S17: WERGAIA

AIATSIS code: 
S17
AIATSIS reference name: 
WERGAIA

tabs_horizontal

Name
Thesaurus heading language
Wergaia language S17
Thesaurus heading people
Wergaia people S17
ABN name
Wergaia language
ABS name
Wergaia
Horton name
Wergaia
Ethnologue name
-
ISO 639-3 code
-
Tindale name
-
Tindale (1974)
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
-
Other sources
Wergaia, Warka tyalli, Weika tyalli, Wakaua, Mirdiragoort: evidently related to Wotti-wotti dialect (seens as a var/allt. of Warkawarka by Tindale 1940, 1974), Wirtu, Wirtoo, Wengen-marongeitch (seen as var/alt of Warkawarka by Tindale 1974), Wereka-tyalli, Wereka, Worgaia, Wergaya, Wergaia (Clark lists more but his 2005 papers says that the reduplicated forms are alternatives of Wekiweki, which he recognises as a separate language.) [Clark 1990:339]
Synonyms
Wergaia, Wergaya, Jupagalk, Maligundidj, Warke Warke, Wotjobalek, Buibatjali, Buibatyalli, Djadjala, Gnallbagootchyourl, Gourrbaluk, Iyattyala, Kurm me lak, Malikunditji, Malleegunditch, Tjatijala, Tyattyalla, Wattyabullak, Wimmera tribe, Woitu bullar, Worjoballuk, Wotjo ba laiuruk, Wotjobaluk, Woychibirik, Wudjubalug, Wuttyabullak, Wuttyuballeak, Warka tyalli, Weika tyalli, Wakaua, Mirdiragoort: evidently related to Wotti wotti dialect, Wirtu, Wirtoo, Wengen marongeitch, Wereka tyalli, Wereka, Worgaia, Kulin
Comment
Comments: 

Clark (2005:21-22) lists Wergaia as a language name and identifies the following four as possible dialects: Wudjubalug S88, Djadjala S22, Buibadjali S70 and Bewadjali S85.

Oates and Oates (1970:132) list Wotjobaluk S70 as a separate language but, in her later work, Oates (1975:188) treats Wotjobaluk as an alternative name of S22 which she calls Wergaia, having deleted S17.

In this database S22 is assigned to Djadjala, a dialect of Wergaia, and Wotjobaluk S88 is treated as a separate dialect. Clark (2014 p.c.) says that Wereka-tyalli and Wereka (previously treated as variants of Wergaia) are more likely to be alternatives for Bindjali S15.

 

References: 
  • Clark, Ian. 2005. Aboriginal language areas in Victoria - a reconstruction: a report to Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages. Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.
  • Hercus, Luise. 1986. Outline of the Wergaia Language: Djadjala Dialect. In Victorian languages: a late survey, ed. Luise Hercus. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Howitt, Alfred William. 1904. The native tribes of south-east Australia. London: Macmillan.
  • Oates, Lynette F. 1975. The 1973 supplement to a revised linguistic survey of Australia. Armidale: Armidale Christian Book Centre
  • Oates, William J., and Lynette F. Oates. 1970. A revised linguistic survey of Australia: Australian Aboriginal Studies 33, Linguistic Series 12. Canberra: AIAS.
  • .
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
VIC
Location information: 

The Wergaia language was originally spoken over a wide area in the north-west of Victoria from Dimboola to Lake Hindmarsh and Lake Albacutya along the Wimmera River, and from Yanac to Warracknabeal. The speakers of Wergaia and several smaller associated groups formed the Wudjubalug group of tribes, called Wotjobaluk by Howitt (Howitt 1904:55 as quoted in Hercus 1986).

Maps: 
-
Links

Search MURA people®

Search MURA language®

Search OZBIB

Search Trove

Search Worldcat

PDF icon Oates_S17.pdf
Awaye! Word Up: A debut album of siren songs
Awaye! Word Up: Museum transfers human remains to care of traditional owners
Awaye! Word Up: Eleanor Bourke
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Julie Reid
Indigenous organisations: 
-
Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates-
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt-
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1
2005Estimate5
2006Census-
2011Census14
2014NILS210
2016Census14
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 None 0
Grammar Sketch grammar (less than 100 pages) 2
Audio-visual More than 10 3
Manuscript note: 
not available
Grammar: 

Reid, Julie. 2008. Wergaia Community Grammar, ms.

Dictionary: 

Reid, Julie. 2008. Wergaia Community Dictionary.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005)          
Dixon (2002)   WEST VICTORIAN AREAL GROUP Kulin subgroup* Wergaya Wemba-Wemba Hercus (1986) further dialects: Baraba-Baraba, Madhi-Madhi, Wadi-Wadi, Ladji-Ladji, Nari-Nari, Wergaya, Djadjala, Wutjabulak, Martijali, Buibatyalli, Nundatyalli, Jab-wurrung, Pirt-Koopen-Noot, Jaja-wurrung
Wurm (1994)          
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Wotjobaluk (Wergaia) Wemba Wemba [dialects: Wemba Wemba, Watiwati, Baraparapa, Wotjobaluk (Wergaia), Warkawarka, Latjilatji, Yariyari, Yaadwa, Yaara, Yugapulk]
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Wergaia (Wotjobaluk)  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Wergaia (Worgaia, Wotjobaluk, Wudjubalug)  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)