Ngalkgan (N77) is a non-Pama Nyungan language of the Northern Territory, and is most closely related to Rembarrnga N73 within the Gunwinyguan genetic group; both languages are quite closely related to the Bininj Gun-wok N186 dialect chain (2008:3). Children have not acquired Ngalakgan fully since the 1930s; Baker collaborated with the last three speakers (Baker, 2008:5).
Bulman, Roper Valley Station, and Ngukurr (Merlan 1983: v). North of the Roper River from the Wilton to Mainoru (Top End Handbook).
The general associations were to the Wilton River south from Mt Catt, to lower Flying Fox Creek, lower Maiwok Creek, and the section of the Roper between Maiwok Creek and the Wilton River. There was little precise information on the limits of Ngalakgan in 2007. In the south-west, Urapunga and Roper Bar were associated with Ngalakgan. Ngukurr was associated with Yukul. In the north, Mt Catt was associated with Ngalakgan. Bulman was associated with Dalabon (Harvey AILEC 0802).
Roper River region of the Northern Territory (Baker 2008:2).
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Ngukurr Language Centre https://ngukurrlc.org.au/
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).
Baker, Brett. 2008. Word structure in Ngalakgan. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press (revised PhD thesis).
Baker, Brett. 1999. Word structure in Ngalakgan, University of Sydney (PhD). ASEDA 0704.
Merlan, Francesca. 1983. Ngalakan grammar, texts and vocabulary: Pacific Linguistics B89. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
Merlan, Francesca. 1982. Ngalakan dictionary, ms. Merlan, Francesca. Ngalakan Dictionary, ASEDA 0627.
