Activity 7

Wiradjuri Language

Watch the videos and read the information on this page.

Practice the words below from the Wiradjuri Doctionary. When you are feeling confident, have a short conversation with a partner in Wiradjuri and record yourselves. Record yourself counting to 10 in Wiradjuri. Submit both recordings to your teacher.

Wiradjuri, just like many other Indigenous languages, was a spoken language, words were never written down. Most of the words they used were for outside objects such as the sky, trees, animals, plants and rocks (Greenwood 2015). There are many words to describe kinship and relationships showing that relationships with people were very important in traditional life.

Language Statistics

250 Number of Aboriginal languages spoken in Australia before invasion.

600 Number of dialects spoken in Australia before invasion.

60 Number of Aboriginal languages considered alive and in use as a first tongue today.

145 Number of aboriginal languages spoken today in Australia.

70 Number of Aboriginal languages and dialects spoken in New South Wales before invasion.

20 Number of Aboriginal languages spoken in New South Wales today.

(Creative Spirits 2017)

Words from the Wiradjuri Dictionary (Grant & Rudder 2016)

Download the Wiradjuri Dictionary App for more <https://regenr8.org/language-revitalisation/apps/wiradjuri-dictionary/>

Welcome - gawaymbanha

My name is - Yuwin Ngadhi

What is your name? - Widyundhu Yuwin Ngulung

Do you come here often? - Yamandhu Gaway Biyaga

Yes - garragiy

No - barriy

Goodbye - Yanhanhadhu

1 - Ngumbaay

2 - Bula

3 - Bula Ngumbaay

4 - Mugu

5 - Marra

6 - Ngumbaaybu marrabu

7 - Bulabu marrabu

8 - Bulangumbaaybu marrabu

9 - Bungubu Marrabu

10 - Marrabu Marrabu

Check out these songs sung in Wiradjuri language!

AMAZING GRACE

WALTZING MATILDA

HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES & TOES