Ngaanyatjarra (IPA: [ˈŋɐːn̪ɐt̪ɐrɐ]; also Ngaanyatjara, Ngaanjatjarra) is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is one of the Wati languages of the large Pama–Nyungan family. It is one of the dialects of the Western Desert Language and is very similar to its close neighbour Ngaatjatjarra, with which it is highly mutually intelligible.

Ngaanyatjarra
Native toAustralia
RegionWestern Australia; Warburton Ranges.
EthnicityNgaanyatjarra
Native speakers
1,051 (2021 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3ntj
Glottologngaa1240
AIATSIS[2]A38
ELPNgaanyatjarra
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Most Ngaanyatjarra people live in one of the communities of Warburton, Warakurna, Tjukurla, Papulankutja (Blackstone), Mantamaru (Jameson) or Kaltukatjara (Docker River). Some have moved to Cosmo Newbery and Laverton in the Eastern Goldfields area of Western Australia.

Origin of the name

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The name Ngaanyatjarra derives from the word ngaanya 'this' which, combined with the comitative suffix -tjarra means 'having ngaanya (as the word for 'this')'. This distinguishes it from its near neighbour Ngaatjatjarra, which has ngaatja for 'this'.

Phonology

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Orthography is in brackets.

Vowels

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Front Back
High i ⟨i⟩ ⟨ii⟩ ʊ ⟨u⟩ ⟨uu⟩
Low a ⟨a⟩ ⟨aa⟩
  • Before alveolar consonants, the two vowels /i, a/ are pronounced as [ɪ, ɐ].
  • Before velar consonants, the three vowels /i, a, ʊ/ are pronounced as [ɪ, ɒ, o].
  • Vowel sounds are rhotacized when preceding retroflex consonants.

Consonants

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Peripheral Laminal Apical
Labial Velar Dental Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
Plosive p ⟨p⟩ k ⟨k⟩ ⟨tj⟩ (c ⟨tj⟩) t ⟨t⟩ ʈ ⟨ṯ⟩
Nasal m ⟨m⟩ ŋ ⟨ng⟩ ⟨ny⟩ (ɲ ⟨ny⟩) n ⟨n⟩ ɳ ⟨ṉ⟩
Lateral ⟨ly⟩ (ʎ ⟨ly⟩) l ⟨l⟩ ɭ ⟨ḻ⟩
Rhotic ɾ~r ⟨r⟩
Approximant w ⟨w⟩ j ⟨y⟩ ɻ ⟨ṟ⟩
  • Laminal stop sounds tend to vary, across the dialects of Ngaanyatjarra. In the Western dialects, they are always pronounced as dental, and in the Eastern dialects they are pronounced as palatal. Yet they are still orthographically transcribed the same as palatal sounds, as in the other dialects.
  • When occurring after nasal sounds, stop consonants become slightly voiced.

Sample text in Ngaanyatjarra

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Watilu kurringka watjarru kulkultju kutipitjaku tjutipungka katuma mirrkatju pala tjurra wanti. Nyangka minymali mirrka paarnu tjunu wantirru tjarrpangu wiltjangka kankunarringu. Nyangku tjilku katjarralu pitjangu mirrka mantjirnu katingu ngalungu. Nyangka wataa mungangka pitjangku kurrinku.

Source Copyright https://omniglot.com/writing/ngaanyatjarra.htm

Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ "SBS Australian Census Explorer". Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. ^ A38 Ngaanyatjarra at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Sources

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