And the endings are as follows:
- Genitive, “-ba.”
- Dative, “-lukuru.”
- Accusative, “-na.”
- Ablative, “-languru” (from), or “-lawana” (with).
A simple sentence embodying three pronouns would be: “Naiulu tanalawana nuntulukura ngalierra,” which, literally translated, reads: “I with them to you have come.”
A few of the Arunndta interrogatives are:
- “Ewunna?” What? or What is it?
- “Unndana?” Where?
- “Nguna?” Which?
- “Ngula?” Who?
- “Ntakinya?” How many?
The aspirate is very occasionally met with. The local group of the Arunndta, residing at Arltunga, which styles itself “Herrinda,” is one of the few exceptions. Even in the settled districts, where the natives have adopted European names, one christened “Harry” is usually spoken of as “Yarri.” The sounds which are most commonly aspirated are the exclamations, e.g. “Hai!” “Aha,” and “Hm-hm!”
Used in conjunction with a vowel, usually an “a,” the consonantal combination “ng” is common to all Australian dialects. Although to the modern tongue a little difficult to master, the sound is strikingly fluent with the aboriginal; indeed, its frequent inclusion in words of fundamentally simple origin suggests a primitive, natural derivation. Along the north-western coast, the words for “water” are “ngawa” (Wave Hill), “ngauwa” (Humbert River), “kornga” (Sunday Island).
In the Arunndta, “nga” stands for either “Here you are!” “There!” or “Take it!” all phrases being used in the sense of offering something to a person, such as mother to infant. “Ngaboni” is a modified form of the last-named, having any of the following meanings: “Here!” “Look!” or “Behold!” And “ngarai” is yet another modification of similar significance, usually placed immediately behind the object it is desired to draw attention to, e.g. “Arre ngarai!” (Look at the kangaroo).
Verbal greetings, akin to our “Good-day!” are rarely, if ever, made use of by natives when they meet; but some of the tribes recognize an orthodox term of salutation at partings, as indicating a friendly feeling which the speaker bears towards the person he is on the point of leaving. The Mulluk-Mulluk and some of their neighbours on the Daly River have adopted the word “mummuk” to express their farewell, whilst the Sunday Islanders’ vocabulary includes a similar expression in the word “tchorrogu.”
An alarm, such as we would raise in the form of “Look out!” or “Get out of the way!” is rendered by the Arunndta “Par-le!”