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Home , Anangu, King brown snake, Mutitjulu, Pitjantjatjara, Uluru, Western Desert language

Fact sheet language

Anangu (pronounced arn-ahng-oo) are the There are about 4,000 Pronunciation people in this language traditional owners of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National An emphasis is placed group in an area that on the first syllable Park. They ask visitors to Uluṟu to use this stretches northwest to of and Balgo, west to Port Hedland, Yankunytjatjara words. term. Very few Anangu speak English as south to Kalgoorlie, Yalata, a first language. and Oodnadatta, and The letters ‘ṯ’, ‘n’, ‘ḻ’ and northeast to . ‘ṟ’ can be written with an underline – called For reference Anangu means ‘people’ a retroflex. in Pitjantjatjara and Anangu and non-Anangu linguists have produced Yankunytjatjara. Retroflexes, such as the a Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara to English Dictionary. Pitjantjatjara literally first n' ' in Anangu, are It is available from the Uluṟu Shop at Yulara and means the people who use placed to remind the reader several bookshops in Alice Springs. ‘pitjantja’ when they say to pronounce the sound in ‘coming’. Yankunytjatjara a particular way – which Aboriginal languages are the people who use is different to the sound of It is estimated that prior to European colonisation, more ‘yankunytja’ to say ‘going’. the same letter without the retroflex line. than 250 different languages, including around 800 dialects, The grammar and structure were spoken by . These languages of the Western Desert To pronounce a retroflexed are unique and distinct from each other as English is from languages are noticeably letter, produce the sound Russian, or Italian. different to English. There with a slight curl of the Today however, only 13–20 Indigenous Australian languages are 17 consonants, some tongue toward the back are described as ‘healthy’ and they are regularly spoken. of which non-Pitjantjatjara of the mouth. This produces Another 100 or so are spoken to varying degrees by older speakers find difficult to a sound similar to an ‘r’ Indigenous Australians, but they are at risk as senior people pronounce. There are three sound, for example ‘walpa’ pass away. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vowels, ‘a’, ‘i’ and ‘u’, each is pronounced ‘warlpa’. people are working to maintain and strengthen of which may sound long A retroflex on an ‘ṟ’ indicates their traditional languages. or short. Sounds such as the normal English ‘r’ sound. ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘v’, ‘sh’ or ‘th’ do not An ‘r’ without a retroflex Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara exist. Some ‘old’ words are indicates a rolled ‘rrrr’ Anangu at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park speak adapted for new situations sound, like some European mainly Pitjantjatjara (pronounced as PIT-jan-jarra) and such as the word for tourists, languages. Yankunytjatjara (pronounced as YAN-kun-jarra) with ‘minga’, which literally some people speaking up to six Aboriginal languages. means ‘ants’ because the crowds of visitors moving Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara are dialects of the around the park look like , the largest language group crowds of ants. of Aboriginal . Anangu also incorporate English words such as ‘mutuka’ – motor car.

ULURU NATIONAL PARK

ULURU KATA TJUTA NATIONAL PARK The largest language group of are the dialects of the Western Desert Language

Pitjantjatjara words Places Lungkata...(loong-cart-ah) Central Australian blue-tongue , an The ‘oo’ sound is the same Ininti...(in-in-tee) Red seeds of the as in ‘look’. bean tree often used in making ancestral creature. necklaces and other decorations. It Mala...(mahr-la) rufous hare-wallaby. Family is also the name of the café at the A small wallaby with big-ears and ginger fur. Mala are one of the Tjitji...(gee-gee) child. Cultural Centre. most important ancestral creatures Ngun-tju...(ngoon-choo) mother. Kata Tjuta...(kah-tah choor-tar) translated to Kata ‘head’, tjuta ‘many’ associated with Uluru. Mama...(mah-mah) father. ...(mar-loo) red plains kangaroo. Maruku...(mah-roo-koo) It literally Malu Kami...(kah-mee) grandmother. means belonging to ‘dark’ or Aboriginal An important food and material source Tjamu...(jah-moo) grandfather. people. It is also the name of the (rear leg sinew used as binding for Kangkuṟu...(kan-kooroo) big sister. arts and crafts shop located at the spears). Kuṯa...(koo-tah) big brother. Cultural Centre. Mingkiri...(ming-keer-ree) spinifex , a small nocturnal marsupial. Kuntili...(koo-tu-lee) auntie. ...(moor-ti-djoo-loo) The name of the Anangu community Ngintaka...(nin-tar-ka) perentie, Kamuṟu...(kum-moo-roo) uncle. situated on the eastern side of Uluru the largest , a good food source. Numbers and the name of one of the major waterholes at the base of Uluru. Ngiyari...(nee-ah-ree) thorny devil. Kutju...(koo-joo) one (1). Uluru...(oo-loo-roo) There is no literal Papa...(pah-pah) dog/ Kutjara...(koo-djah-rah) two (2). translation of Uluru, it is a name only, Rapita...(ra-pi-ta) Mankurpa...(man-koor-pah) three (3). like Sydney, Paris, Rome or Berlin. Wanampi...(wahr-nahm-pee) Kutjara-kutjara...four (4). Fauna watersnake. A wanampi lives in Kutjara-mankurpa...five (5). a waterhole and guards it against Itjaritjari...(ee-cha-ree-cha-ree) strangers. Traditionally you would Other words , an ancestral creature alert the wanampi by making noise or Tjukurpa...(chook-or-pa) Anangu yet rarely seen as it lives almost lighting a small fire and announcing law/story. entirely underground. who you are as you approach. This is Kapi...(kah-pee) water. Kalaya...(kah-lay-ah) , the feathers considered appropriate and necessary and meat are both used by Anangu. Waṟu...(wah-roo) fire. behaviour when not in your own Kuniya...(koon-e-ya) is country. Mutitjulu waterhole has Kuḻi...(koo-lee) hot weather, summer. a non-venomous, edible that a resident wanampi. Uwa...(oo-wah) yes. is an important ancestral being. Wiya...(wee-ah) no. Liru...(lear-oo) , Palya...(pahl-yah) okay, good, hello, bye. highly venomous and not eaten, Puḻka...(pool-kah) big. also an important ancestral being. Tjuṯa...(joo-tah) many. Wiṟu...(wi-roo) beautiful.

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