Malak-Malak languageEndangered Aboriginal language of Australia's Northern

Territory
Malak-MalakMullukmullukNguluk WanggarrRegionNorthern TerritoryEthnicityMulluk-
Mulluk, Ngolokwangga, DjeraitNative speakers10 Malak-Malak (2016 census)[1]5
Tyeraity (2005)[2]Language familylanguage isolateDialects
Malak-Malak
Djerait (Kuwema)
Writing systemLatinLanguage codesISO 639-3Either:mpb – Malak-Malakwoa – Kuwema
(Tyaraity)Glottolognort1547AIATSIS[2]N22 Malak Malak, N10 Kuwema (Tyaraity)ELPMalak
Malak Kuwema[3]This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering
support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode
characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.
Malak-Malak (also spelt Mullukmulluk, Malagmalag), also known as Ngolak-Wonga
(Nguluwongga), is an Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Mulluk-Mulluk
people. Malakmalak is nearly extinct, with children growing up speaking Kriol or
English instead. The language is spoken in the Daly River area around Woolianna and
Nauiyu. The Kuwema or Tyaraity (Tyeraty) variety is distinct.

Contents

1 Classification
2 Phonology

2.1 Vowels[12]
2.2 Consonants[12]

3 Typological classification
4 Morphosyntactic properties
5 Spatial Language
6 Vocabulary
7 References
8 External links

Classification[edit]
Malakmalak was formerly classified in a Northern Daly family along with the "Anson
Bay" group of Wagaydy (Patjtjamalh, Wadjiginy, Kandjerramalh) and the unattested
Giyug. Green concluded that Wagaydy and Malakmalak were two separate language
families.[4] Some later classifications have linked them such as Bowern (2011).[5]
However, the Wagaydy people are recent arrivals in the area, and their language may
only similar due to borrowing.[6] AIATSIS and Glottolog both treat Wagaydy as an
isolate and Giyug as unclassifiable.
In contemporary usage, "Northern Daly" (e.g. Harvey 2003,[7] Cahir 2006,[8]
Nordlinger 2017[9]) most often refers specifically to the group of languages which
includes Malakmalak and Tyerraty[10] (also known as Guwema), a variety with which
MalakMalak differs significantly in vocabulary (65% according to Tryon's 200 word
list), but is very close to morphologically.[11]

Phonology[edit]
Vowels[12][edit]

Front

Central
Back

Close

ɯ / u

Mid

Open

Consonants[12][edit]

Bilabial

Alveolar

Retroflex

Palatal

Velar

Nasal

Stop
voiceless

voiced

Rhotic

Lateral

Semivowel

w
j

Typological classification[edit]
MalakMalak, is an ergative-absolutive language with constituent order mainly
determined by information structure and prosody, but syntactically free. Marking of
core-cases is optional. The language is mostly dependent-marking (1), but also has
no marking (2) and head-marking features (2).[13]

(1)dependent-marking: possessionDoro-ngayiname-3SG.FmuyinydogDoro-ngayi muyinyname-

3SG.F dog"Doro's dog"

(2)no marking: noun-

adjectivemeldatytripada1SG.EXCL.go.PSTtjungstickyintjerriksmall.Mmeldaty ada tjung
yintjerriktrip 1SG.EXCL.go.PST stick small.M"I tripped on the little stick"

(3)head-marking: noun-adpositionngatjEMPHyunu3SG.M.sit.PSTtjinangstay.givepak-
masit-CONTnendething/personwagwaterpuyunduk-nanaunderneath-LOCngatj yunu tjinang
pak-ma nende wag puyunduk-nanaEMPH 3SG.M.sit.PST stay.give sit-CONT thing/person
water underneath-LOC"he sits down underneath the water"

