N12: Matngala

AIATSIS code: 
N12
AIATSIS reference name: 
Matngala

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Matngala language N12
Thesaurus heading people
Matngala people N12
ABN name
-
ABS name
Matngala
Horton name
Malak Malak (Madngela/Matngela)
Ethnologue name
Madngele
ISO 639-3 code
zml
Tindale name
Madngela
Tindale (1974)
Madngella, Muttangulla, Matngelli, Hermit Hill tribe.
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
madn1237
Other sources
Amadil, Muttangella, Ngengiwerat [Tryon 1974] Matngele, Madngele, Madngella, Matngala, Madngala, Dakayu (this is the word for 'no' in Matngele), Nginma, Weret, Werat [Top End Handboook]
Synonyms
Matngele, Madngele, Malak Malak, Madngela/Matngela, Gamu, Junggor, Kamor, Madngela, Matngela, Mulluk Mulluk, Ngulul Wanggar, Wooliana, Yunggor, Hermit Hill tribe, Maangella, Madngala, Madngella, Mandella, Matngelli, Muttangulla, Nundjulbi, Warat, Amadil, Muttangella, Ngengiwerat, Eastern Daly language
Comment
Comments: 

Matngele is a non Pama-Nyungan Eastern Daly language from the Northern Territory, closely related to Kamu N33 and Yunggurr N26 (Green & Nordlinger, viewed November 2020).

 

References: 
  • Green, Ian & Nordlinger, Rachel. The Daly Languages (Australia). Web Resource http://dalylanguages.org
  • Harvey, Mark. 2003. The evolution of verb systems in the eastern Daly language family. In The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia : comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region (ed) Nicholas Evans, Canberra : Pacific Linguistics 552, p. 159-184.
  • Harvey, Mark. 2003. The evolution of object enclitic paradigms in the eastern Daly language family. In The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia : comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region (ed) Nicholas Evans, Canberra : Pacific Linguistics 552, p. 185-201.
  • Sutton, Peter and Arthuer B Palmer. 1980. Daly River (Malak Malak) Land Claim. Darwin: Northern Land Council. B N 873.88 D1.
  • Tryon, Darrell, T. 1974. Daly family languages, Australia. Canberra: Research School of Pacific Studies C-32.
  • Yingguny, Biddy et al. 2001. MalakMalak and Matngala plants and animals : Aboriginal flora and fauna knowledge from the Daly River area, northern Australia. Darwin, NT: Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory.
  • Zandvoort, Franklin.1999. A Grammar of Matngele. Honours thesis. University of New England.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
NT
Location information: 

Hermit Hill area on the other side of the south side of the river (Stanner 1933 as quoted in Tryon 1974).

The general association was to the drainage of Doon Creek on high country. The southern limit of affiliations extended to approximately the eastern edge of the Docherty Hills and Quartz Knob. In the north-east, affiliations extended to Fish Billabong. The Dilk Range was affiliated with Matngele (Harvey AILEC 0802).

Its traditional association was to the drainage of Doon Creek on high country, and also the Dilke Range. The southern limit of affiliations extended to approximately the eastern edge of the Docherty Hills and Quartz Knob. In the north-east, affiliations extended to Fish Billabong (Harvey, AILEC 0802).

The term Matngala can be used to refer to the land, the language and the people traditionally associated with the land centred around Hermit Hill and Mount Green. This country is south of the middle reaches of the Daly River and directly west of the Nauiyu community. Matngala country is bordered by MalakMalak country to the north, east and south, in the west it borders Maranunggu country (Yingguny et al, 2001:7)

 

 

 

 

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PDF icon Oates_N12.pdf
Tindale 1974
OLAC
SIL
MalakMalak and Matngala plant knowledge calendar
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Mark Harvey, Frank Zandvoort, Ian Green
Indigenous organisations: 

Batchelor Institute https://www.batchelor.edu.au/

Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates-
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt10?
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1-
2005Estimate-
2006Census0
2011Census-
2014NILS2
2016Census-
2018-2019NILS3

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).

Documentation
Type Documentation Status Documentation Score
Word list Small (20-100 pages) 2
Text Collection Less than 20 pages 1
Grammar Small grammar (100-200 pages) 3
Audio-visual More than 10 3
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 

Zandvoort, Frank. 1999. A grammar of Matngele, University of New England: BA (Hons).

Dictionary: 

Zandvoort, Frank. 1999. A grammar of Matngele, University of New England: BA (Hons).

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Daly Malagmalag Daly Proper Madngele Madngele [Related to Kamu and Yunggor, which may be extinct]
Dixon (2002)   DALY RIVER AREAL GROUP Eastern Daly subgroup* Matngele Matngele Zandvoort (1999)
Wurm (1994) Daly Malagmalag   Madngele  
Walsh (1981) Daly Malagmalag Daly Madngele  
Oates (1975) Daly Mullug Daly Madngala  
Wurm (1972) Daly Mulluk Daly Matngala (Warat)  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)