G21: Mbara

AIATSIS code: 
G21
AIATSIS reference name: 
Mbara

tabs_horizontal

Name
Thesaurus heading language
Mbara language G21
Thesaurus heading people
Mbara people G21
ABN name
-
ABS name
-
Horton name
Mbara
Ethnologue name
Mbara
ISO 639-3 code
mvl
Tindale name
-
Tindale (1974)
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
mbar1254
Other sources
Bargal [Sutton 1976:103]
Synonyms
Ambara, Mitjamba, Balgalu, Bargal
Comment
Comments: 

Sutton says that Mbara and Mitjamba G18 are the same dialect, and are mutually intelligible with Yanga Y131 (in Oates 1974:298). Oates subsumes Mbara under Midjamba. Sutton says Mitjamba may be an exonym for Mbara, used by a Gudjal E60 person, and that Bargal G22 may be a Ngawun G17 exonym for Mbara (1976:103).

 

References: 
  • Oates, Lynette F. 1975. The 1973 supplement to a revised linguistic survey of Australia. Armidale: Armidale Christian Book Centre.
  • Sutton, Peter. 1976. The diversity of initial dropping languages in southern Cape York. In Languages of Cape York, ed. Peter Sutton, 102-123. Canberra: AIAS.
  • 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: 

On Woolgar and Stawell rivers; north to Gregory Range and Gledswood; west to near Saxby Downs; east to Chudleigh Park; south to Cambridge Downs (Tindale 1974).

 

Maps: 
-
Links

Search MURA people®

Search MURA language®

Search OZBIB

Search Trove

Search Worldcat

PDF icon Oates_G21.pdf
-
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Gavan Breen
Indigenous organisations: 
-
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 None 0
Audio-visual 1-10 2
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 
-
Dictionary: 
-
Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Pama-Nyungan Mbara   Mbara  
Dixon (2002)   SOUTH-EAST CAPE YORK PENINSULA GROUP   Mbara (Ambara) Mbara (and, possibly, Yanga; alternative names: Ambara, Bargal)
Wurm (1994) Pama-Nyungan Paman   Mbara  
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan Paman Southern Pama Mbara  
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan     Mbara (G18)  
Wurm (1972)          
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)