Morphosyntactic properties[edit]
MalakMalak's verb phrase uses complex predicates. These consist of an inflecting
verb that has properties of person, number and tense. MalakMalak only has six such
verbs. In example (4), yuyu and vida are inflecting verbs. Additionally, there are
coverbs which have aspectual properties, but do not inflect for number, tense or
person. They occur with inflecting verbs. They are unlimited in number and new
verbs are also borrowed into this class. In (4), kubuk-karrarr, dat-tyed, and ka
are coverbs. They can also form serial verbs (kubuk-karrarr, dat-tyed).[14]

(4)Complex Predicates and Serial Coverbskubuk-karrarrswim-move.updat-tjedlook-

standyuyu3SG.M.stand.PSTyanakonekacomeyida=ke3SG.M.go.PST=FOCkubuk-karrarr dat-tjed
yuyu yanak ka yida=keswim-move.up look-stand 3SG.M.stand.PST one come
3SG.M.go.PST=FOC"he crossed the river and looked once, then he came here"

Spatial Language[edit]
MalakMalak employs all three "classic" types of spatial Frames of Reference:
intrinsic, relative and absolute. Additionally, the language uses place names and
body-part orientation to talk about space.[15][16] The intrinsic Frame requires
some kind of portioning of the ground object or landmark into named facets from
which search domains can be projected.[17] In English this would be, for example,
the tree is in front of the man. And in MalakMalak it would be (5).

(5)intrinsic Frame of Referencetjungtreeangundu-nabehind-

LOCmuyu3SG.N*.stand.PSTtjung angundu-na muyutree behind-LOC 3SG.N*.stand.PST"the
tree was behind (the man)"

The relative Frame of Reference involves mapping from the observer's own axes
(front, back, left, right) onto the ground object.[17] An English example is the
ball is on the right. In MalakMalak it would be (6)

(6)relative Frame of
Referenceyerranowtjalmiyinyrightdekplacekantjukup/upwardspurrat-majump-
CONTwuta3SG.N.go.PSTyerra tjalmiyiny dek kantjuk purrat-ma wutanow right place
up/upwards jump-CONT 3SG.N.go.PST"now the ball was on the right, jumping up (lit.
jumping in an upward place on the right)"
The absolute Frame of Reference requires xed bearings that are instantly available
to all members of the community.[17] An English example is the opera is west of
here. In MalakMalak, three different types of absolute frames can be used. Those
based on the course of the sun (east/west) (7a), on prevailing winds
(northwesterly/southeasterly) (7b), and on two sides of the prominent Daly River
(northeastern/southwestern bank) (7c).

(7a)absolute Frame of Reference (sun)mirisuntjalk-mago.down-

CONTyina,thisyinathismirisunpaiga-mago.up-CONTmiri tjalk-ma yina, yina miri paiga-
masun go.down-CONT this this sun go.up-CONT"this one is west and this one is east"

(7b)absolute Frame of Reference (wind)Waliwali-nenDaly.River-

DIRpudangface.towardstjedalistand.PARTyuyu3SG.M.stand.PRSnul-yennorthwesterly-
DIRpudangface.towardstjedalistand.partyuyu3SG.M.stand.PRSWaliwali-nen pudang
tjedali yuyu nul-yen pudang tjedali yuyuDaly.River-DIR face.towards stand.PART
3SG.M.stand.PRS northwesterly-DIR face.towards stand.part 3SG.M.stand.PRS"one is
facing the river and the other one is facing northwest" Unknown glossing
abbreviation(s) (help);

(7c)absolute Frame of Reference

(riverbank)dukplacepuyundukunderneathkinangganorth.eastern.bank/this.sideyide3SG.M.
go/be.PRSchair=wechair=FOCduk puyunduk kinangga yide chair=weplace underneath
north.eastern.bank/this.side 3SG.M.go/be.PRS chair=FOC"it is underneath, on the
northeastern bank's side, of the chair"

