S35: Boonwurrung

AIATSIS code: 
S35
AIATSIS reference name: 
Boonwurrung

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Boonwurrung language S35
Thesaurus heading people
Boonwurrung people S35
ABN name
-
ABS name
-
Horton name
Boonwurrung
Ethnologue name
-
ISO 639-3 code
-
Tindale name
Bunurong
Tindale (1974)
Boonurrong, Boonoorong, Boonoor-ong, Boon-oor-rong, Boongerong, Bunwurung, Bunwurru (language name ['bu:n] = no, ['wur:u] = lip or speech), Bunuron (man = [kulin]), Putnaroo, Putmaroo, Thurung (name applied by eastern neighbors = 'tiger snakes,' they came sneaking about to kill us), Toturin (general term applied to several tribes in west by the Kurnai = 'black snake'), Gippsland dialect (of Thomas, 1862), Mordialloc tribe (corruption of a place name).
O'Grady et al (1966)
Boonurrong, Boonoorong, Bunwurung, Bunwurru
Glottocode
-
Other sources
Bun wurrung, Boatnairo (may be a clan), Boatnarro, Putnaroo, Putmaroo, Bonurong, Bonnings, Boonnong, Boomerang, Port Phillip Aborigines, Bon-gar-rong, Bon-ga-rong, Boom ner wrong, Boomerong, Boonerong, Boong wer rong, Boongerong, Bounworong, Boonwoorong, Boonworong, Bonwarry, Westernport blacks, Boong.er.rong, Boong.er.ong, Bonwerong, Boormarong, Boonmerong, Bon-worong, Boonmorong, Boonmerong, Bon-wrogon, Boonmorong, Boonrong, Boongerang, Boon.ger.rong, Boonwo-rong, Western Port tribe, Boonurong, Bonwrong, Boungerong, Bournourong, Boongurong, Boonguerong, Boonwerung, Boonwerong, Boomeronge, Boon wurong, Coast tribe, Boonoorong, Boon-oor-rong, Boonurrong, Bunwurru, Bun-wurru, Bunwurung, Boon-wurung, Boon wurung, Borawong, Bunoorong, Bunurong, Boonerang, Bunuron, Bunarong, Bunerong, Boonoor-ong, Bunwurong, Bunwurra, Thurung (name applied by eastern neighbours = tiger snakes, they came sneaking about to kill us), Boonoorung, Boonworung, Boonwurrong, Bonourong, Bunerung, Boonooroong, Bunwurung [Clark 1990:363] Boonwurrung [Clark 2005, VACL] Boon Wurrung [VACL map]
Synonyms
Bun wurrung, Bunorong, Barrabool, Boonerwrung, Boon oor rong, Boongerong, Boonoor ong, Boonoorong, Boonurrong, Bunuron, Bunurong, Bunwurru, Bunwurung, Gippsland dialect, Mordialloc tribe, Putmaroo, Putnaroo, Thurung, Toturin, Boatnairo, Boatnarro, Bonurong, Bonnings, Boonnong, Boomerang, Port Phillip Aborigines, Bon gar rong, Bon ga rong, Boom ner wrong, Boomerong, Boonerong, Boong wer rong, Bounworong, Boonwoorong, Boonworong, Bonwarry, Westernport blacks, Boong, er, rong, ong, Bonwerong, Boormarong, Boonmerong, Bon worong, Boonmorong, Bon wrogon, Boonrong, Boongerang, Boon, ger, Boonwo rong, Western Port tribe, Boonurong, Bonwrong, Boungerong, Bournourong, Boongurong, Boonguerong, Boonwerung, Boonwerong, Boomeronge, Boon wurong, Coast tribe, Bun wurru, Boon wurung, Borawong, Bunoorong, Boonerang, Bunarong, Bunerong, Bunwurong, Bunwurra, Boonoorung, Boonworung, Boonwurrong, Bonourong, Bunerung, Boonooroong, Burinyung-balluk, Mayone-balluk, Ngaruk-willam, Yowenjerre, Yawen-djirra, Yallock-bullock, Yalukit Willam, Yalukit Willeem
Comment
Comments: 

According to Blake (1991:31), this is a dialect of the same language as Woiwurrung S36 and Thagungwurrung S37. Blake says the language has no name but he refers to it as Woiwurrung (thus using Woiwurrung as both dialect and language name), though he also calls it 'the Melbourne language'. He refers to speakers of these dialects as Kulin, noting that this is a narrower use of the term than is usual. Blake (1991:30, 49) also indicates a possible additional dialect in the northern Thagungwurrung area, Ngoorra S83, which he says takes its name from the Ngoora-yilam clan. Blake reports that this dialect is identified by Barwick (1984:125), but says it may simply have been an alternative name for Thagungwurrung.

Clans associated with Boonwurrung include Burinyung-balluk, Mayone-balluk, Ngaruk-willam, Yowenjerre (Yawen djirra), Yallock-bullock and Yalukit Willam (Blake, 1991: 47-48).

 

References: 
  • Barwick, Diane. 1984. Mapping the past: an atlas of Victorian clans 1835-1904. Pt 1. Aboriginal history, vol. 8, nos 1-2, pp. 100-131. (p BAR)
  • Blake, Barry. 1991. Woiwurrung, the Melbourne language. In Handbook of Australian languages vol. 4, eds R. M. W. Dixon and B. J. Blake, 30-122. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Clark, Ian. 2005. Aboriginal language areas in Victoria - a reconstruction: a report to Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages. Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
VIC
Location information: 

... land around Western Port and took in the Mornington Peninsula. In the eaast the boundary was the Tarwin River and to the west their territory extended in a strip that ran around the head of Port Phillip Bay probably as far as the Werribee River (Blake 1991:47).

 

Maps: 
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Links

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PDF icon Oates_S35.pdf
Tindale 1974
Aboriginal Languages Victoria
Awaye! Word Up: Nganga means to see and understand
Awaye! Word Up: Bagurrk honours women through theatre
Awaye! Word Up: the places that name us #2
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
-
Indigenous organisations: 

Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation - https://www.bunuronglc.org/

Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates-
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt-
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1-
2005Estimate-
2006Census-
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 Less than 20 pages 1
Text Collection None 0
Grammar A few articles 1
Audio-visual None 0
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available - unclear status
Grammar: 

Blake, Barry. 1991 Woiwurrung: the Melbourne language. In The handbook of Australian languages vol 4. eds. RMW Dixon and B Blake, 30-122. Oxford University Press.

Dictionary: 

Blake, Barry. 1991 Woiwurrung: the Melbourne language. In The handbook of Australian languages vol 4. eds. RMW Dixon and B Blake, 30-122. Oxford University Press.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005)          
Dixon (2002)   WEST VICTORIAN AREAL GROUP Kulin subgroup* Bun-wurrung Wuy-wurrung Blake (1991) further dialects: Bun-wurrung, Dhagung-wurrung
Wurm (1994)          
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Bunwurung Wuywurrung [dialects: Wuywurrung, Bunwurung, Thagawurung]
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Bunwurung  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Bunurong  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966) Pama-Nyungan Kulinic Kulin Bunurong