maa

The sense "five" is a recent extension during the efforts to revitalise Gamilaraay, drawn from the fact that many languages use the same word for "hand" and "five", and that this semantic extension was also used to derive the word for "five" in other Indigenous Australian languages which traditionally did not have a word for "five".


maa

marks made on rugs and weapons to indicate the totem of their manufacturer/owner


bina

From Proto-Central New South Wales *bina, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *pina.


bigibila

Tachyglossus aculeatus
Tachyglossus aculeatus#Translingual


milambaraay

Borrowed from English milk + -baraay (“having”).


buruma

Nginda dhii wuuna burumagu.

Dog . . . bŭrrŭmă.

1856, William Ridley, “On the Kamilaroi Tribe of Australians and Their Dialect”, in Journal of the Ethnological Society of London, volume 4:

baiame gīr yārāman, būrumo, bundar, mūte, dūli, dīnoun, buralga, biloela, millimumul, gulamboli, kobado, mullion, guiya, nūrai, ŋundoba, burulu, muŋin, kānuŋo di gimobi.

1856, William Ridley, gurre kamilaroi or Kamilaroi Sayings:

Dog .... .... buruma

1903, R. H. Mathews, “Languages of the Kamilaroi and Other Aboriginal Tribes of New South Wales”, in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, volume 33:


yarraaman

To the horse the blacks, by general consent, have given the name “yārămăn.” Of course, as no such animal was known here till the colonists introduced them, we cannot give yārămăn as an Australian word. I know not its origin.

baiame gīr yārāman, būrumo, bundar, mūte, dūli, dīnoun, buralga, biloela, millimumul, gulamboli, kobado, mullion, guiya, nūrai, ŋundoba, burulu, muŋin, kānuŋo di gimobi
God verily horse, dog, kangaroo, opossum, goanna, emu, native companion, cockatoo, swallow, pelican, parrot, eagle, fish, brown-snake, deadly-black-snake, flies, mosquitoes, all animals made.

1856, William Ridley, gurre kamilaroi, or Kamilaroi Sayings:


yurrandaali

Tree iguana .... yurundiali


bandaarr

1856, William Ridley, On the Kamilaroi Tribe of Australians and Their Dialect, in Journal of the Ethnological Society of London, vol. 4

(please add an English translation of this quotation)

1856, William Ridley, gurre kamilaroi, or Kamilaroi Sayings
baiame gīr yārāman, būrumo, bundar, mūte, dūli, dīnoun, buralga, biloela, millimumul, gulamboli, kobado, mullion, guiya, nūrai, ŋundoba, burulu, muŋin, kānuŋo di gimobi.

Kangaroo‡ | bundār

1873, William Ridley, Australian Languages and Traditions, The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 2

1903, R. H. Mathews, Languages of the Kamilaroi and Other Aboriginal Tribes of New South Wales, in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 33

idem
Kangaroo .... .... bundar

eastern grey kangaroo
eastern grey kangaroo

Macropus giganteus
Macropus giganteus#Translingual

eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus.


mari

Burrula nhama mari.


gijirrigaa

English: budgerigar


yaraay

The sun . . yărai, or yūrōkă.

baiame gīr yarai, gille, mirri, taon ellibu gimobi.
God verily sun, moon, stars, earth also made.

Sun | yarai

1873, William Ridley, Australian Languages and Traditions, in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, volume 2

Sun .... .... .... | yerrai

1903, R. H. Mathews, Languages of the Kamilaroi and Other Aboriginal Tribes of New South Wales, in The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, volume 33


yuru

From Proto-Central New South Wales *yuruŋ.

Cloud | yuro or yurru

1873, William Ridley, Australian Languages and Traditions, The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, volume 2

Clouds .... ... yuru


baabili

Dhuru yarrala baabbilanha .

Minyaayanda baabili .


wii

Nginda mudhay waala wiidha!


Gamilaraay

From gamil (“not”) + -(b)araay (“having”). Other dialects and languages were similarly named after their respective words for no, e.g. the Wailwan say wayil.

The Kamilaroi, an indigenous people of New South Wales in Australia.


guya

From Proto-Central New South Wales *guya, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *kuya.

guya nhama gubiyaanha

mari yanawaanha bagaaygu guya ganmaligu

The men are going to the creek to catch fish.


biri

From Proto-Central New South Wales *birriŋ, cognate with Wiradjuri birring and Ngiyambaa pirri.


gii

From Proto-Central New South Wales *gīñ, cognate with Wiradjuri geen and Ngiyambaa kii.


