Turrbal is an Aboriginal Australian language of the Turrbal people of the Brisbane area of Queensland.
| Turrbal | |
|---|---|
| Yagara | |
| Region | Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Turrbal |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | yxg |
| Glottolog | yaga1256 Yagara-Jandai |
| AIATSIS[1] | E86 Turubul, E23 Jagara |
| ELP | Yagara |
Alternate spellings include Turubul, Turrubal, Turrabul, Toorbal, and Tarabul.[2][3]
Classification
The four dialects listed in Dixon (2002)[4] are sometimes seen as separate Durubalic languages, especially Jandai and Nunukul; Yagara, Yugarabul, and Turrbul proper are more likely to be considered dialects.[1][5][6]Turrbal (E86) has been variously classified as a language, group of languages or as a dialect of another language.[1] F. J. Watson classifies Turrbal (E86) as a sub group of Yugarabul E66 , which is most likely the language Yagara E23.[7] Norman Tindale uses the term Turrbal (E86) to refers to speakers of the language of Yagara E23.[8] John Steele classifies Turrbal (E86) as a language within the Yagara language group.[9] R. M. W. Dixon classifies Turrbal as a dialect of the language of Yagera, in the technical linguistic sense where mutually intelligible dialects are deemed to belong to a single language.[10]
Phonology
Consonants
| Peripheral | Laminal | Apical | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labial | Velar | Palatal | Alveolar | |
| Plosive | b | ɡ | ɟ | d |
| Nasal | m | ŋ | ɲ | n |
| Rhotic | r | |||
| Lateral | l | |||
| Approximant | w | j | ||
- Stop sounds may also be heard as voiceless [p, t, c, k].
Vowels
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Open | a |
Influence on other languages
The Australian English word yakka, an informal term referring to any work, especially of strenuous kind, comes from the Yagara word yaga, the verb for 'work'.[13][14]
The literary journal Meanjin takes its name from the Turrbal name for the land centred at Garden's Point on which Brisbane was founded.[15] This name is now more broadly used for the greater Brisbane area.[16][17]
Vocabulary
Some words from the Turrbal / Yagara language include:[18][19][20][21]
- Bigi: sun
- Binung: ear
- Bugwal: wallaby
- Buneen: echidna
- Bangil / bungil: grass
- Buhn: knee
- Buyu: shin
- Deear : teeth
- Dhagun: land
- Dhambur : mouth
- Dharang: leg
- Dhiggeri: belly / stomach
- Dinna: foot
- Dyrrbin: bone
- Gahm: head
- Giga: shoulder
- Gurumba bigi: good day
- Gujah / guttah: snake
- Gagarr / guyurr: fish
- Juhrram: rain
- Juwahduwan / juwahnduwan / juwanbinl: bird(s)
- Killen: finger
- Kundul: canoe
- Marra: hand
- Dumbirrbi / marrambi: koala
- Mil: eye / eyes
- Guruman / murri: kangaroo
- Muru: nose
- Nammul: children
- Nggurrun: neck
- Ngumbi: home / camp
- Tahbil: water (fresh)
- Towan: fish
- Tullei: tree
- Waiyebba: arm
- Wunya: welcome / greetings
- Yilam: forehead
References
Further reading
- Indigenous Language Wordlists: Turubul Body Parts, published by State Library of Queensland under CC-BY license, accessed 14 June 2022
- Indigenous Language Wordlists: Yugarabul Body Parts, published by State Library of Queensland under CC-BY license, accessed 14 June 2022
- Indigenous Language Wordlists: Yugara Everyday Words, published by State Library of Queensland under CC-BY license, accessed 14 June 2022