Gunaikurnai language

The Gunaikurnai or Gunai/Kurnai (/ˈɡʌnaɪkɜːrnaɪ/ GUN-eye-kur-nye) language, also spelt Gunnai, Kurnai, Ganai, Gaanay, or Kurnay /ˈkɜːrnaɪ/ KUR-nye) is an Australian Aboriginal dialect cluster of the Gunaikurnai people in Gippsland in south-east Victoria. Bidawal was either a divergent dialect or a closely related language.[3]

Gunaikurnai
Gaanay
Kannai
RegionGippsland, Victoria, Australia
EthnicityGunaikurnai (Brabiralung, Braiakaulung, Bratauolung, Krauatungalung, Tatungalung), Bidawal
Native speakers
4 (2016 census)[1]
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
unn – Kurnai
ihw – Bidawal
Glottologgana1279
AIATSIS[3]S68 Gunnai (cover term), S49 Bidawal
ELPKurnai
Sketch map of Gippsland - showing approximately the positions of the clans of the Kurnai tribe.

Varieties

Gunai means 'man'. The language had no traditional name, but each of its dialects was referred to separately.

In a 1996 report to the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages, Clark refers to five Gunaikurnai dialects: Brabralung, Braiakalung, Brataualung, Krauatungalung and Tatungalung.[4]

  • Brabralung (Bra = man, lung = belonging to) located in central Gippsland.
  • Braiakalung (Bra = Man, ak = west, lung = belonging to) located around Sale through to the mountains.
  • Brataualung (men belonging to this place which have fire; Bra = men, Taua or towera = fire, lung = belonging to) located in South Gippsland.
  • Krauatungalung (Kraut = east, lung = belonging to) located eastwards to the Snowy River.
  • Tatungalung (tat = sea, lung = belonging to) located in the coast area between Lake King and Lake Wellington.[5]

Gunaikurnai dialects have been confused with Muk-thang/Bidawal; there appear to be two distinct languages here, but it's not clear which variety belongs to which.[3][6]

Phonology

Like other Victorian languages, Gunaikurnai allowed initial ⟨l⟩ in its words. However, it also allowed initial ⟨rr⟩, and well as the clusters ⟨gr⟩ (⟨kr⟩) and ⟨br⟩ (⟨pr⟩). This is quite unusual for an Australian language, and the same pattern was found in the Tasmanian languages across Bass Strait.

Consonants
Labial Dental Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar
Plosive p/b t̪/d̪ t/d ʈ/ɖ c/ɟ k/ɡ
Nasal m n̪ n ɳ ɲ ŋ
Rhotic r
Lateral l
Approximant w ɻ j

[7][8]

Vowels
Front Central Back
High i u
Mid e o
Low a

Revival

Since the early 1990s, the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL) organisation, established the Yirruk-Tinnor Gunnai/Kŭrnai language program which focused on reviving and reclaiming the Gunnai language of Gippsland. Doris Paton, Coordinator of the Program and Lynnette Solomon-Dent, Language worker and consultant are involved in the program. They have been responsible for developing a number of resource materials to support and educate further knowledge of the Gunnai language and Culture. Lynnette Solomon-Dent co-wrote with Christina Eira the VACL Linguist, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) Aboriginal Languages, cultures and reclamation in Victorian schools: standards P-10 and protocols and were involved in the VCE Revival and Reclamation Study. These teaching documents and resources are collectively used to educate school aged children P-10, VCE, higher learning institutions and the Aboriginal community members, to further their knowledge and allow community members to continue to educate future generations.[9]

Gunaikurnai was featured in a stage performance for the first known time in 2021, when Veronica Gorrie's play "Nullung" ("paternal grandmother") was presented as a play reading by the Melbourne Theatre Company.[10]

Placenames possibly derived from the Gunaikurnai language

A number of placenames in Gunaikurnai country feature the ending -munjie, meaning "place".

PlacenameOrigin
BoolarraThought to mean "plenty".[11]
BriagolongFrom the name of the Braiakulung clan.
BuchanFrom Bukkan-munjie, meaning "place of the bag".
Croajingolong National ParkFrom the name of the Krauatungulung clan.
MoeFrom the term Mouay meaning "swamp", in reference to the large swamp present before being drained by early European settlers.
Moondarra"Thunder"
MorwellAllegedly the anglicised form of the Gunaikurnai words more willie meaning "woolly possum".[12] However, other sources debate this, as the Gunaikurnai word for possum was wadthan, as opposed to wille or wollert in Kulin languages further west.[13]
TraralgonOrigin uncertain. It is popularly believed to be derived from words tarra meaning "river" and algon meaning "little fish". However, these words are not reflected in modern linguists' knowledge of the Gunaikurnai language, where, for example, the word for river is wun wun or wurn wurn.[14] Variations of tarla and gany have been recorded meaning "little" and "fish" respectively.[15]
Wy YungSome sources give spoonbill,[16] others a type of duck.[17]
YallournPossibly from a term for "brown fire".[18]
YarramPossibly from a term Yarraam Yarraam meaning "plenty of water".
YinnarThought to be from the word for "woman".[19]

References
  • Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-47378-0.
  • Mathews, R. H. (October–December 1907). "Language of the Birdhawal tribe, in Gippsland, Victoria". Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society: 346–359.
  • Gardner, P. D. (1996). "The language of the Kurnai tribes of Gippsland : with notes on grammar and pronunciation". Pronunciation: 9–10.
  • Fesl, Eve (1985). Ganai : a study of the Aboriginal languages of Gippsland based on 19th century materials. Ch. 8, pp. 80–92.
  • Butcher, Andrew (August 2008). "Linguistic aspects of Australian Aboriginal English". Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics. 22 (8): 625–642. doi:10.1080/02699200802223535. PMID 18770096. S2CID 32763088.
  • "Welcome to VACL". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.

Notes
  1. "Census 2016, Language spoken at home by Sex (SA2+)". stat.data.abs.gov.au. ABS. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  2. Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxv.
  3. S68 Gunnai (cover term) at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies  (see the info box for additional links)
  4. Ian D. Clark, Aboriginal Language Areas In Victoria Archived 21 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine, A Report to the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages, 14 July 2006. Accessed 24 November 2008
  5. Dent, Lynnette (1993). Koorie Studies; Koorie and Non-Korrie teaching and learning together. Victoria: The Centre for Language & Learning. p. 17.
  6. S68 Muk-Thang at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  7. Gardner, P. D. (1996). The language of the Kurnai tribes of Gippsland : with notes on grammar and pronunciation. pp. 9–10.
  8. Fesl, Eve (1985). Ganai : a study of the Aboriginal languages of Gippsland based on 19th century materials. pp. 80–92.
  9. "Welcome to VACL". Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  10. Davis, Rio; Irving-Guthrie, Amber (23 May 2021). "Ancient Gunaikurnai language makes stage debut as nullung's story is revealed". ABC News. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  11. Boolarra town history
  12. THE NAME OF MORWELL. (9 December 1940). Gippsland Times (Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved 14 October 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63276947
  13. Indigenous and Minority Placenames of Victoria
  14. Gardner, PD. 1992, Names of East Gippsland; their origins, meanings and history, Ngaruk Press, Ensay
  15. Fesl, Eve (1985). Ganai : a study of the Aboriginal languages of Gippsland based on 19th century materials. pp. 159–312.
  16. Profile areas Wy Yung, Lucknow, East Bairnsdale
  17. Wy Yung - Victorian Places
  18. Yallourn - Victorian Places
  19. Mickelethwaite Curr, Edward (1886). "The Australian Race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself over the continent", p.320. J. Ferres.
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