Vocabulary[edit]
The following basic vocabulary items of Northern Daly language varieties are from
Tryon (1968).[18]

no.
gloss
Mullukmulluk
Djeraity

1
head
pundɔ
pundu

2
hair
pundɔmæk
pundumæR

3
eyes
numɔrɔ
numɔrɔ

4
nose
yinïn
yinun

5
ear
čawœr
muninǰawœr

6
tooth
dit
diR

7
tongue
ŋændɛl
ŋændulk

8
shoulder
mœndœl
mændœm

9
elbow
pimïle
pimilu

10
hand
naɲïl
naɲulk

11
breasts
wiyœ
wiŋ

12
back
payak
daɲ

13
belly
pœɲ
pœɲ

14
navel
čœčœt
čœčuruk

15
heart
mændulma
mændulma

16
urine
wurɔ
wurɔ

17
excrete
wœn
wœn

18
thigh
čæt
čæR

19
leg
wilit
dulk

20
knee
pœŋgœl
pœŋgœl

21
foot
maǰan
mæl

22
skin
ŋæčïdl
karala

23
fat
milyœ
laɲ

24
blood
dawut
padawɔ

25
bone
nœrœt
murɔ

26
man
yiɲa
lœlambœr

27
woman
alawaR
alœrguR

28
father
baŋa
papaŋa

29
mother
wiyaŋa
kalaŋa

30
grandmother
æǰæŋa
ŋeyæčɔ

31
policeman
čæyæčman
čayačdiɲ

32
spear
čaŋar
čaŋal

33
woomera
yarawa
maduR
34
boomerang
čïmbičïmbič
čïmbičïmbič

35
nullanulla
warawara
čændæɲ

36
hair-belt
pudur
purur

37
canoe
wænde
wændɔ

38
axe
walyïmba
ličpuRp

39
dilly bag
karɛr
pæmbuR

40
fire
čœŋ
čuŋɔ

41
smoke
wæn
wæn

42
water
wak
wak

43
cloud
durɔ
pæRk
44
rainbow
dæpulɔlɔy
pulɔlɔy

45
barramundi
wɔ
wɔ

46
sea
ŋambač
ŋambač

47
river
wakwurɔ
wurɔ

48
stone
wadlk
wulɔ

49
ground
pawuRk
wœnǰœ

50
track
yære
æRɔ

51
dust
pulɔ
pulɔ

52
sun
mïre
mirɔ

53
moon
yædlk
yœlk
54
star
nœmœrœl
numurudl

55
night
puwaR
poyædɔ

56
tomorrow
nœyænœ
nuŋɔyɔ

57
today
æmæn
æɲika

58
big
wunædle
wudælɔ

59
possum
wœyœ
wœyœ

60
dog
moyiɲ
moweyiɲ

61
tail
wœmœ
wumɔ

62
meat
dæ
dæ

63
snake
ŋunǰul
čalala

64
red kangaroo
čæyœt
manduRk

65
porcupine
mænɛŋɛč
manɛŋɛč

66
emu
čïnburat
ŋœrœɲ

67
crow
waŋgïr
waŋguR

68
goanna
čæriɲ
čæɲ

69
blue tongue lizard
kumugut
pɛrɛt

70
mosquito
wænŋɛn
wænŋun

71
sugar-bag
piǰak
ŋœčœn

72
camp
dæk
dæk

73
black
eyïkeyïk
eyukeyuk

74
white
puŋma
tamalma

75
red
widma
witma

76
one
yanakŋa
yawunuka

77
two
wæræna
wærunuka

78
when?
amanæle
ŋædekælædiɲ

79
what?
nïgidæ
nïgidæ

80
who?
eyɛn
aŋon

81
I
ŋa
ŋa

82
you
waŋare
niɲ

83
he
yœndœn
yœndœn

84
grass
wæne
wænœ

85
vegetable food
mi
miyɔ

86
tree
čœŋ
čuŋɔ

87
leaf
dæmbæl
wœR

88
pandanus
murɔmurɔ
narɔ

89
ironwood
pawit
æluRk

90
ripe
moeŋœɲ
damberæmæ

91
good
yunbayan
munbayɛn

92
bad
yinat
munætɔ
93
blind
wuɲak
wuɲ

94
deaf
ɲabɔ
ŋamama

95
saliva
čalïlk
čalulk

References[edit]

^ "Census 2016, Language spoken at home by Sex (SA2+)". stat.data.abs.gov.au.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2017-10-29.

