Their language is extremely grateful to the ear, being in many instances expressive and sonorous. It certainly has no analogy with any other known language (at least so far as my knowledge of any other language extends), one or two instances excepted, which will be noticed in the specimen. The dialect spoken by the natives at Sydney not only differs entirely from that left us by Captain Cook of the people with whom he had intercourse to the northward (about Endeavour river) but also from that spoken by those natives who lived at Port Stephens, and to the southward of Botany Bay (about Adventure Bay), as well as on the banks of the Hawkesbury. We often heard, that people from the northward had been met with, who could not be exactly understood by our friends; but this is not so wonderful as that people living at the distance of only fifty or sixty miles should call the sun and moon by different names; such, however, was the fact. In an excursion to the banks of the Hawkesbury, accompanied by two Sydney natives, we first discovered this difference; but our companions conversed with the river natives without any apparent difficulty, each understanding or comprehending the other.
We have often remarked a sensible difference on hearing the same word sounded by two people; and, in fact, they have been observed sometimes to differ from themselves, substituting often the letter b for p, and g for c, and vice versa. In their alphabet they have neither s nor v; and some of their letters would require a new character to ascertain them precisely.
What follows is offered only as a specimen, not as a perfect vocabulary of their language.
NEW SOUTH WALES ENGLISH
--------------- -------
NAMES CHIEFLY OF OBJECTS OF SENSE
Co-ing The sun
Yen-na-dah The moon
Bir-rong A star
Mo-loo-mo-long The Pleiades
War-re-wull The Milky Way
Ca-ra-go-ro A cloud
Boo-do-en-ong
general name
Cal-gal-le-on The Magellanic
the greater clouds
Gnar-rang-al-le-on
the lesser
Tu-ru-p A star falling
Co-ing bi-bo-ba Sun-rising
Bour-ra The sky
Co-ing bur-re-goo-lah Sun-setting
Gnoo-wing Night
Carn-mar-roo
Tar-re-ber-re Day
Gwe-yong Fire
Cad-jee Smoke
Gil-le A spark
Per-mul Earth
Ta-go-ra Cold
Yoo-roo-ga Heat
Men-nie-no-long Dew
Pan-na, and Wal-lan Rain
Ba-do Water
Chi-a-ra Name
Car-rig-er-rang The sea
Go-nie A hut
Now-ey A canoe
Beng-al-le A basket
Car-rah-jun A fishing-line
Gnam-mul A sinker [A small stone to sink the line]
Bur-ra A hook
Ke-ba A stone or rock
Bwo-mar A grave
Bow-wan A shadow
Ma-hn A ghost
Wir-roong Scars on the back
Cong-ar-ray Scars on the breast
jee-run A coward
Can-ning A cave
Me-diong A sore [On noticing a hole in any part of
our dress they term it Me-diong]
Ya-goo-na To-day
Bo-ra-ne Yesterday
Par-ry-boo-go To-morrow
Mul-lin-ow-ool In the morning
Jen-ni-be Laughter
Boo-roo-wang An island [This word they applied
to our ships]
Gno-rang A place
E-ring A valley
Boo-do A torch made of reeds
Mi-yal A stranger [This word has reference to sight;
Mi, the eye.]
Ar-rung-a A calm
Moo-roo-bin Woman's milk
Ew-ing Truth
Ca-bahn An egg
Yab-bun Instrumental music
Yoo-long or Cleared ground for public ceremonies
Yoo-lahng
ADJECTIVES
Bood-jer-re Good
Wee-re Bad
Mur-ray Great
Gnar-rang Small
Coo-rar-re Long
Too-mur-ro Short
Go-jy Rotten
Go-jay-by
Bin-nice Pregnant
Par-rat-ber-ri Empty
Bo-ruck Full
Pe-mul-gine Dirty
Bar-gat Afraid
Frightened
Ba-diel Ill
Moo-la Sick
Boo-row-a Above or upward
Cad-i Below or under
Bar-bug-gi Lost
War-rang-i Right
Doo-room-i Left
Goo-lar-ra Angry
Yu-ro-ra Passionate
Wo-gul, and Wo-cul One
Yoo-blow-re, and Boo-la Two
Brew-y Three
Mur-ray-too-lo A great many
Gnal-le-a Both
Moo-jel Red
Ta-bo-a White
Gna-na Black
Bool-gi-ga Green
Moo-ton-ore Lame
Yu-roo, and
Yu-roo-gur-ra Hungry
Mo-rem-me Yes
Beall No
Mar-rey Wet
PARTS OF THE HUMAN BODY
Ca-ber-ra Head
Gnul-lo Forehead
Mi Eye
Yin-ner-ry Eye-brow
No-gro, or No-gur-ro Nose
Kar-ga Mouth
Wil-ling Lips
Da-ra Teeth
Tal-lang Tongue
Wal-lo Chin
Go-ray Ear
Cad-le-ar Neck
Cad-le-ang Na-bung Breast or Nipple
Yar-rin Beard [This they often singe, and describe it
as a painful operation]
De-war-ra Hair [This is commonly full of vermin, which
I have seen them eat, and change from
one soil (sic) to another.]
