N141: Gumatj

AIATSIS code: 
N141
AIATSIS reference name: 
Gumatj

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Gumatj language N141
Thesaurus heading people
Gumatj people N141
ABN name
Gumatj language
ABS name
Gumatj
Horton name
-
Ethnologue name
Gumatj
ISO 639-3 code
gnn
Tindale name
Duwala (Gumatj)
Tindale (1974)
Gomaidj, Gumadji, Komaits, Gumaitj, Go-maid
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
guma1253
Other sources
Gumatj, Gumaitj, Gumaidj, Gumadj [Top End Handbook]
Synonyms
Gomaidj, Grumatj, Gumad, Gumadji, Gumady, Gumaidji, Gumait, Kainyao, Komaits, Kumait, Kumatj, Gumadj, Duwala, Gumaitj, Gumaidj, Go maid
Comment
Comments: 

The online Yolngu Matha dictionary describe gumatj as a clan-nation who speak dhuwala'mirri N199.

Gumatj is a Yolngu clan affiliated with Dhuwala N199 language and Yirritja moiety (Wilkinson, 1991:13 and Schebeck, 2001:15).

See also Dhuwaya N116. For Yolngu language groups see Yolngu Matha N230.

Some items in the Collection are described as Gumatj language - as per the description in the material. 

 

 

References: 
  • Greatorex, John. 2014. Yolngu Matha Dictionary http://yolngudictionary.cdu.edu.au/
  • 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.
  • Wilkinson, Melanie P. 1991. Djambarrpuyngu: a Yolngu variety of Northern Australia, University of Sydney: PhD. (MS 3182).
  • Amery, Robert. 1985. A new diglossia: contemporary speech varieties at Yirrkala in north east Arnhem Land, Australian National University: MA. (MS2823).
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
NT
Location information: 

(Dhuwala)

Maps: 
-
Links

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PDF icon Oates_N141.pdf
Tindale 1974
OLAC
SIL
Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Bernhard Schebeck, Yirrkala Community Literature Production Centre, Bible Society
Indigenous organisations: 

East Arnhem Regional Council - https://www.eastarnhem.nt.gov.au/

Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates250
1984Senate-
1990Schmidtincl. with Yolngu Matha N230
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1-
2005Estimate-
2006Census236
2011Census184
2014NILS2
2016Census116
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 Small (20-100 pages) 2
Text Collection Large (more than 200 pages) 4
Grammar None 0
Audio-visual More than 10 3
Manuscript note: 
Available
Grammar: 
-
Dictionary: 

Ross, Joyce. 1984. Gumatj wordlist, 1. Darwin: Northern Territory University Planning Authority.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Pama-Nyungan Yuulngu Dhuwal Gumatj Gumatj [dialectes: Mangalili]
Dixon (2002)   YOLNGU SUBGROUP* Southern Yolngu subgroup* Gumatj Dhuwal/Dhuwala (possibly also Dhuwaya) Morphy (199 1), Wilkinson (1991) dialects include (a) Dhuwala varieties (Yirritja moiety): Gupapuyngu, Gumatj; (b) Dhuwal varieties (Dhuwa moiety): Djambarrpuyngu, Djapu, Liyagalawumirr, Guyamirlili (Gwijamil)
Wurm (1994)          
Walsh (1981)          
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan Murngic Dhuwala Gumadj  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Murngic Yulngu Gumadji  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966) Pama-Nyungan Murngic Yulngu Gomaidj