Adnyamathanha-na yarta
Adnyamathanha
Pama-Nyungan
Adnyamathanha (Adnyamathanha-na yarta, "Adnyamathanha country language", or "Hills People") is a critically endangered Pama-Nyungan Aboriginal language of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. The Adnyamathanha people are deeply tied to the spectacular geology of the Flinders, which features in their Yura Muda (Dreamtime) narratives. The Wilpena Pound (Ikara) and surrounding rangelands are central cultural sites. Adnyamathanha shares Thura-Yura family features with the better-documented Kaurna (Adelaide Plains, also nearly extinct) and Wirangu. The Schebeck 1973 reference grammar made Adnyamathanha accessible to academic linguistics, and the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association supports ongoing revitalization through school programs and Yura Muda recordings.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Adnyamathanha
Water
awi
/awi/
Fire
warlu
/waɻlu/
Sun
yidnu
/jidnu/
Moon
vuyu
/vuju/
Mother
nyangka
/ɲaŋka/
Father
arndu
/aɳɖu/
Eat
ngalkanha
/ŋalkan̪a/
Drink
ulpanha
/ulpan̪a/
Love
mukunha
/mukun̪a/
Heart
kurda
/kuɖa/
Tree
urtu
/uʈu/
House
vakali
/vakali/
Dog
vurlpu
/vuɻlpu/
Cat
vunmara
/vunmaɻa/
Hand
mara
/maɻa/
Eye
mina
/mina/
Hello
palya
/paʎa/
Thank you
mukunha
/mukun̪a/
One
mukuna
/mukuna/
Good
ngarrkanha
/ŋaɻkan̪a/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Pama-Nyungan languages
| Meaning | Adnyamathanha | Pitjantjatjara | Pintupi-Luritja | Warnman | Nhanda | Olkol | Noongar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | awi /awi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kupa /kupa/ | kep /kep/ |
| Fire | warlu /waɻlu/ | waru /waɻu/ | waru /waɻu/ | waru /waɻu/ | warla /waɻla/ | paral /paɻal/ | kaarl /kaːɻl/ |
| Sun | yidnu /jidnu/ | tjintu /cintu/ | tjintu /cintu/ | tjirntu /cinʈu/ | ngama /ŋama/ | naŋkari /naŋkaɻi/ | ngangk /ŋaŋk/ |
| Moon | vuyu /vuju/ | pira /piɻa/ | pira /piɻa/ | kintirriny /kinʈiriɲ/ | kanyala /kaɲala/ | kakal /kakal/ | miyak /mijak/ |
| Mother | nyangka /ɲaŋka/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | ngurra /ŋuɻa/ | ngamaji /ŋamadʒi/ | ngangi /ŋaŋi/ | ngangk /ŋaŋk/ |
| Father | arndu /aɳɖu/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | kirrki /kiɻki/ | kuthurra /kutʰuɻa/ | kaba /kaba/ | maam /maːm/ |
| Eat | ngalkanha /ŋalkan̪a/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | ngarra /ŋaɻa/ | ngarna /ŋaɻna/ | ngarinya /ŋaɻiɲa/ | ngarn /ŋaɻn/ |
| Drink | ulpanha /ulpan̪a/ | tjikini /cikini/ | tjikini /cikini/ | nyaa /ɲaː/ | nyuna /ɲuna/ | kupa nyaa /kupa ɲaː/ | ngarn /ŋaɻn/ |
| Love | mukunha /mukun̪a/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | kanyji /kaɲɟi/ | kanyji /kaɲdʒi/ | kanyji /kaɲɟi/ | djaadjam /dʒaːdʒam/ |
| Heart | kurda /kuɖa/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | kurda /kuɖa/ | pulpara /pulpaɻa/ | piku /piku/ | kortang /koɻtaŋ/ |
| Tree | urtu /uʈu/ | punu /punu/ | punu /punu/ | watiya /watija/ | parntany /paɳʈaɲ/ | warray /waɾaj/ | boorn /boːɻn/ |
| House | vakali /vakali/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | ngurra /ŋuɻa/ | nhurra /ɳuɻa/ | mariŋ /maɻiŋ/ | mia /maja/ |
| Dog | vurlpu /vuɻlpu/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | walyamarra /waʎamaɻa/ | kuwiyarl /kuwijaɻl/ | kunpa /kunpa/ | dwert /dweɻt/ |
| Cat | vunmara /vunmaɻa/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | ngarda /ŋaɖa/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | nguni /ŋuni/ |
| Hand | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mar /maɻ/ |
| Eye | mina /mina/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | mil /mil/ | mel /mel/ |
| Hello | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | kaya /kaja/ |
| Thank you | mukunha /mukun̪a/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | walytjarra /waʎcaɻa/ | marlu /maɻlu/ | marlu /maɻlu/ | boordawan /boːɻdawan/ |
| One | mukuna /mukuna/ | kutju /kucu/ | kutju /kucu/ | kuyu /kuju/ | kuyu /kuju/ | kuyu /kuju/ | keny /keɲ/ |
| Good | ngarrkanha /ŋaɻkan̪a/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | walykumarra /waʎkumaɻa/ | palya /paʎa/ | kwobidak /kwobidak/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.