Green (1989) uses the name Marrithiyel as both a language name and a dialect name. Marrithiyel dialects are Marridan N9, Marri Ammu N162, Marrisjabin N161, and Marrithiyel N7. Further, according to Black and Walsh (1989) and Ford (2007 p.c.), Marri Yedi N164 is a dialect of Marrithiyel.
Green and Nordlinger classify Menthe as a Western Daly non Pama-Nyungan language along with Marramaninjsji N16, Merranunggu N13, Emmi N15, Menthe N6, Marri Ngarr N102, Makati ke N163, Marri Tjevin N161, Marri Ammu N162, and Marri Dan N9 (viewed November 2020).
Green, Ian & Nordlinger, Rachel. The Daly Languages (Australia). Web Resource http://dalylanguages.org
... somewhere between Hermit Hill and Port Keats (Capell 1963 as quoted in Tryon). Between Daly and Moyle Rivers, Knuckey's Lagoon, Bulkanj, Wudi Gapil Diyerr (Green 1989).
Marrithiyel traditional country occupies a large central part of the hinterland between the lower Daly & Moyle Rivers. To the west, on the coast, are Marrithiyel’s sister dialects Marri Tjevin and Marri Ammu, with the Marri Dan dialect to the south. Also to the south are Marri Ngarr, Ngan'gikurunggurr N8 and Marramaninjsji, which is closely related to Marrithiyel. Matngele is then to the east, with the Merranj dialects to the north. The Marrithiyel community have a homelands base in their traditional country at ‘Woodykapildiya’ (Wudi Gapil Diyerr), but also live at Nauiyu and across the greater Darwin region. Only a few fully fluent, elderly speakers of Marrithiyel remain. However, Marrithiyel appears to have once been something of a lingua franca in the Daly, perhaps due to its central location, and there are many part speakers of it to be found across the region (Green & Nordlinger, viewed November 2020).
Search MURA language®
Search OZBIB
Search Trove
Search Worldcat
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).
Green, Ian. 1989. Marrithiyel: a language of the Daly River region of Australia's Northern Territory, Australian National University, PhD.
