A112: Ngunuru

AIATSIS code: 
A112
AIATSIS reference name: 
Ngunuru

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Comment
Comments: 

Ngunuru ('middle') Wajarri is the variety from around Meekatharra, south of Nharnu and probably extending further east, maybe part way to Wiluna and Western Desert country. This could also be called 'Mileura Wajarri' A114, i.e. using a station as a reference point. Marmion (2015 p.c.) says this is likely.

The Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation web site lists Ngunuru (A112) among 'some of' the Wajarri A39 dialects, the others being Birdungu A40, Nharnu A115, Nhugarn A71, Byro A113 and Mileura A114. Marmion (1996:7), however, only describes three dialects: 'Southern Wajarri' A39 (a term coined by Marmion to disambiguate this unnamed variety from the other two dialects), Nhugarn A71 and Birdungu A40 / Ngunuru (A112). Note that Marmion conflates Birdungu and Ngunuru, treated as distinct dialects by Bundiyarra. Marmion explains that this dialect of Wajarri A39 is known to the Nhugarn A71 as Birdungu A40 but that speakers refer to themselves as Ngunuru (A112), a term meaning 'middle', referencing their position between the Western Desert people and the other varieties of Wajarri.

 

References: 
Status: 
Potential data
Location
State / Territory: 
WA
Location information: 

Ngunuru Wajarri around Belele station (Elefsiniotis of Irra Wangga - Geraldton Language Programme, 2007 p.c.)

 

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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
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Classification
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