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Note on Pronunciation
Professor Bob Dixon pioneered linguistic studies amongst Aboriginal people in North Queensland and in writing this glossary I have tried to adhere to his basic outlines for writing dialects of the Dyribal language group.
I will quote him briefly here, however anyone seriously interested in studying Ngadjon language is well advised to go to the source.
Special note on b and p - Dixon's scheme uses b to cover both these sounds since there are no word pairs (such as bat and pat in English) that would require the distinction. However, contemporary Ngadjon uses a distinct p sound for some words. Where this is the case, we have used p in this list. - M.H.
"There are thirteen consonants - b,d,g,j,l,m,n,ny,ng,r,rr,w,y.There are only three vowel sounds, many fewer than in English. ...
- b and m are sounds pronounced with the lips, exactly like b and m in English.
- d and n are also quite like English sounds; they are pronounced with the tip of the tongue just touching the ridge just behind the top teeth.
- j and ny are rather different from any sounds that occur in English. The sound we write j for is like a d and a y pronounced at the same time ... ny is like n and y pronounced at the same time. These sounds are pronounced with the front part of the tongue against the front part of the roof of the mouth, with the tip of the tongue just behind the teeth.
- g is exactly like the English sound and ng is like the sound that occurs at the end of some words in English (as in 'bang' and 'sing'). These are made by the back of the tongue being pressed against the back part of the roof of the mouth.
- i - the front of the tongue raised up towards the roof of the mouth. This usually sounds like the vowel in the English word 'beet' but it can sound like the vowel in 'bit' or even that in 'bet' ...
- u - the back of the tongue is raised towards the roof of the mouth. This usually sounds like the vowel in English 'boot' or 'tool' but it can sound like the vowel in 'put' or enen that in 'bought' ...
- a - with the mouth quite open and the tongue lying in the bottom of the mouth. This is like the sound in English 'bat' and 'man', but it can be pronounced like the vowel in 'half' or even that in 'not' ..."
"Writing down Jirrbal and Girramay", Bob Dixon, Canberra 1978.
badugi blanket
bajiri water dragon, goanna
bambu eggs
bana water
bangarru turtle
Barany Lake Barrine
barga spear
barrga (Calamus caryotoides), the lawyer cane used most for making baskets.
barrgaru sword
bibiya (Archontophoenix alexandrae - Alexandra palm) The heart was chopped, cooked and eaten.
bigan shield
birrarr (Argyrodendron perlatum - Red Tulip Oak)
birring the sea
Bulaba Bora Ground near Lamins Hill
Bulgina The place around the Bora Ground, Butchers Creek
bunban (Endiandra insignis - Hairy Walnut) Kernel processed for starchy food.
bungaa possum
buni fire
bunyji ( Ficus destruens - Boonjie Fig) Sticky sap smeared on bird perching areas to trap them. Fruit eaten by cassowary. Edible fresh or cooked. Note origin of place name Boonjie.
buyu thick rainforest.
dagurrba (Ficus congesta - Red Leaf Fig) Bark used to make string. Ripe figs eaten.
danggaja (Athertonia diversifolia - Atherton Oak) Kernel of fruit is eaten. Also eaten by musky rat-kangaroo and native rats. The fruit is called didaja.
dawurrga (Mammea touriga - Brown Touriga) Ground seeds used to catch scrub turkey.
didaja the fruit of Atherton Oak - see danggaja
duguba bag for carrying water, sugar etc., supported by forehead.
duguu the rainforest edges.
dulabul morning star
dunu (Prunus turneriana - Almondbark) Used raw for treating toothache.Kernel processed for food.
durrgim white tailed rat
gabi (Ficus pleurocarpa - Banana Fig) The inner bark was used to make blankets as well as containers for carrying water and honey. The wood from the flange buttresses was used to make shields.
gama corroborees involving only people of the Ngadjonji tribe
gamama (Cycas media) - The seeds of this cycad were processed and eaten.
gambil the tablelands.
ganggi (Beilschmiedia bancroftii - Yellow Walnut) The nut kernels were steamed, ground, leached and eaten. Also used to catch scrub turkeys.
