallaby killed with a spear. Here the instrument, a spear, takes the same suffix as the causative. The wallaby, burrai, takes the genitive affix, as being the possessor or recipient of the killing.

Accusative.—Except in such instances as the wallaby in the last example, the accusative is the same as the nominative.

The genitive case is represented by an affix to the name of the property as well as to that of the owner, a peculiarity which I was the first to report[15] in Australian languages. Baualngu mirriwung, a man's dog.

Every object over which ownership may be exercised can be declined for number and person, as under:—

and so on through all the persons of the dual and plural.

If a couple or more articles be claimed, an infix is inserted between the noun root and the possessive affix, thus: Mirribuladya, dogs both mine; mirridyimmadya, dogs several mine.

Dative.—Ngurani munnagai, to the camp come.

Ablative.—Ngurawurradyi yerribiwurri, from the camp go away.

Adjectives

Adjectives follow the qualified nouns, and are inflected in the same manner for number and case. Buru mununmang, a kangaroo large; burubula mununbula, a couple of large kangaroos; burudyimma munundyimma, several large kangaroos.

Casuative.—Baualga mununga mirri ngubuningga, a man large a dog will beat. The other cases are also declined like the nouns. Frequently one of the affixes, both in number and case, is omitted sometimes the affix of the noun, and in other instances that of the adjective, being thus eliminated, according to the euphony of the expression.

A predicative adjective becomes an intransitive verb, and is conjugated accordingly. An example in the singular will be sufficient:

Comparison of adjecitves is effected by such expressions as, Gudba ngunu, yeddhung nin, bad this, good that. Yeddhung madi ngunu, this is very good.

Pronouns

These are declined for number, person and case, but are without gender. They contain the inclusive and exclusive forms in the first person of the dual and plural:

Examples in the dual and plural are omitted, as their terminations will appear in the conjugation of the verbs. The foregoing full forms of the pronouns are used chiefly in answer to a question. In ordinary conversation the pronominal suffixes to verbs, nouns and other parts of speech, supply their place.

Towards, or with, me, gulangguria. Away from me, gulangguridyia. Belonging to me, gulangguia. Myself, mittimbaldya, and so on. All these can be inflected for number and person.

Demonstratives.—These may be classed under different heads, of which the following are a few examples:

Position.—Ngunu, this, close. Ngunubun, this also. Niñ, that. Niñwulu, that only. Wurranaguddha, that, a little way off. Warranandiwang, that, farther still. Mudhamaguwarri, a long way off.

Direction.—Ngunaga, that (in rear of speaker). Barunggo, that (in front of speaker). Ngunainbil, that this side (of something). Nguna-au, that on other side (of something). Gagurwarru, that in the hollow. Warrugunnawang, that on the rising ground, or hill.

Size.—Warranalang, that large one. Warranuggada, that small one.

Possessive.—Ningulangu, belonging to that. Warranalangu, belonging to that large one. Nidyulangu, belonging to those two persons.

Number.—Warranungulu, those two. Warradyimmilañ, those several animals or things.

Person.—Ngunadya, this mine. Ngunadyi, this thine. Ngunawung, this his.

"This" and "that" in all the foregoing examples can also mean "here" and "there" according to the context.

Interrogatives.—Who, ngunnaga? Whose, ngunnagangu? Who from, ngunnaganguridyi? What, minya? What (did something), minyaga?

Verbs

The verb has the usual moods and tenses, and is inflected throughout for number and person. In the first person of the dual and plural there is a variation in the affix to the verb to indicate the inclusion or exclusion of the person spoken to.

Indicative Mood—Present Tense.

Past Tense.

Future.

The inflections extend through all the persons and numbers of the past and future tenses by means of the suffixed particles shown in the present tense.

Imperative.

Conditional Mood.

Perhaps I will beat Ngubuninggawundu.

Reflexive.

and so on for the other persons and numbers.

Imperative.—Beat thyself Ngubuwilli.

Reciprocal.

Imperative reciprocal.

An infix, muga, between the stem of the verb and the termination, gives a negative meaning, as, Ngubumugamangalu, we, dual exclusive, did not beat.

There is no passive form of the verb, all sentences being in the active voice, thus, instead of saying, "A boomerang was thrown by the man," the phrase would be, "The man threw a boomerang."

The verb is inflected for the same number as the noun.

A kangaroo saw I, buru nangurringga.
A pair of kangaroos saw I, burumbla nangurringbla.
Several kangaroos saw I, burulula nangurringdyula.

Different shades of meaning are imparted to verbs by additions to the affixes:

I was eating going along, dhaimballinyirrimuingga.
I beat before (some event), ngubururingawung.
I beat after (some event), ngubullaringawung.
I threw frequently, yerrimbillidyingga.
I was throwing alone, yerrilimuingga.
I am always beating, ngubadyingga.

Adverbs

Yes, ngi. No, gurragañ. Now, yanggu. Yesterday, burranda. By and by, gaugau. Long ago, nudyina. Always, bulu.

How, ngindyin. How many, or what number, wunnamalañ. Where, wunda. Certainly, ganni. Then, yanbi. Very or really, madi. Perhaps, wundu. Not, muga. When, wundiñ.

Certain adverbs can be inflected for person and number, thus:

Where shall I go? Wundayerrabunningga?
Where shalt thou go? Wundayerrabunnindyi?
Where shall he go? Wundayerrabunniñ?

and so on for all persons and numbers.

Prepositions

On top, gunna. Down, dhugga. Between, dhuri. Behind me, bengalwarria. Outside, bunnungga. Out of that, barridyi. In rear of me, wullingaia. In here, ngunnâ. In or under there, ngunniñ.