-baraay

milambaraay

galibaraay


thawun

From Proto-Central New South Wales *dhagun, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *ta:ku.


guna

From Proto-Central New South Wales *gunang, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *kuna.


gali

From Proto-Central New South Wales *galing.


guda

Native bear .... .... guda

Phascolarctos cinereus
Phascolarctos cinereus#Translingual


mara

From Proto-Central New South Wales *mara, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *mara.


thalay

From Proto-Central New South Wales *dhalañ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *calañ. Cognate with Ngiyambaa thalay and Wiradjuri dhalayn.


thina

From Proto-Central New South Wales *dhinaŋ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *cina.


yira

From Proto-Central New South Wales *yiraŋ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *rirra, cognate with Wiradjuri yirang.

Teeth . . īră.

Teeth .... .... yira


minya

From Proto-Central New South Wales *miñang, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *miña.


ngamu

From Proto-Central New South Wales *ŋamuŋ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *ŋamun.


tharra

From Proto-Central New South Wales *dharraŋ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *carra.


maliyan

wedge-tailed eagle, eaglehawk, Aquila audax


burralga

→ English: brolga


ngaya

From Proto-Central New South Wales *ŋaya, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *ŋayV.

I (first person nominative singular pronoun)


nguu

Dhinggaa nguu dhaldanha..


ngulu

From Proto-Central New South Wales *ŋuluŋ, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *ŋu(r)lu.


ngali

From Proto-Central New South Wales *ŋali, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *ŋali.


guliyaali

Pelecanus conspicillatus
Pelecanus conspicillatus#Translingual


yarray

From Proto-Central New South Wales *yarrañ, cognate with Wiradjuri yarrayn.

Beard . . yărē.

Beard | yarē

Beard .... .... yerre


yulu

Compare Ngiyambaa yulu and Wiradjuri yuuluu.


giili

Compare Ngiyambaa kiil and Wiradjuri geel.


guway

Compare Ngiyambaa kuway and Wiradjuri guuwayn.


waabi

maternal grandmother
maternal grandmother


yawu

Affirmitive . . . yo . . yes.

Yes, yo.


thun

Compare Ngiyambaa thun (“tail”) and Wiradjuri dhuun (“penis, tail”).


yuundu

Axe | yūnda


yuulngin

Yuulungin ngaya gilanhi.

Hungry .... .... yulngin


yurrun

Scar (of a wound) .... yurun


yurrul

Trees, collectively ... yutil


yulay

Skin .... .... yulai


yulugi

Play or dance .... yulunga


yuluwirri

Rainbow .... ... yuluwirri.


yugi

mari māta ellibu yūgillona.
Mary, Martha also were weeping.

Weep ... ... yunga


yilambu

īlambo immanuel taongo tai-yanani, giwīr ginyi.
Long ago Immanuel to earth came, man he became.

Long ago, yilambu.


yinarr

Woman . . īnă.

baiame goë: “kamil murruba giwīr ŋāndil ŋuddelago; ŋaia giwīrgo īnar gimbille.”
God said, “Not good man alone for to dwell; I for man woman will make.”

Woman | īnar

A woman .... .... inar


ngibaay

Ngibai! surprise.


yiili

Bite .... .... hila


yiili

baiame yili ginyi
God angry became


yila

Soon, ila.


yibatha

A “kŭbbĭ” may marry only an “ippātā.”

Class names of Women. | Ippāthā

A female marriage class or skin group. A yibatha can marry only a gabi; her sons will be gambu, and her daughters buuthaa.


ngaana

Nganna, who?


yathala

Sharp .... .... yuddhala


yathaarr

Down of birds .... yuddhar.


yambuli

Old woman .... .... | yambolinya


yanggal

Vulva .... .... | yangal
…
Vagina .... .... | same as vulva


nyii

Anus .... .... | nyi


yarrangan

Edible grub (gum tree). | yerrungun


yibaay

The children of “ippai” by “kāpōta” are all “mūrrī,” or “baia,” and “mātā.”

Class Names of Men. | Ippai

A male marriage class or skin group. A yibaay can marry only a gabutha; his sons will be marrii, and his daughters matha.


nhuubala

From New South Wales Pidgin English new-fella, itself from English new fella. Compare Australian Kriol nyubala.


ganaay

From Proto-Central New South Wales *ganāy, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *kana.


bulaarr

From Proto-Central New South Wales *bulārr, from Proto-Pama-Nyungan *pula.


gabi

A male marriage class or skin group. A gabi can marry only a yibathaa; his sons will be gambu, and his daughters buuthaa.


malga

mulga (Acacia aneura) Small tree 5-10 m with silver grey leaves and yellow rod-shaped flowers.


ngalinya

Giirr nginda ngalinya bumay muyaandu.


gay

Snake tracks were carefully avoided as treading on one was thought to cause skin sores. The cart tracks of the early European explorer Mitchell were thought to be giant snake tracks.


wanda

Is likely from a wangaaybuwan word which is an adjective ‘ugly looking’ and the name of a creature that might be called a ‘devildevil’. Fluent YG speakers adapted words instinctively, but now similar word production and use will only occur if there is careful analysis.


