Djabugay language

Djabugay (or Djabuganjdji; see below for other names) is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Djabugay people with 81 native speakers at the 2021 census.^[3][2] 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.^[4]

Djabugay
Region	Queensland, Australia
Ethnicity	Djabugay, Buluwai, Yirrganydji (Irukandji)
Native speakers	81 (2021 census)[1]
Language family	Pama–Nyungan Paman Djabugay
Dialects	Djabugay Yirrgay (Irrukandji) Bulway Guluy Njagali (Nyagali)[2]
Language codes
ISO 639-3	dyy
Glottolog	dyaa1242
AIATSIS[3]	Y106
ELP	Djabugay
Djabugay is classified as Severely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

Classification

Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the Paman languages.^[5]

Dialects

The following languages are confirmed dialects of Djabugay by the AUSTLANG database maintained by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Djabugay is used both as a language name and a dialect name.^[3] 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^[3][4][6]
• Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi^[7][8]
• Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji^[9][10]
• Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay^[11]
• Y162: Nyagali – Njagali^[12]

Phonology

Consonants^[13]

	Labial	Apico- alveolar	Retroflex	Lamino- palatal	Dorso- velar
Plosive	b	d		ɟ	g
Nasal	m	n		ɲ	ŋ
Lateral		l
Rhotic		r	ɻ
Semivowel	w			j

Vowels^[13]

	Front	Back
High	i      iː	u      uː
Low	a      aː

Vocabulary

Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:^[4][14]

• 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

See also

• Yidiny language