Bar-rong Belly
Go-rook Knee
Dar-ra Leg
Ma-no-e Foot
Tam-mir-ra Hand
Ber-rll-le Fingers
Car-rung-un Nail
Bib-be Ribs
Ba-rongle Vein
Pa-di-el Flesh or lean
Bog-gay, or Pog-gay Fat
Tar-rang Arm
0-nur Elbow
Wy-o-man-no Thumb
Dar-ra-gal-lic Fore-finger
Ba-roo-gal-lie Middle or ring'd
Wel-leng-al-lie Little finger
CONSANGUINITY
Eo-ra The name common for the natives
Mu-la A man
Din A woman
Din-al-le-ong Women [One of the few instances I could ever
discover of a plural or dual number]
Gin-al-le-ong
Be-an-na; this they
shorten to
Be-an and
Be-a, and
when in pain,
they exclaim
Be-a-ri A father
Wy-an-na, and Mother
Wy-ang
Go-mang Grandfather
Ba-bun-na Brother
Ma-mun-na Sister
Go-roong A child
We-row-ey A female child
Wong-er-ra A male ditto
Na-bung-ay wui-dal-liez Infant at the breast
[Compounded of Na-bung its breast, and Wai-dal-liez relating to drinking]
Bore-goo-roo Child eight months old
Guy-a-nay-yong An old man
Mau-gohn A wife
Mau-gohn-nal-ly A temporary ditto
Go-rah-gal-long A handsome man
Go-rah-gal-long-
al-le-ong A handsome woman
Ma-lin, Nurkine,
Mud-gin
Gnar-ra-mat-ta A relation [To these I never could affix
precise meanings]
Cow-ul Male of animals
We ring Female of ditto
Do-roon A son
Do-roon-e-nang A daughter
Go-mul A term of friendship
Cam-mar-rade, Terms of affection used by girls
and Ca-mong-al-lay
SPEARS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS
Goong-un A spear with four barbs cut in the wood,
which they do not throw, but strike with
hand to hand
Noo-ro Ca-my A spear with one barb, fastened on
Ca-my A spear with two barbs--This word is
used for spear in general
Bil-larr A spear with one barb, cut from the wood
Wal-lang-al-le-ong A spear armed with pieces of shell
Can-na-diul A spear armed with stones
Ghe-rub-bine A spear without a barb
Doci-ull A short spear
No-roo-gal Ca-my Holes made by a shield
E-lec-mong A shield made of bark
Ar-ra-gong A shield cut out from the solid wood
Moo-ting
Cal-larr Fizgigs
Car-rab-ba Prong of the moo-ting
Dam-moo-ne Prong of the cal-larr.
Woo-dah, Names of clubs.
Can-na-tal-ling,
Doo-win-null,
Can-ni-cull,
Car-ru-wang,
Wo-mur-rang.
Gnal-lung-ul-la,
Tar-ril-ber-re,
Mo-go, Stone hatchet.
We-bat, Handle of ditto.
Wo-mer-ra, Throwing-stick
PRONOUNS, ADVERBS, AND MODE OF ADDRESS
Gni-a, I, or myself
Gnee-ne, You.
Gnee-ne-de, Yours.
Dan-nai, Mine.
Dar-ring-al, His.
Gna-ni, Whose.
Wan, Where.
De, There.
Diam, Here.
Diam o waw? Where are you?
Diam o diam o, Here I am.
Gnalm Chiara, gnahn? What is your name?
Bir-rong, Appertaining.
WINDS
Bow-wan, North.
Bal-gay-al-lang, South.
Boo-roo-wee, East.
Bain-mar-ray, West.
Doo-loo-gal, North-west.
Yare-ba-lahng, South-west.
Go-me-mah, North-east.
Gwar-ra, A high wind
INFLEXIONS OF THE VERBS.
Gnia-na, Sighing.
Bwo-me, Breathing.
Dere-rign-ang, Sneezing.
Car-re-nar-re-bil-le, Coughing.
Yen-no-ra, Walking.
Yen-mow, I will walk or go.
Yenn, Go or walk.
Yen-ma-nia, We will walk or go.
Yen-wor-ro, He is gone.
Yen-nim-me, You are going.