ganyjuu (Castanospermum australe - Black Bean) An important food source after processing. Stored in pits in the wet-season camps.
ganyu jewfish
garpu carpet snake
garri the Sun
guda dog
gugi flying fox, fruit bat
gugula platypus
gugulu clapping stick
gulagaa (Ficus copiosa - Sandpaper-leaf Fig) Leaves used to sand spears, shields, etc. Young unripe fruits, yalanda, are cooked before eating. Ripe fruit is yanggi.
gumaring whiteman
gumbala pupal stage of witchetty grub - see jambun.
gumbulgan cassowary
gundaya python
gupa pademelon (rainforest wallaby)
guwaa (Endiandra palmerstonii - Black Walnut) Ground seed used to catch scrub turkeys. Seed eaten after cooking; tastes like bread.
guygi The leaves of jungganyu, used for thatching mija.
guyu (Pothos longipes - Candle Vine) Ripe red fruit eaten, mostly cooked but can be eaten fresh.
jaanggany (Alstonia scholaris - Milky Pine) Wood used as base plate for fire stick. White sap used as a glue in making rafts, to stick turkey feathers on body as a corroboree decoration and also used to heal sores. Note, place name Jaggan derived from this word.
jaju earth
jambun witchetty grub (larva stage), gumbala pupa, wirri adult.
jangganyu (Calamus moti) Cane used for climbing and framework of mija. Shoots of young rosette plants are edible after cooking - taste like asparagus. Can have laxative effect.
janjuu lawyer cane basket
japun eel
jarragan scrub hen
jidu fire stick. Also the name of the tree which is used (Halfordia scleroxylla)
jigaru thunderstorm
jiigan (Lomandra longifolia) Used to make baskets. Base edible
Jillan the Bora Ground near Butchers Creek, said by the Ngadjonji to be the site of a massacre (see Massacre)
jimama turkey trap
jiman (Tetrasynandra laxiflora - Tetra Beech) Preferred wood for the twirling stick to make fire.
jubula (Prumnopitys amara - Black Pine) Kernel processed for starchy food.
julu julu (Xanthostemon whitei - Red Penda) Wood used for spear tips and for yam sticks.
junjum (Xanthostemon chrysanthus - Golden Penda) used for swords.
Jurra Julam Mt. Bartle Frere
juubari (Lepidozamia hopei) Seeds of this cycad are processed and eaten.
magurra (Ficus variegata - Variegated Fig) Used sometimes for making shields.
malay malay (Elaeagnus triflora - Millaa Millaa Vine) Sweet flesh of ripe fruit eaten. Note origin of place name Millaa Millaa.
mapi tree-climbing kangaroo
mija dome-shaped, rain proof thatched huts. Also home country, home.
mayi the native bee
munggarra scrub turkey
munyan boomerang
muramba aboriginal people
murrgan (Elaeocarpus angustifolius - Silver Quandong) Edible fruit.
Naypa Naypami Mt. Hypipamee Crater
ngarru don't
ngunuy (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii - Grass Tree) A word shared by Yidiny and Ngadjon. The resinous sap is used as a lacquer in shield making.
Ngunyinbarra Russell River to Lamins Hill clan of the Ngadjonji
nguu yes
nigu (Calamus radicalis - Vicious Hairy Mary) Very thick lawyer cane.
Nuta Lake Euramo
nuta black possum
warrama corroborees involving a number of tribes
warrgin open forest
Wiinggina Lake Eacham
wiiraa (Davidsonia pruriens - Davidson Plum) Ripe flesh eaten.
wirri adult stage of witchetty grub - see jambun.
wujar mist
wundajilla green possum
yagal (Pandanus spp) Generic term for pandanus, used for baskets.
yalanda Young unripe fruits of gulagaa, cooked before eating - taste like potatoes.
Yamani the rainbow serpent, also rainbow.
yanggi ripe fruit of gulagaa
yapulam (Calamus australis) Lawyer cane used for handles of baskets
yapun mother
yara fishing line
yarra man, men. Also aboriginal people.
yawala (Bowenia spectabilis - Zamia Fern) Root processed and eaten.
yimba no or nothing
yipi woman
yurrgan white woman