Tiwi
Iwaidjan or unclassified
Tiwi is a language isolate of the Tiwi Islands (Bathurst and Melville) off the Northern Territory coast of Australia. Its grammatical complexity — extensive incorporation, polysynthesis, and elaborate gender — and its isolation from other Australian languages have made its precise classification uncertain; it is no longer considered Pama-Nyungan. Modern Tiwi differs significantly from Traditional Tiwi (the deep ceremonial register), reflecting rapid postcontact change.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Tiwi
Water
kukuni
/kukuni/
Fire
yikwani
/jikwani/
Sun
pumarli
/pumaɭi/
Moon
japarra
/japaɾa/
Star
tokwampini
/tokʷampini/
Mother
naringa
/naɾiŋa/
Father
rringani
/ɾiŋani/
I
ngiya
/ŋija/
You
nginja
/ŋiɲca/
Name
yintanga
/jintaŋa/
Eye
pwoja
/pʷodʒa/
Hand
punga
/puŋa/
Heart
miringa
/miɾiŋa/
Love
payinti
/pajinti/
Tree
pirntali
/piɾntali/
House
pumpuni
/pumpuni/
Dog
marlapwawa
/maɭapʷawa/
Cat
pussycat
/pusikat/
Eat
ngarini
/ŋaɾini/
Drink
pirninkili
/piɾninkili/
One
kanyili
/kaɲili/
Two
yirrara
/jiɾaɾa/
Hello
ngirramini
/ŋiɾamini/
Thank you
wuta-wani
/wutawani/
Good
kwati
/kʷati/
Words compared
Compared with related Iwaidjan or unclassified languages
| Meaning | Tiwi | Pintupi-Luritja | Ngunnawal | Pitjantjatjara | North Moluccan Malay | Nhanda | Warnman |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | kukuni /kukuni/ | kapi /kapi/ | kungal /kuŋal/ | kapi /kapi/ | aer /aer/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ |
| Fire | yikwani /jikwani/ | waru /waɻu/ | warba /waɻba/ | waru /waɻu/ | api /api/ | warla /waɻla/ | waru /waɻu/ |
| Sun | pumarli /pumaɭi/ | tjintu /cintu/ | guma /ɡuma/ | tjintu /cintu/ | matahari /matahari/ | wurʼa /wuɾʔa/ | tjirntu /cinʈu/ |
| Moon | japarra /japaɾa/ | pira /piɻa/ | birrang /biɻaŋ/ | pira /piɻa/ | bulan /bulan/ | kanyala /kaɲala/ | kintirriny /kinʈiriɲ/ |
| Star | tokwampini /tokʷampini/ | kililpi /kiˈlilpi/ | dyurra /ɟura/ | kililpil /kiˈlilpil/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | indiya /indija/ | biyi /biji/ |
| Mother | naringa /naɾiŋa/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | guni /ɡuni/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | mama /mama/ | ngamaji /ŋamadʒi/ | ngama /ŋama/ |
| Father | rringani /ɾiŋani/ | mama /mama/ | pumba /pumba/ | mama /mama/ | papa /papa/ | kuthurra /kutʰuɻa/ | kirrki /kiɻki/ |
| I | ngiya /ŋija/ | ngayulu /ŋajulu/ | ngaya /ŋaja/ | ngayulu /ŋajulu/ | kita /kita/ | ngayi /ŋaji/ | ngayu /ŋaju/ |
| You | nginja /ŋiɲca/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | ngindu /ŋindu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | ngana /ŋana/ | nyini /ɲini/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ |
| Name | yintanga /jintaŋa/ | yini /jini/ | yini /jini/ | ini /ini/ | nama /nama/ | yini /jini/ | yini /jini/ |
| Eye | pwoja /pʷodʒa/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | mil /mil/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | mata /mata/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ |
| Hand | punga /puŋa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ |
| Heart | miringa /miɾiŋa/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | gauar /ɡauar/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | hati /hati/ | pulpara /pulpaɻa/ | kurda /kuɖa/ |
| Love | payinti /pajinti/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | marmit /maɻmit/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | cinta /tʃinta/ | kanyji /kaɲdʒi/ | kanyji /kaɲɟi/ |
| Tree | pirntali /piɾntali/ | punu /punu/ | warabi /waɻabi/ | punu /punu/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | parntany /paɳʈaɲ/ | watiya /watija/ |
| House | pumpuni /pumpuni/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | kuni /kuni/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | ruma /ruma/ | nhurra /ɳuɻa/ | ngurra /ŋuɻa/ |
| Dog | marlapwawa /maɭapʷawa/ | papa /papa/ | mirri /miɻi/ | papa /papa/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | kuwiyarl /kuwijaɻl/ | walyamarra /waʎamaɻa/ |
| Cat | pussycat /pusikat/ | pusi /pusi/ | poosi /puːsi/ | pusi /pusi/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | paka /paka/ | ngarda /ŋaɖa/ |
| Eat | ngarini /ŋaɾini/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | daring /daɻiŋ/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | makang /makaŋ/ | ngarna /ŋaɻna/ | ngarra /ŋaɻa/ |
| Drink | pirninkili /piɾninkili/ | tjikini /cikini/ | nyu /ɲu/ | tjikini /cikini/ | minong /minoŋ/ | nyuna /ɲuna/ | nyaa /ɲaː/ |
| One | kanyili /kaɲili/ | kutju /kucu/ | guma /ɡuma/ | kutju /kucu/ | satu /satu/ | kuyu /kuju/ | kuyu /kuju/ |
| Two | yirrara /jiɾaɾa/ | kutjarra /kucaɾa/ | bula /bula/ | kutjara /kucaɻa/ | dua /dua/ | wuthada /wut̪aɖa/ | kujarra /kuɟara/ |
| Hello | ngirramini /ŋiɾamini/ | palya /paʎa/ | yumalundi /jumalundi/ | palya /paʎa/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | — /—/ | palya /paʎa/ |
| Thank you | wuta-wani /wutawani/ | palya /paʎa/ | miyamala /mijamala/ | palya /paʎa/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | — /—/ | walytjarra /waʎcaɻa/ |
| Good | kwati /kʷati/ | palya /paʎa/ | walunga /waluŋa/ | palya /paʎa/ | bae /bae/ | walykumarra /waʎkumaɻa/ | palya /paʎa/ |
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