^ a b N22 Malak Malak at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian

Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies  (see the info box for
additional links)

^ Endangered Languages Project data for Kuwema.

^ Green, I. "The Genetic Status of Murrinh-patha" in Evans, N., ed. "The Non-Pama-
Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia: comparative studies of the continent’s
most linguistically complex region". Studies in Language Change, 552. Canberra:
Pacific Linguistics, 2003.

^ Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?",

Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February
6, 2012)

^ N31 Patjtjamalh at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian

Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

^ Harvey, M. (2003). "The evolution of verb systems in the Eastern Daly language
family." In N. Evans ed. The Non-Pama Nyungan languages of Northern Australia.
Canberra, Pacific Linguistics. pp. 159-184.

^ Cahir, P. (2006). "Verb functions and Argument Structure in MalakMalak: a

Northern daly Language of the Daly River Region, Northern Territory." Honours
Thesis. University of Melbourne.

^ Nordlinger, Rachel (2017). "Chapter 37: The languages of the Daly region
(Northern Australia)". In Fortescue, Michael; Mithun, Marianne; Evans, Nicholas
(eds.). Oxford Handbook of Polysynthesis. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 782–
807.

^ http://www.dalylanguages.org/view_language.php?id=7

^ Tryon, D. T. (1974). Daly family languages, Australia. Canberra: Pacific

Linguistics. pp. 24–41.
^ a b Hoffmann, Dorothea (in prep), MalakMalak Sketch Grammar

^ "Collection Items". wurin.lis.soas.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-10.

^ "Dorothea Hoffmann: "Complex Predicates and Serialization in the Daly River

Languages (and beyond?)"". www.academia.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-10.

^ "Dorothea Hoffmann. (MUR). "Mapping Worlds: Frames of Reference in MalakMalak".

In Proceedings to the 39th Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistic Society 2013.
University of California: Berkeley". www.academia.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-11.

^ "Dorothea Hoffmann. (in prep). "Usage Patterns of Spatial Frames of Reference and
Orientation: Evidence from three Australian languages"". www.academia.edu.
Retrieved 2016-05-11.

^ a b c Levinson, Stephen; Wilkins, David (2006). Grammars of Space: Explorations

in cognitive diversity. Cambridge University Press. pp. 20–21.

^ Tryon, Darrell T. "The Daly River Languages: A Survey". In Aguas, E.F. and Tryon,
D. editors, Papers in Australian Linguistics No. 3. A-14:21-49. Pacific
Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1968. doi:10.15144/PL-A14.21

