G19: Nguburinji

AIATSIS code: 
G19
AIATSIS reference name: 
Nguburinji

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Thesaurus heading people
ABN name
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ABS name
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Horton name
Nguburinji
Ethnologue name
Ganggalida [Nguburindi]
ISO 639-3 code
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Tindale name
Ngoborindi
Tindale (1974)
Ngoborundji, Ngoboringi (g read as dj), Oborindi, Oboroondi, Obor-indi.
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
-
Other sources
Synonyms
Nguburindi, Ganggalida, Naungaun, Nga:wun, Ngoborindi, Ngoboringi, Ngoborundji, Nounun, Nouun, Obor indi, Oborindi, Oboroondi, Ngorborundji
Comment
Comments: 
Languages from the North Wellesley Islands and adjoining mainland include Yukulta (G34), Kayardild G35, Lardil G38 and Yangkaal G37 which O'Grady - Voegelin - Voegelin (1966) classified in the 'Tangkic' group (tangka means 'person' in all four languages). Evans classifies Kayardild G35 and Yangkaal G37 as dialects of one language (South Wellesley), while Yukulta (G34) and Nguburindi G19 are dialects of a separate, but closely related language (Mainland). Lardil (Mornington Island) is further removed,having a historical relationship with Proto-Tangkic (1995:9, 12). Nguburindi (G19) is known only through a word list by Roth (1897), which shares 90 per cent vocabulary with modern Yukulta (Evans, 1995:11). Breen also concludes that Ngubirindi G19 is a dialect of the same language as Yukulta (G34), based on his comparison of data (PMS 221). The Tangkic languages have genetic affiliation with the non-Pama Nyungan languages of Arnhem Land, but long term contact with Pama Nyungan languages led to morphological and lexical borrowing, and a 'typological convergence ... away from the non-Pama-Nyungan headmarking, prefixing type to a fairly typical Pama-Nyungan type ... (Evans, 1995: 30, 38). Blake defines the Tangkic group (Yukulta (G34) Lardil, G38, Kayardild G35) as non-Pama-Nyungan languages, based on the pronoun forms. (1988:39).
References: 
  • Blake, Barry. 1988. Redefining Pama-Nyungan in Evans, Nicholas and Steve Johnson (eds) Aboriginal Linguistics. Armidale: University of New England.
  • Breen, Gavan. 1973. A note on Ngubirindi. (PMS 221)
  • Evans, Nicholas. 1995. A grammar of Kayardild, with historical-comparative notes on Tangkic: Mouton Grammar Library 15. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
  • Harvey, Mark. 2008. Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages: land-language associations at colonisation. AILEC 0802.
  • Roth, Walter Edmund. 1897. Ethnological studies among the north-west-central Queensland Aborigines. Brisbane: Government Printer.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
QLD
Location information: 
Southern headwaters of Gregory River; at River-sleigh, Gregory Downs, and Mount Margaret, north to Lawn Hill Creek and Punjaub; in later years at Morstone Downs which is in Wakabunga country (Tindale 1974) The general territorial affiliations were: A. The drainage of the Gregory downstream from Riversleigh to its junction with the Nicholson. Riversleigh was associated with Yinjilanji. B. The drainage of the Nicholson downstream from Cooinda to its junction with the Gregory. Cooinda was associated with Wanyi. Nguburindi was associated with Mellish Park, Century Mine, Gregory Downs, Planet Downs, and Doomadgee (Harvey ASEDA 802)
Maps: 
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Links
Programs
Activities: 
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People: 
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Indigenous organisations: 
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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
TypeDocumentation StatusDocumentation Score
Word listLess than 20 pages1
Text CollectionNone0
GrammarNone0
Audio-visualLess than 11
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available - unclear status
Grammar: 
-
Dictionary: 
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Classification
SourceFamilyGroupSub-groupNameRelationship
Ethnologue (2005)Pama-NyunganTangicGanggalida [Nguburindi]Ganggalida [dialects: Kangkalita, Nguburindi]
Dixon (2002)TANGKIC SUBGROUP*Kayardild/Yukulta subgroup*NguburindiYukulta (or Yukulu, Kangkalita) Keen (1983) further dialect: Nguburindi
Wurm (1994)Pama-NyunganWagaya-WarluwaricNguburindi
Walsh (1981)Pama-NyunganWagaya-WarluwaricWarluwara/ThawaNguburindi
Oates (1975)Ngorborundji
Wurm (1972)
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)