Djabugay (or ''Djabuganjdji''; see below for other names) is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Djabugay people with 46 native speakers at the 2016 census. The Djabugay language region includes Far North Queensland, particularly around the Kuranda Range and Barron River catchment, and the landscape within the local government boundaries of the

Cairns Regional Council The Cairns Region is a local government area in Far North Queensland, Queensland, Australia, centred on the regional city of Cairns. It was established in 2008 by the amalgamation of the City of Cairns and the Shires of Douglas and Mulgrave. H ...

Classification

Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the

Paman languages The Paman languages are an Australian language family spoken on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. First noted by Kenneth Hale, Paman is noteworthy for the profound phonological changes which have affected some of its descendants. Classifica ...

.Bowern, Claire. 2011.
How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?
, ''Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web'', December 23, 2011
corrected
February 6, 2012)

Dialects

The following languages are confirmed dialects of Djabugay by the AUSTLANG database maintained by

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), established as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (AIAS) in 1964, is an independent Australian Government statutory authority. It is a collecting, ...

. Djabugay is used both as a language name and a dialect name. Additional names for these languages and/or dialects have been listed after their names but terms do overlap and the lists are not exhaustive. * Y106: Djabugay / Tjapukai – Barron River dialect, Binggu, Bulum-Bulum, Buluwai, Check-Cull, Chewlie, Dja:bugay, Djabugai, Djabuganjdji, Djabungandji, Dyaabugay, Dyabugandyi, Dyabugay, Hileman, Irukandjai, Kikonjunkulu, Kodgotto, Koko-Tjumbundji, Koko njunkulu, Koko nyungalo, Koko Tjumbundji, Kokonjunkulu, Kokonyungalo, Ngarlkadjie, Njakali, Nyakali, Orlow, Tapelcay, Tcabogai tjanji, Tja:pukanja, Tjabakai-Thandji, Tjabogai tjandji, Tjabogai tjanji, Tjabogaijanji, Tjabogaitjandji, Tjankir, Tjankun, Tjapukandji, Tjapukanja, Tjapunkandji, Tjunbundji, Toabogai tjani, Tuffelcey * Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi * Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji * Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay * Y162: Nyagali – Njagali

Phonology

Consonants

Patz, Elisabeth. “Djabugay.” In ''Handbook of Australian Languages Vol. 4'', edited by R. M. W. Dixon and Barry J. Blake, 4:245–347. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1991.

Vowels

Vocabulary

Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:Duffin, Rhonda & Brim, Rosetta (1993?) ''Ngapi Garrang Bulurru-m: All Things Come from Bulurru''.

Kuranda, Queensland Kuranda is a rural town and locality on the Atherton Tableland in the Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. In the , Kuranda had a population of 3,008 people. It is from Cairns, via the Kuranda Range road. It is surrounded by tropical rain ...

. . * ''Bulurru'': elsewhere known as Dreaming, the source of life. * ''Gurrabana'': where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the wet season side. * ''Gurraminya'': where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the dry season side. * ''Djirri-nyurra'': hello * ''Guyu'': fish * ''Gan gula'': kangaroo * ''Bulmba'': home * ''Bana'': rain * ''Wuru'': river * ''Bungan'': sun

Classification

Dialects

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

Vocabulary

See also

References

Further reading