The term Thura-Yura refers to a genetically related sub-group of Pama-Nyungan. This name incorporates th > y lenition which distinguishes the northern members of this sub-group. (2004:179). Yura means Aboriginal person in Adnyamathanha, the corresponding Kuyani word is Thura (Hercus, p.c 2006).
Languages in this sub-group include Kaurna L3; Ngadjuri L5; Nukunu L4; Narangga L1; Barngala L6; Adnyamathanha L10; Kuyani L9; Nauo L2 and Wirangu C1 which exhibits some differences with the Thura-Yura languages described as influences from Western Desert languages.
One particular cultural-linguistic feature uniquely Thura-Yura is the use of ten birth-order names. Another are the regular pronoun forms unique to the sub-group.
In an earlier publication, Hercus refers to Adnyamathanha with the name Adnjamadana-Gujani, or Jura (Hercus, 1974:16). Yura is not the name of a language; it was previously the reference name for L63 but this has been changed to incorporate the language group name.
Hercus, L. 1974. Important Aboriginal languages in Hemisphere, Vol 8 no 1. S 05/2, vol. 18
Simpson, J & L Hercus. 2004. Thura-Yura as a subgroup, in (Bowern & Koch eds) Australian Languages : classification and the comparative method. John Benjamins : Amsterdam/Philadelphia
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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).
