Warnman
Pama-Nyungan
Warnman is a Western Desert Pama-Nyungan language of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, sister to Warlpiri (wbp), Pitjantjatjara (pjt), and other Western Desert dialects. The Warnman traditional country includes the Karlamilyi National Park (formerly Rudall River National Park) — the largest national park in Western Australia and one of the most arid environments on Earth. UNESCO classifies Warnman as critically endangered with only ~50 fluent speakers remaining; the Warnman Native Title claim was determined in 2002. Active language preservation through the WA Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Warnman
Water
kapi
/kapi/
Fire
waru
/waɻu/
Sun
tjirntu
/cinʈu/
Moon
kintirriny
/kinʈiriɲ/
Star
biyi
/biji/
Mother
ngama
/ŋama/
Father
kirrki
/kiɻki/
I
ngayu
/ŋaju/
You
nyuntu
/ɲuntu/
Name
yini
/jini/
Eye
kuru
/kuɻu/
Hand
mara
/maɻa/
Heart
kurda
/kuɖa/
Love
kanyji
/kaɲɟi/
Tree
watiya
/watija/
House
ngurra
/ŋuɻa/
Dog
walyamarra
/waʎamaɻa/
Cat
ngarda
/ŋaɖa/
Eat
ngarra
/ŋaɻa/
Drink
nyaa
/ɲaː/
One
kuyu
/kuju/
Two
kujarra
/kuɟara/
Hello
palya
/paʎa/
Thank you
walytjarra
/waʎcaɻa/
Good
palya
/paʎa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Pama-Nyungan languages
| Meaning | Warnman | Pintupi-Luritja | Pitjantjatjara | Nhanda | Martu Wangka | Warlpiri | Walmajarri |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | kapi /kapi/ | ngapa /ŋapa/ | ngapa /ˈŋapa/ |
| Fire | waru /waɻu/ | waru /waɻu/ | waru /waɻu/ | warla /waɻla/ | waru /waɾu/ | warlu /waɭu/ | warlu /ˈwaɭu/ |
| Sun | tjirntu /cinʈu/ | tjintu /cintu/ | tjintu /cintu/ | wurʼa /wuɾʔa/ | tjirntu /cɪɳʈu/ | wanta /wanta/ | ngalyarra /ŋaˈʎara/ |
| Moon | kintirriny /kinʈiriɲ/ | pira /piɻa/ | pira /piɻa/ | kanyala /kaɲala/ | kayalany /kajalaɲ/ | pira /piɻa/ | pira /ˈpira/ |
| Star | biyi /biji/ | kililpi /kiˈlilpi/ | kililpil /kiˈlilpil/ | indiya /indija/ | piriny /piriɲ/ | wanjirlpirri /waɲɟiɭpiri/ | wirl /wiɭ/ |
| Mother | ngama /ŋama/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | ngunytju /ŋuɲcu/ | ngamaji /ŋamadʒi/ | yakaji /jakaɟi/ | ngati /ŋati/ | ngamaji /ŋaˈmaɟi/ |
| Father | kirrki /kiɻki/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | kuthurra /kutʰuɻa/ | mama /mama/ | kirda /kiɖa/ | kirta /ˈkiʈa/ |
| I | ngayu /ŋaju/ | ngayulu /ŋajulu/ | ngayulu /ŋajulu/ | ngayi /ŋaji/ | ngayu /ŋaju/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ | ngaju /ŋaɟu/ |
| You | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyini /ɲini/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ | nyuntu /ɲuntu/ |
| Name | yini /jini/ | yini /jini/ | ini /ini/ | yini /jini/ | yini /jini/ | yirdi /jiɖi/ | yini /jini/ |
| Eye | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɻu/ | kuru /kuɾu/ | milpa /milpa/ | purlka /ˈpuɭka/ |
| Hand | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɻa/ | mara /maɾa/ | rdaka /ɖaka/ | marnin /ˈmaɳin/ |
| Heart | kurda /kuɖa/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | kurunpa /kuɻunpa/ | pulpara /pulpaɻa/ | kurtu /kʊɻʈu/ | wankaru /waŋkaɻu/ | kurturlu /kuɭˈtuɭu/ |
| Love | kanyji /kaɲɟi/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | mukulya /mukuʎa/ | kanyji /kaɲdʒi/ | mukulyu /mukuʎu/ | nyangu /ɲaŋu/ | — /—/ |
| Tree | watiya /watija/ | punu /punu/ | punu /punu/ | parntany /paɳʈaɲ/ | watarrka /wataɻka/ | watiya /watija/ | watiya /waˈtija/ |
| House | ngurra /ŋuɻa/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | ngura /ŋuɻa/ | nhurra /ɳuɻa/ | ngurra /ŋura/ | ngurra /ŋura/ | ngurra /ˈŋura/ |
| Dog | walyamarra /waʎamaɻa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | kuwiyarl /kuwijaɻl/ | papa /papa/ | jarntu /caɳʈu/ | kunyarr /kuˈɲar/ |
| Cat | ngarda /ŋaɖa/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | paka /paka/ | — /—/ | mungalpa /muŋalpa/ | — /—/ |
| Eat | ngarra /ŋaɻa/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | ngalkuni /ŋalkuni/ | ngarna /ŋaɻna/ | ngalku- /ŋalku/ | ngarni /ŋaɳi/ | nga- /ŋa/ |
| Drink | nyaa /ɲaː/ | tjikini /cikini/ | tjikini /cikini/ | nyuna /ɲuna/ | tjiki- /cɪki/ | purrami /purami/ | nga- /ŋa/ |
| One | kuyu /kuju/ | kutju /kucu/ | kutju /kucu/ | kuyu /kuju/ | kutjarra-wangu /kucara waŋu/ | jinta /cinta/ | kanyjarra /kaɲˈɟara/ |
| Two | kujarra /kuɟara/ | kutjarra /kucaɾa/ | kutjara /kucaɻa/ | wuthada /wut̪aɖa/ | kujarra /kucara/ | jirrama /ɟiɾama/ | kujarra /kuɟara/ |
| Hello | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | walytjarra /waʎcaɻa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Good | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | palya /paʎa/ | walykumarra /waʎkumaɻa/ | palya /paʎa/ | ngurrju /ŋurcu/ | ngurnu /ˈŋuɳu/ |
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