-gu

bubaa birraygu


matha

A female marriage class or skin group. A matha can marry only a gambu; her sons will be gabi, and her daughters gabutha.


Yuurrila

a spirit resembling an old man with huge staring eyes, long hair and black bark drape


Milaygiin

a spirit with no hair, and with immense nails which he inserts in people


maanggiiwarraywarraymal

manggii (“mussel”) + reduplication of warraymali (“send”); "senderbringer of mussels", from a Dreaming story which tells of seagulls bringing the first mussels to Gamilaraay land.


gubiyaanha

guya nhama gubiyaanha


wuuna

Nginda dhii wuuna burumagu.


mubirr

Giirr nhama burrul giwiirr mubirrbiyaay.


dhalaa

dhalaa ngay gaala?


minyagu

minyagu nginda dhaay yananhi


yanaya

dhaay yanaya


dhaay

dhaay yanaya


dhawadha

From Kaurna tawata, which originally meant "many" and whose meaning was extended to mean "thousand" in the language revival process for Kaurna.


wiwurra

Borrowed from Kaurna wiwurra (“million”), which originally meant "a multitude" and whose meaning was extended to mean "million" in the language revival process for Kaurna.


guwibirr

March (fruit which is ripe in this month)


Bulawaa

"word for pair of emus, this is when they pair up".


gaaguluu

/ˈɡaːɡuˈluː/


gayn.gayn

January (fruit which is ripe in this month)


gawurragiil

"mythical emu, and the emu in the night sky".


yin.ga-gabu

"yin.ga (crayfish)+gabu (variant of egg) this a time when crayfish breed".


maalinha

"maalinha means breeze and showers from south west name of the month September".


mugiin.gaa

"mugiin.gaa means sandfly- theese come after floods, which can occur at this time, name of the month November".


dhagaay

golden perch, yellowbelly (Macquaria ambigua)


guduu

murray cod (Maccullochella macquariensis)


gayrragumbirri

From gayrra (“electricity”) + gumbirri (“brain”).


gayrra

Coined during revitalization efforts as a back-formation from dhun.gayrra (“lightning”), analysing this as a compound of dhun (“tail; penis”) + *gayrra.


nganha

Burumagu nganha yiili.


dhinggaa

Minya nginda dhinggaa?


guwiirr

malee willow (pittosporum phylliraeoides)


nganunda

Garay guwaala nganunda.


Yarraanbaa

Australia (A country in Oceania comprising the islands of Australia, Tasmania and other smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, as well as a former colony in the British Empire)

(geology) Australia (a continent consisting of the islands of Australia, New Guinea and intervening islands)


dhalngayiy

Dhalngayinhanha ngaya.


buumadhayaa

Possibly a compound of buyuma (“dog”) and dhayaa (“brother; cousin”)


gulabaa

coolabah tree (Eucalyptuptus coolibah ssp. arida)


yibathaa

A female marriage class or skin group. A yibathaa can marry only a gabi; her sons will be gambu, and her daughters buuthaa.


buuthaa

A female marriage class or skin group. A buuthaa can marry only a marrii; her sons will be yibaay, and her daughters yibathaa.


gabutha

A female marriage class or skin group. A gabutha can marry only a yibaay; her sons will be marrii, and her daughters matha.


gambu

A male marriage class or skin group. A gambu can marry only a matha; his sons will be gabi, and his daughters gabutha.


marrii

A male marriage class or skin group. A marrii can marry only a buuthaa; his sons will be yibaay, and his daughters yibathaa.


baaldharradharra

Vanellus miles
Vanellus miles#Translingual


bina muurr

bina (“ear”) + muurr (“full; blocked; blunt”)


giidjuugiidjuu

/ɡiːd͡ʒuːɡiːd͡ʒuː/


-dha

wiidha

X-at, in, on something for words ending with i


guuguu

dead relative (one who died and you dont want to mention his name)


garrali

Nginda nhama wii garrala wiigu.


badjin

Badjin garrala muyaan.


wiringin

Wiringindu nhama maarumali.


maarumali

Wiringindu nhama maarumali.