Birk, D. B. W. (1976). The MalakMalak language, Daly River (Western Arnhem Land).
Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
Ray, Sidney H. (Jan–Jun 1909). "The Ngolok-Wanggar Language, Daly River, North
Australia". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and
Ireland. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 39: 137–141.
doi:10.2307/2843287. JSTOR 2843287.
Hoffmann, Dorothea. http://drdorotheahoffmann.wordpress.com
Hoffmann, Dorothea (2015). “Moving through space and (not?) time: North Australian
dreamtime narratives,” Narratives from the South Pacific: Sociocultural
explorations, ed. by F. Gounder. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 15-
35
Hoffmann, Dorothea (2014). “Mapping the Language: How a dying language loses its
place in the world”, Endangered Words, Signs of Revival, ed. by Ghil'ad Zuckermann,
J. Miller, and J. Morley, Adelaide: Australex, 1-18
External links[edit]
MalakMalak at the Dalylanguages.org website.
vteAustralian Aboriginal languagesPama–Nyungan subgroupsSoutheastern
Lower Murray
Yotayotic
Gippsland
Kulin
Bungandidj
Yuin-Kuric
Dhanggati ?
Central New South Wales
Wiradhuric
Barranbinja
Muruwari
Durubalic
Yugambeh-Bundjalung
Gumbaynggiric
Waka-Kabic
Anewan (Nganyaywana)
Northern
Kalkatungic
Mayabic
Paman
Yimidhirr-Yalanji-Yidinic ?
Guugu Yimidihirr
Kuku Yalanji
Yidiny
Kalaw Lagaw Ya
Maric
Central
Arandic
Thura-Yura
Karnic
Yarli
Paakantyi
Western
Yolŋu
Ngarna
Marrngu
Ngumpin–Yapa
Warumungu
Wati
Ngayarda
Kanyara-Mantharta
Kartu–Nhanda
Mirning
Nyunga
Yinggarda
others
Lower Burdekin
(Proto-Pama–Nyungan)
Tangkic
Lardil (register: Damin)
Kayardild
Yukulta (Ganggalida, Nyangga)
Mingginda (Minkin)
Garrwan
Garawa (Garrwa, north)
Waanyi (Wanji, south)
Gunindiri (Kurnindirri, southwest)
Macro-Gunwinyguan ?Maningrida
Burarra
Gurr-goni
Ndjébbana
Nakkara
Marran
Marra
Warndarang
Yugul ?
Alawa ?
Mangarrayi ?
Gunwinyguan properWestern
Jawoyn (Djauan)
Waray
Uwinymil
Central
Bininj Kunwok (Kunwinjku, Gunwinggu)
Kunbarlang
Dalabon (Ngalkbun)
Eastern
Rembarrnga
Ngalakgan
Ngandi
Nunggubuyu (Wubuy)
Anindilyakwa (Enindhilyagwa)
Yangmanic–Wagiman?
Wardaman
Wagiman
other isolates
Kungarakany (Koongurrukuñ) ?
Gaagudju
Iwaidjan
Iwaidja
Garig
Ilgar
Manangkari
Maung
Amurdag
Marrku–Wurrugu ?
Wurrugu
Marrgu
Darwin Region ?
Gulumoerrgin (Larrakia)
Limilngan–Wulna?
Limilngan
Wulna
Umbugarlic
Umbugarla
Ngurmbur
Bugurnidja
Daly River SprachbundWagaydyic (Anson Bay)
Batjamalh (Wadjiginy)
Pungu Pungu (Kandjerramalh)
Northern Daly
Malak-Malak (Nguluk Wanggar)
Tyerraty
Western Daly
Marri Ngarr
Merranunggu
Marrithiyel
Marramaninjsji
Eastern Daly
Matngele (Werret/Dakayu)
Kamu
Southern Daly
Murrinh-patha
Ngan’gityemerri
Mirndi
Jingulu
Yirram
Nungali
Jaminjung
Ngurlun
Ngarnka
Wambaya

Jarrakan
Kija
Miriwoong
Gajirrawoong
Bunuban
Bunuba
Gooniyandi
Worrorran
Wunambal (Northern)
Ngarinyin (Eastern)
Worrorra (Western)
NyulnyulanWestern (Nyulnyulic)
Nyulnyul
Bardi
Jawi
Djabirr-Djabirr
Nimanburru
Eastern (Dyukun)
Yawuru
Dyugun
Warrwa
Nyigina
Ngumbarl
isolates
Giimbiyu
Tiwi
Tasmanian family-level groupsWestern Tasmanian
Northwestern Tasmanian (Peerapper)
Southwestern Tasmanian (Toogee) ?
Northern Tasmanian
Northern Tasmanian (Tommeginne)
Port Sorell
Northeastern Tasmanian
Pyemmairre (Northeastern)
Tyerrernotepanner (North Midland)
Lhotsky/Blackhouse
Norman
Eastern Tasmanian
Oyster Bay
Little Swanport
Southeast Tasmanian
Bruny Island