N116.P: Mandjikai

AIATSIS code: 
N116.P
AIATSIS reference name: 
Mandjikai

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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
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Ethnologue name
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ISO 639-3 code
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Tindale name
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Tindale (1974)
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O'Grady et al (1966)
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Glottocode
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Other sources
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Synonyms
Mandjigai
Comment
Comments: 

Schebeck (2001:47) says that Manydjikay (N116.P) comprises Birrkili N116.C, Wangurri N134, Walamangu N79, Wobulgarra N88, Guyamirrilili N103, Golpa N130 and possibly Waramiri N131. Warner (1937) says that Mandjikai (meaning 'sand fly') is a people (phratry) name, and the corresponding language name is Wangurri (meaning 'fresh water'). He does also mention, though, that 'the Warumeri, Wangurri, Wulkara, and Gwiyamil all call themselves Man-dji-kai (sand fly), supposedly the general name for their several languages. Although there is a considerable dialectic variation among the clans within this group, each claiming a distinct language for itself, they all insist that these languages are similar, and distinct and separate from those of all other clans.' (Warner 1937:34). According to Keen (2007 p.c.), Manydjikay (N116.P) means 'sand-fly' and refers to a string of coastal Yirritja moiety ba:purru, but he does not think Birrkili or Warramiri belonged. The Yolng Matha dictionary says 'mandjikay: sandfly--totem for Wangurri clan (not for everyday speech)'. Based on the information available, Mandjikai is unlikely to be a language name. Accordingly it is not included as a language heading in the Thesaurus.

References: 
  • Berndt, Ronald M. 1959. 'Song cycle of the moon-bone'. Oceania 19(1):18-50.
  • Greatorex, John. 2014. Yolngu Matha Dictionary http://yolngudictionary.cdu.edu.au/

  • Oates, Lynette F. 1975. The 1973 supplement to a revised linguistic survey of Australia. Armidale: Armidale Christian Book Centre.
  • Oates, William J., and Lynette F. Oates. 1970. A revised linguistic survey of Australia: Australian Aboriginal Studies 33, Linguistic Series 12. Canberra: AIAS.
  • Schebeck, Bernhard. 2001. Dialect and social groupings in northeast Arnheim [i.e. Arnhem] Land vol. 7: LINCOM studies in Australian languages, no. 7. München: Lincom Europa.
  • Warner, W. Lloyd. 1937. A black civilization: a social study of an Australian tribe. New York: Harper.
Status: 
Unconfirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
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Location information: 
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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
Type Documentation Status Documentation Score
Word list None 0
Text Collection None 0
Grammar None 0
Audio-visual None 0
Manuscript note: 
not available
Grammar: 
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Dictionary: 
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Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005)          
Dixon (2002)          
Wurm (1994)          
Walsh (1981)          
Oates (1975)       Mandjigai  
Wurm (1972)          
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)