Dench says that speakers recognise two named dialects of Panyjima (A53): Pantikura A76 and Mijaranypa A77 (1991: 126). Dench notes the differing dialect names reported in O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966), Rtukurr and Milyaranpa. He explains that Milyaranpa is most likely Mijaranypa and that Rtukurr is possibly the word for 'straight' or 'correct', thukurrpa, a term which is often applied to a particular language variety or speech style.
... originally spoken in the tablelands of the Hamersley Range... today most of the speakers of the language live in the coastal town of Onslow. Others live in Roebourne and other Pilbara towns, and on a number of pastoral leases in the area (Dench 1991:125).
Upper plateau of the Hamersley Range south of the Fortescue River; east to Weediwolli Creek near Marillana; south to near Rocklea, on the upper branches of Turee Creek east to the Kunderong Range (Tindale 1974).
Bandjima should be east of Kurrama, Wittenoom and Tom Price (Palmer in Sutton 1995:99).
Banyjima country includes the territory from the upper plateau of the Hammersley Range south of the Fortescue River; east to Weeliwolli Creek near Marillana; south to Rocklea, on the upper branches of Turee Creek east to the Kunderong Range. Contemporary location: Speakers live in Tom Price, Port Hedland, Onslow and Roebourne (Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre 2010).
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Speaker numbers were measured differently across the censuses and various other sources listed in AUSTLANG. You are encouraged to refer to the sources.
Speaker numbers for ‘NILS 2004’ and ‘2005 estimate’ come from 'Table F.3: Numbers of speakers of Australian Indigenous languages (various surveys)' in 'Appendix F NILS endangerment and absolute number results' in McConvell, Marmion and McNicol 2005, pages 198-230 (PDF, 2.5MB).
Dench, Alan. 1991. Panyjima. In The handbook of Australian languages, vol. 4, eds RMW Dixon and B Blake. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre. 2001. Banyjima wordlist. South Hedland, WA: Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre. Dench, Alan. Panyjima, ASEDA 0375. Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre. 2010. Banyjima topical wordlist with accompanying audio and illustrations. South Hedland, WA: Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre. (With accompanying audio CD.)
