Worimi language

Worimi (also spelt Warrimay), or Gadjang (also spelt Kattang, Kutthung, Gadhang, Gadang, Gathang) is an Australian Aboriginal language. It is the traditional language of the Worimi people, whose descendants now speak English. Work has started on revitalising the language with a dictionary and TAFE course in Gathang.[4]

Worimi
Gadhang
Lower North Coast language
RegionNew South Wales
EthnicityWorimi, Birpai, Gringai
Extinct(date missing)
Dialects
  • Gadjang (Kattang, Katthang, Gathang)
  • Worimi (Warimi)
  • Birbay (Birrpayi)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3kda – inclusive code
Individual code:
xbj – Birrpayi
Glottologwori1245  Worimi[2]
AIATSIS[3]E67

Classification
Traditional lands of Australian Aboriginal tribes around Sydney, New South Wales.[5]

Worimi is most closely related to Awabakal, in the Yuin–Kuric group of Pama–Nyungan.

Bowern (2011) considers Gadjang, Worimi, and Birrpayi to be separate languages.

Phonology

Vowels
Front Back
High ɪ iː i ii ʊ uː u uu
Low ə aː a aa

There is also the diphthong "ay", pronounced [aj].

Consonants
Bilabial Velar Dental Palatal Alveolar Retroflex
Stop p~b p/b k~g k/g t̪~d̪ th/dh c~ɟ tj/dj t~d t/d (ʈ)
Nasal m m ŋ ng n̪ nh ɲ ny/yn n n
Lateral (l̪) (ʎ) l l (ɭ)
Approximant w w j y ɻ~ɽ r
Flap/Trill ɾ~r rr

Within the orthography, both unvoiced and voiced stops are written, however they remain largely interchangeable. There is some evidence of a merger of the dental and palatal stops/nasals. At the end of a word, a nasal may also be pronounced as its corresponding stop. (E.g. bakan~bakat - rock). Intervocalically, "b" may be pronounced as [v].

References
  1. Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. p. xxxiv.
  2. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Worimi". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
  3. E67 Worimi at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  4. Sati, Wiriya (2 April 2019). "Revitalising the Aboriginal language Gathang is about learning and speaking it together every day". ABC news. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  5. This map is indicative only.
  • Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-47378-1.
  • Enright, W. J. (1900). "The Language, Weapons and Manufactures of the Aborigines of Port Stephens, N.S.W.". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 34: 103–188.
  • Holmer, Nils M. (1966). An Attempt towards a Comparative Grammar of Two Australian Languages. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.


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