N36: Bilinarra

AIATSIS code: 
N36
AIATSIS reference name: 
Bilinarra

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Bilinarra language N36
Thesaurus heading people
Bilinarra people N36
ABN name
-
ABS name
Bilinarra
Horton name
Bilinara
Ethnologue name
Ngarinman [Bilinara]
ISO 639-3 code
-
Tindale name
Bilingara
Tindale (1974)
Bilinara, Bilinurra, Bilyanarra, Bilyanurra, Plinara, Pillenurra, Billianera, Bulinara, Bringara, Boonarra.
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
-
Other sources
Wilingura (?), Bilingarra [Top End Handbook]
Synonyms
Pilinara, Ngarinman, Bunara, Bilinara, Bilinurra, Bilyanarra, Bilyanurra, Plinara, Pillenurra, Billianera, Bulinara, Bringara, Boonarra
Comment
Comments: 

McConvell says this is a dialect of Ngarinyman C27 (1980). Documentation on Ngarinyman C27 may be relevant.

 

References: 
  • Meakins, F & Nordlinger, R. 2014. A Grammar of Bilinarra: An Australian Aboriginal Language of the Northern Territory. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
  • Nordlinger, Rachel. 1990. A sketch grammar of Bilinara, University of Melbourne: BA (Hons). (MS 3001).
  • Harvey, Mark. 2008. Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages: land-language associations at colonisation. AILEC 0802.
  • McConvell, Patrick. 1980. Hierarchical variation in pronominal clitic attachment in the eastern Ngumbin languages. In Contributions to Australian linguistics, eds Bruce Rigsby and Peter Sutton, 31-117. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
NT
Location information: 

The Bilinara community live at Pidgeon Hole Station, an outstation of the larger Victoria River Downs Station (Nordlinger 1990:3).

The general affiliation was to the western drainage of the Victoria. Pigeon Hole, Gregory's Remarkable Pillar, and Mount Sanford were all affiliated with Bilinarra. Bilinarra affiliations extended west to Midnight Yard (Harvey AILEC 802).

 

Maps: 
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Links

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Tindale 1974
Bilinarra online dictionary
Sourcebook for Central Australian Languages (1981): 

Wadiwangga (A39.1 ) in Sourcebook for Central Australian Languages (1981).

Pilinara

Names of the language and different spellings that have been used:
Bilinara, Pilinara, Mulbera (Kaberry, alternate name), Wanjira (SAW), Wandjira (T,AC, AIAS, RLS)
Classification of the language:
Identification codes:
Oates '73:
AIAS: N.036
Capell:
Present number and distribution of speakers:
Wave Hill
Milliken, 1972 -- 13
Black, 1979 --
People who have worked intensively on the language:
Practical orthography:
None established. Gurindji orthography probably suitable.
Word lists:
McConvell ms.
Grammar or sketch grammar:
None.
Material available on the language:
McConvell, Patrick. 1975. Bilinara and Gurindji texts. (Ms 1000, AIAS)
---------- Bilinara. 28p. xeroxed ms. (body parts wordlist, some verb analysis, text)
Parrish, Lucy. 1980. Pilinara word list. (based on field notes by P. McConvell). 9p. ts. IAD.
Literacy material:
None.

Kathy Menning (comp.) and David Nash (ed.) 1981. © IAD Press

AIATSIS gratefully acknowledges IAD Press for permission to use this material in AUSTLANG.

Programs
Activities: 

Diwurruwurru-Jaru Aboriginal Corporation made recordings and materials early 2000'.

People: 
Carolin Jones, Patrick McConvell, Rachel Nordlinger, Katherine Regional Aboriginal Language Centre
Indigenous organisations: 

Diwurruwurru-jaru Katherine Regional Language Centre

Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates-
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt-
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1134
2005Estimate10
2006Census18
2011Census59
2014NILS250
2016Census-
2018-2019NILS31-10

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 Small (20-100 pages) 2
Grammar Small grammar (100-200 pages) 3
Audio-visual Less than 1 1
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 

Nordlinger, Rachel. 1990. A sketch grammar of Bilinara, University of Melbourne: BA (Hons).

Dictionary: 

Nordlinger, Rachel. Birlinarra, ASEDA 0661.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Pama-Nyungan South-West Ngumbin Ngarinman [Bilinara] Ngarinman [dialect: Bilinara (Pilinara)]
Dixon (2002)   NORTHERN DESERT FRINGE SUBGROUP Edgar Range to Victoria River subgroup* Pilinara Gurindji (Kuurrinjtji) McConvell (ms.a) further dialects: Wanjdjirra, Malngin, Wurlayi, Ngarinman, Pilinara; possibly also Kartangarurru
Wurm (1994)          
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan South-West Ngumbin Bilinara Ngarinman [dialects: Bilinara, Eastern (Ngarinman), Wurlayi]
Oates (1975)       Bulinara  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Southwest (or Nyungic) Ngumbin Bunara  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)