Yen-nool, Relating to walking.
Yen-noong,
Yen-nore-yen,
Yen-nang-allea, Let us both walk.
AI-locy, Stay.
Wo-roo-wo-roo, Go away.
War-re-war-re,
Pat-ta-diow, I have eaten.
Pat-td-die-mi, You have eaten.
Pat-ty, He has eaten.
Pat-ta-bow, I will eat.
Pat-td-baw-me, You will eat, or will you eat?
Pat-ta-ne, They eat.
Wul-da-diow, I have drank.
Wul-da-dic-mi, You have drank.
Nwya jee-ming-a, Give me.
Py-yay, Killed.
Jung-ara py-yay, Killed by dogs.
Par-rat-ben-ni-diow I have emptied.
Py-ya-bow, I will strike or beat.
Py-yee, He did beat.
E-ra-bow, I will throw.
E-ra, Throw you.
E-rail-leiz, Throwing.
Mahn-me-diow. I have taken it.
Mahn-iow, Shall I, or I shall take.
Goo-ra, Sunk.
Ton-ga-bil-lie, Did cry.
Wau-me, Scolding or abusing.
Wau-me-bow I will scold or abuse
Wau-me-diow I have scolded or abused
Wau-me-diang-ha They have scolded or abused
Nang-er-ra He sleeps
Nang-a
Nang-a-bow I will sleep
Nang-a-diow I have slept
Nang-a-diem-me You have slept
Nang-a-bau-me? Will you sleep?
Go-ro-da He snores
Gna-na le-ma She or he breathes
Al-lo-wan He lives or remains
Al-lo-wah Stay here, or sit down
Wal-loo-me-yen-wal-loo? Where are you going?
War-re-me-war-re Where have you been?
Gna-diow You have seen
Gna-diem-me I have seen
Gna-bow I will see
Gna See
Era-mad-jow-in-nia Forced from him
Car-rah-ma Stealing
Wor-ga-wee-na He whistles, or whistling
Goo-lar-ra py-yel-la Snarling with anger
Man-nie mong-alla Surprised
Yare-ba Tired
Pe-to-e Sought for
Man-nie mal-lee He was startled
Nwya-bow-in-nia I will give you
Wan-ye-wan-yi He lies
Ma-row-e He creeps
Bang-a-ja-bun He did paddle
Noy-ga Howling as a dog
Toll Biting
Co-e, Cow-e Cwoi,
Cow-ana Come here
Wad-be Swimming
Bo-gay Diving
Ta-yo-ra, Me-diang-a Severely cold. Me-diang-a is compounded of
Me-diong, a sore
Mul-la-ra Married. Compounded of Mulla, a man
BEASTS
Jung-o Common name
Pat-a-go-rang A large grey kang-oo-roo
Bag-gar-ray Small red ditto
Wal-li-bah Black ditto
Tein-go
Din-go
Wor-re-gal Dog
Boo-roo-min Grey vulpine opossum
Go-ra-go-ro Red ditto
Wob-bin Flying squirrel
Ga-ni-mong Kang-oo-roo rat
Wee-ree-a-min Large fox rat
Wee-ree-am-by
Bo-gul Rat or mouse
Me-rea-gine Spotted rat
BIRDS
Ma-ray-ong Emu
Go-ree-all A parrot
Mul-go A black swan
Car-rang-a bo mur-ray A pelican. When they see this bird over their
heads, they sing the following words:
Yoo-rong-i A ivild duck.
Goad-gang, A wild pigeon
Wir-gan Bird named by us the Friar
Gnoo-roo-me
ta-twa-natwa na-twa--Gno-roo me ta-twa na-twa,
na-twa, tar-ra wow, tar-ra wow*
[* On seeing a shoal of porpoises, they sing while the fish is above water, Note-le-bre la-la, No-te-le-bre la-la, until it goes down, when they sing the words No-tee, No-tee, until it rises again]
Go-gan-ne-gine the Laughing jack-Ass
Po-book Musquito hawk
Wau-gan Crow
Jam-mul jam-mul Common hawk
Gare-a-way White cockatoo
Ca-rate Black ditto
Ur-win-ner-ri-wing Curlew
INSECTS, REPTILES
Mar-rae-gong A spider
Mi-a-nong A fly
Go-ma-go-ma A beetle
Gil-be-nong A grasshopper
Bur-roo-die-ra A butterfly
Go-na-long Caterpillar
Can-nar-ray Centipede
Calm Snake
Po-boo-nang A black ant
PECULIARITIES OF LANGUAGE
To the men when fishing they apply the word Mah-ni; to the women, Mahn.
They make some distinction in another instance when speaking of crying, they say the men Tong-i; the women Tong-e.