1

Native Vocabulary
Lower Fitzroy River
Mathews - Queensland Geog. Journal vol. XIX, 1903-4
(From Notebook 23C)

2

Native vocabulary

Mathews – Queensland Geog. Journal

vol.XIX, 1903-4

(From Notebook 23C)

Folio 51/30-34

XII 2D, 16b

3

SECTION XII

LANGUAGE: GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARIES

Names given are of natives from which vocabularies were obtained.

Part 2.D.16.(b)

Vocabularies of Natives from

Roebourne Gascoyne, Ashburton,

De Grey

Lower Fitzroy River

Folio 51/30-34

4

Family terms

Man	Wamba
Old man	wadal
Father	Ibilla
Elder brother	bubbala
Younger brother	murrid-yudda
Husband	yaigu
Youth, uncircumcised	dyuggada
Youth, circumcised	balalli
Man, incised	wongalong
Woman	dyandu
Wife	wangu
Mother	kuya
Elder sister	warnu
Younger sister	nemmera
Little girl	kanyarri
Maid	warrindyula
Child, either sex	bubba

Parts of the Body

Head	nalma
Hair	labindyenna
Eye	nemilgera
Ear	nillabubba
Nose	wanaginna
Smell	ibbandyun
Mouth	nillira
Teeth	cherink
Chin	temgu
Cheek	maila-maila
Forehead	cherribil
Beard	ngulgu
Breasts, female	numibla
Finger	Wirril

5

Natural Objects

Sun	walga
Moon	kerrading
Stars	larn
Cloud	warragarra
Sky	buddarra
Rain	whella
Rainbow	miding
Light	chanera
Darkness	yingadi
Morning	neimbi
Day	dyumbel
Night	baian
Heat	barra
Cold	amini
Fire	dyungu
Water	whella
Milk	numina
Evil spirit	bullingun
Shadow	nimmeradya
Wind	wongal
Mist	dyaboera
Smoke	dui
Thunder	chidama
Lightning	pinmuk
Country	burra
Stone	woningara
Canoe	kulbia
East	bauna
West	kula
North	yo-wan
South	yanbun
Subincision	worral
Watercourse	nimmila
Grass	worra
Tree, or wood	barlo
Bark	kuding
6
Camp	chalbi
Hut	maiarra
Hole	dabbu
Lump	durrug
Path	kurdi
Footmark	nembel or neinbel ? ?

Animals, Birds, etc.

Native dog	kurrida
Kangaroo	baldyering
Fish generally	bi
Opossum	langura
Emu	yulgi
Iguana	banne
Eaglehawk	kalbedyug
Crow	wungina
Black duck	warrabaluin
Plain turkey	mongaiera
Pelican	maiada
Laughing Jackass	dyarradyurra
Native companion	kargura
White cockatoo	ngulagu
Black cockatoo	darreal
Fly	dumbara
Mosquito	nilagul
Snake	churra

Weapons

Wood spear	minigwal
Reed spear	dyennil
Shield	karribina
Boomerang	chibba
Club	marballing

7

Adjectives

Alive	marbu
Dead	kud
Large	wida
Small	wuba
Long	idan
Short	wongoela
Good	marbu (see alive)
Bad	melu-marbu
Hungry	marrinyang
Thirsty	Barra
Red	bul
White	dup
Black	rauga
Full	mera
Empty	marrinyang (see hungry)
Quick	bulla-bulla
Slow	bunga
Blind	mulgun
Deaf	bubbadarra
Strong	cherril
Weak	wogala
Heavy	duan
Light	ngorla
Afraid	waddyi
Sweet	yarrawin
Right	mummeragun
Wrong	chuda
Straight	charar
Crooked	chulga