Words meaning "is here," "was here," "will be here," also exist in this language.

Many prepositions can be inflected for number and person:

and so on through the dual and plural.

Exclamations

Ya! calling attention.—Bungamugi, cease!

Numerals

One, meddhung. Two, bullâla.

Vocabulary of Wiradyuri Words

This vocabulary contains about 430 words collected personally among the Wiradyuri natives on the Lachlan, Macquarie, and Murrumbidgee rivers. Instead of arranging the words alphabetically they are placed together under separate headings:—Family terms—Parts of the body—Natural objects—Animals—Trees—Weapons—Adjectives—Verbs. As the equivalents of English terms will most frequently be required they are put first.[16]

Family Terms

Parts of the Body

Natural Objects

Animals — Mammals

Animals — Birds

Animals — Fishes

Animals — Reptiles

Animals — Invertebrates

Trees and Plants

Weapons

Adjectives

Verbs

Vocabulary of Ngunawal Words

The following vocabulary contains 290 of the most commonly used words in the Ngunawal language, with their English equivalents. Every word has been noted down carefully by myself from the lips of old men and women in the native camps.

The Human Body

Inanimate Nature

Mammals

Birds

Fishes

Reptiles

Invertebrates

Trees and Plants

Weapons, Utensils, etc.

Adjectives

Verbs

Notes

1. "Initiation Ceremonies of Australian Tribes," Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., vol. xxxvi, pp. 54-73, map.

2. "The Group Divisions and Initiation Ceremonies of the Bar-Kunjee Tribes," Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxii, pp. 240-250, map. That map includes with the Wiradyuri, the territory of the Burreba-burreba tribe, because their initiation ceremonies and marriage laws are the same.

3. "The Victorian Aborigines: their Initiation Ceremonies and Division Systems," American Anthropologist, vol. xi, pp. 325-343, map.

4. "Languages of the Kamilaroi and Other Tribes of New South Wales," Journ. Anthrop. Inst., vol. xxxiii, p. 259.

5. "An Australian Language" (Sydney, 1892), Appendix, p. 60.

6. "The Burbung of the Wiradyuri Tribes," Journ. Anthrop. Inst., vol. xxv, pp. 295-318. Ibid., vol. xxvi, pp. 272-285. "The Initiation Ceremonies of the Aborigines of the Upper Lachlan," Proc. Roy. Geog. Soc. Austr., Queensland Bch., vol. xi, pp. 167-169.

   "The Burbung or Initiation Ceremonies of the Murrumbidgee Tribes," Journ. Roy Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxi, pp. 111-153.

   "The Burbung of the Wiradhuri Tribes," Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland, vol. xvi, pp. 35-38.

7. "The Aboriginal Languages of Victoria," Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxvi, p. 76.

8. Compare with my "Yookumbil Language," Queensland Geog. Journ., vol. xvii, pp. 63-67.

9. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., Philadelphia, vol. xl, No. 167.

10. "The Bûrbung, etc., of the Murrumbidgee Tribes," Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxi, pp. 111-153.

11. American Anthropologist, vol. ix, pp. 327-334, Plate VI.

12. Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxiv, pp. 276-281.

13. Ibid., pp. 263-364.

14. "Aboriginal Songs at Initiation Ceremonies," Queensland Geographical Journal, vol. xvii. pp. 61-63.

15. See my "Thurrawal Language," Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxv, p. 131.

16. Compare with my "Dharruk Language and Vocabulary," Journ. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, vol. xxxv, pp. 155-160.

Colophon

The Wiradyuri and Other Languages of New South Wales, by R. H. Mathews, L.S., Corres. Memb. Anthrop. Soc., Washington, U.S.A. The edition prints no publisher, place or date. This text follows the Project Gutenberg edition (eBook no. 18978), released on 3 August 2006; the Project Gutenberg text names no producers.

This edition preserves the whole paper: the opening section, the note on orthography, the sketches of the Wiradyuri, Burreba-burreba and Ngunawal languages with all their paradigms and examples, the section on Burreba-burreba initiation ceremonies and marriage laws with its table of phratries and sections, the Wiradyuri vocabulary (twelve groups) and the Ngunawal vocabulary (an opening group of family terms and eleven groups), and all sixteen notes, numbered as printed and gathered under “Notes” at the end. The paper’s opening synopsis, which lists its sections, is not repeated; the heading “Introductory” over the opening paragraphs is taken from it. The section heads of the paper and the heads of the parts of speech and of the vocabulary groups are given as headings, in ordinary capitalisation; the italic labels within them (Singular, Dual, Present Tense, Reflexive and the like) are kept as printed. The paradigms and vocabularies, set in the electronic text as columns aligned with spaces, are given as tables, cell for cell, with an empty header row where the paper prints no column heads. Paragraphs broken into short lines in the electronic text are joined, and the example lines printed one under another are kept as lines.

Defects of the source are left as they are, among them “opossume”, “vey good”, “tneses”, “sbuject”, “adjecitves”, “Casuative”, “THeirs”, “MIrriwung”, “Bilnd”, “gramatical” and “Native cat (yellow & white_”, and two stray underscores, before “Widdyunggâwa” and after “kurumbirung”, left by an italic marking in the electronic text that is not closed. The word forms of the three languages are given exactly as in the electronic text, which could not be checked against the printed page.

Removed: the Project Gutenberg header and licence; the title and author lines, whose facts are given above; the synopsis line; and the spaces that aligned the columns.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted transcription and editorial work.

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