Djabugay language
Djabugay (or Djabuganjdji; see below for other names) is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Djabugay people with 46 native speakers at the 2016 census.[3][2] The Djabugay language region includes Far North Queensland, particularly around the Kuranda Range and Barron River catchment, and the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cairns Regional Council.[4]
| Djabugay | |
|---|---|
| Region | Queensland, Australia | 
| Ethnicity | Djabugay, Buluwai, Yirrganydji (Irukandji) | 
Native speakers  | 81 (2021 census)[1] | 
Pama–Nyungan
 
  | |
| Dialects | 
  | 
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | dyy | 
| Glottolog | dyaa1242 | 
| AIATSIS[3] | Y106 | 
| ELP | Djabugay | 
![]() Djabugay is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger  | |
Classification
    
Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the Paman languages.[5]
Dialects
    
The following languages are confirmed dialects of Djabugay by the AUSTLANG database maintained by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Djabugay is used both as a language name and a dialect name.[3] Additional names for these languages and/or dialects have been listed after their names but terms do overlap and the lists are not exhaustive.
- Y106: Djabugay / Tjapukai – Barron River dialect, Binggu, Bulum-Bulum, Buluwai, Check-Cull, Chewlie, Dja:bugay, Djabugai, Djabuganjdji, Djabungandji, Dyaabugay, Dyabugandyi, Dyabugay, Hileman, Irukandjai, Kikonjunkulu, Kodgotto, Koko-Tjumbundji, Koko njunkulu, Koko nyungalo, Koko Tjumbundji, Kokonjunkulu, Kokonyungalo, Ngarlkadjie, Njakali, Nyakali, Orlow, Tapelcay, Tcabogai tjanji, Tja:pukanja, Tjabakai-Thandji, Tjabogai tjandji, Tjabogai tjanji, Tjabogaijanji, Tjabogaitjandji, Tjankir, Tjankun, Tjapukandji, Tjapukanja, Tjapunkandji, Tjunbundji, Toabogai tjani, Tuffelcey[3][4][6]
 - Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi[7][8]
 - Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji[9][10]
 - Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay[11]
 - Y162: Nyagali – Njagali[12]
 
Phonology
    
| Labial | Apico- alveolar  | 
Retroflex | Lamino- palatal  | 
Dorso- velar  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | b | d | ɟ | g | |
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |
| Lateral | l | ||||
| Rhotic | r | ɻ | |||
| Semivowel | w | j | 
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | i iː | u uː | 
| Low | a aː | |
Vocabulary
    
Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:[4][14]
- Bulurru: elsewhere known as Dreaming, the source of life.
 - Gurrabana: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the wet season side.
 - Gurraminya: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the dry season side.
 - Djirri-nyurra: hello
 - Guyu: fish
 - Gan gula: kangaroo
 - Bulmba: home
 - Bana: rain
 - Wuru: river
 - Bungan: sun
 
See also
    
    
References
    
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021). "Cultural diversity: Census". Retrieved 13 October 2022.
 - Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxii.
 - Y106 Djabugay at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
 -  
 This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Djabugay   published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 16 May 2022. 
 - Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)
 - "Djabugay". Endangered Languages Project. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
 - "Y110 Bulway". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
 -  
 This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Bulway   published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 20 May 2022. 
 - "Y111 Yirrgay". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
 -  
 This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Irukandji   published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 20 May 2022. 
 - "Y160 Guluy". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
 - "Y162 Nyagali". AUSTLANG. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
 - Patz, Elisabeth. “Djabugay.” In Handbook of Australian Languages Vol. 4, edited by R. M. W. Dixon and Barry J. Blake, 4:245–347. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1991.
 - Duffin, Rhonda & Brim, Rosetta (1993?) Ngapi Garrang Bulurru-m: All Things Come from Bulurru. Kuranda, Queensland. ISBN 0-646-09380-0.
 
Further reading
    
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language Wordlists: Djabugay Everyday Words, published by State Library of Queensland under CC-BY license, accessed 17 May 2022.
 
