Walmajarri
Pama-Nyungan (Ngumpin-Yapa)
Ngumpin-Yapa (Pama-Nyungan) language of the Great Sandy Desert and Fitzroy Valley. Walmajarri is split-ergative — pronouns pattern nominative-accusative while nouns are ergative-absolutive — and uses a rich system of bound pronominal clitics that attach to the second-position auxiliary, a hallmark of Ngumpin-Yapa.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Walmajarri
Water
ngapa
/ˈŋapa/
Fire
warlu
/ˈwaɭu/
Sun
ngalyarra
/ŋaˈʎara/
Moon
pira
/ˈpira/
Mother
ngamaji
/ŋaˈmaɟi/
Father
kirta
/ˈkiɭa/
Eat
nga-
/ŋa/
Drink
nga-
/ŋa/
Love
—
/—/
Heart
kurturlu
/kuɭˈtuɭu/
Tree
watiya
/waˈtija/
House
ngurra
/ˈŋura/
Dog
kunyarr
/kuˈɲar/
Cat
—
/—/
Hand
marnin
/ˈmaɳin/
Eye
purlka
/ˈpuɭka/
Hello
—
/—/
Thank you
—
/—/
One
kanyjarra
/kaɲˈɟara/
Good
ngurnu
/ˈŋuɳu/
Sources
- Hudson, Joyce (1978) The Core of Walmatjari Grammar. AIAS, Canberra.
- Richards, Eirlys & Hudson, Joyce (1990) Walmajarri–English Dictionary. SIL.
- Glottolog: Walmajarri
Words compared
Compared with related Pama-Nyungan (Ngumpin-Yapa) languages
| Meaning | Walmajarri | Dyirbal | Makasae | Warlpiri | Martu Wangka | Bukar-Sadong Bidayuh | Matsés |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ngapa /ˈŋapa/ | bana /ˈbana/ | ira /ˈira/ | ngapa /ŋapa/ | kapi /kapi/ | piin /piːn/ | mapi /maˈpi/ |
| Fire | warlu /ˈwaɭu/ | buni /ˈbuni/ | ata /ˈata/ | warlu /waɭu/ | waru /waɾu/ | apui /aˈpui/ | tsibo /tsiˈbo/ |
| Sun | ngalyarra /ŋaˈʎara/ | garri /ˈɡari/ | watu /ˈwatu/ | wanta /wanta/ | tjirntu /cɪɳʈu/ | biduh /biˈduh/ | šëdo /ʂɨˈdo/ |
| Moon | pira /ˈpira/ | gagara /ɡaˈɡara/ | uru /ˈuru/ | pira /piɻa/ | kayalany /kajalaɲ/ | bulan /buˈlan/ | use /uˈse/ |
| Mother | ngamaji /ŋaˈmaɟi/ | gumbu /ˈɡumbu/ | ina /ˈina/ | ngati /ŋati/ | yakaji /jakaɟi/ | sindo /sinˈdoʔ/ | ëna /ɨˈna/ |
| Father | kirta /ˈkiɭa/ | ngumi /ˈŋumi/ | baba /ˈbaba/ | kirda /kiɖa/ | mama /mama/ | samah /saˈmah/ | papa /paˈpa/ |
| Eat | nga- /ŋa/ | janganyu /ɟaŋˈaɲu/ | nawa /ˈnawa/ | ngarni /ŋaɳi/ | ngalku- /ŋalku/ | kuman /kuˈman/ | pe- /pe/ |
| Drink | nga- /ŋa/ | jiwuli /ɟiˈwuli/ | gehe /ˈɡɛhɛ/ | purrami /purami/ | tjiki- /cɪki/ | ŋinum /ŋiˈnum/ | ak- /ak/ |
| Love | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | nyangu /ɲaŋu/ | mukulyu /mukuʎu/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Heart | kurturlu /kuɭˈtuɭu/ | mugu /ˈmuɡu/ | — /—/ | wankaru /waŋkaɻu/ | kurtu /kʊɻʈu/ | — /—/ | šobi /ʂoˈbi/ |
| Tree | watiya /waˈtija/ | yugu /ˈjuɡu/ | ate /ˈate/ | watiya /watija/ | watarrka /wataɻka/ | kayuh /kaˈjuh/ | mado /maˈdo/ |
| House | ngurra /ˈŋura/ | mija /ˈmiɟa/ | oma /ˈoma/ | ngurra /ŋura/ | ngurra /ŋura/ | ramin /raˈmin/ | šobo /ʂoˈbo/ |
| Dog | kunyarr /kuˈɲar/ | guda /ˈɡuda/ | defa /ˈdɛfa/ | jarntu /caɳʈu/ | papa /papa/ | kaso /kaˈsoʔ/ | opa /oˈpa/ |
| Cat | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | mungalpa /muŋalpa/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | marnin /ˈmaɳin/ | mala /ˈmala/ | tana /ˈtana/ | rdaka /ɖaka/ | mara /maɾa/ | təŋən /tə̆ˈŋən/ | mëbi /mɨˈbi/ |
| Eye | purlka /ˈpuɭka/ | jili /ˈɟili/ | nana /ˈnana/ | milpa /milpa/ | kuru /kuɾu/ | baten /baˈten/ | bëdi /bɨˈdi/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ |
| One | kanyjarra /kaɲˈɟara/ | yara /ˈjara/ | u /ʔu/ | jinta /cinta/ | kutjarra-wangu /kucara waŋu/ | isaʔ /iˈsaʔ/ | pazë /paˈzɨ/ |
| Good | ngurnu /ˈŋuɳu/ | — /—/ | rau /rau/ | ngumarna /ŋumaɳa/ | palya /paʎa/ | biis /biːs/ | — /—/ |
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