Djabugay (or Djabuganjdji; see below for other names) is an endangered Australian Aboriginal language spoken by the Djabugay people with 81 native speakers at the 2021 census. The Djabugay language region includes Far North Queensland, particularly around the Kuranda Range and Barron River catchment, and the landscape within the local government boundaries of the Cairns Regional Council.

Classification Though sometimes placed in a separate Yidinyic branch of Pama–Nyungan, Bowern (2011) retains Djabugay in its traditional place within the Paman languages.Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, 23 December 2011 (corrected 6 February 2012)

Dialects The following languages are confirmed dialects of Djabugay by the AUSTLANG database maintained by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Djabugay is used both as a language name and a dialect name. Additional names for these languages and/or dialects have been listed after their names but terms do overlap and the lists are not exhaustive.

Y106: Djabugay / Tjapukai – Barron River dialect, Binggu, Bulum-Bulum, Buluwai, Check-Cull, Chewlie, Dja:bugay, Djabugai, Djabuganjdji, Djabungandji, Dyaabugay, Dyabugandyi, Dyabugay, Hileman, Irukandjai, Kikonjunkulu, Kodgotto, Koko-Tjumbundji, Koko njunkulu, Koko nyungalo, Koko Tjumbundji, Kokonjunkulu, Kokonyungalo, Ngarlkadjie, Njakali, Nyakali, Orlow, Tapelcay, Tcabogai tjanji, Tja:pukanja, Tjabakai-Thandji, Tjabogai tjandji, Tjabogai tjanji, Tjabogaijanji, Tjabogaitjandji, Tjankir, Tjankun, Tjapukandji, Tjapukanja, Tjapunkandji, Tjunbundji, Toabogai tjani, Tuffelcey Y110: Bulway – Buluwan dyi, Buluwandji, Buluwandyi, Bulwandji, Bulwandyi Y111: Yirrgay – Chumchum, Dingal, Djabungandji, Dungara, Dungarah, Illagona, Irakanji, Irukandji, Tingaree, Tingeree, Umbay, Walpoll, Wongulli, Yerkanji, Yettkie, Yirgandji, Yirgay, Yirkandji, Yirkanji Y160: Guluy – Dyaabugay Y162: Nyagali – Njagali

Phonology

+ Consonants Labial Apico-alveolar Retroflex Lamino-palatal Dorso-velar Plosive Nasal Lateral Rhotic Semivowel

+ Vowels Front Back High Low

Vocabulary Some words from the Djabugay language, as spelt and written by Djabugay authors include:Duffin, Rhonda & Brim, Rosetta (1993?) Ngapi Garrang Bulurru-m: All Things Come from Bulurru. Kuranda, Queensland. .

: elsewhere known as Dreaming, the source of life. Gurrabana: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the wet season side. Gurraminya: where people and everything in Djabugay society and life is divided between wet and dry, this is the dry season side. Djirri-nyurra: hello Guyu: fish Gan gula: kangaroo Bulmba: home Bana: rain Wuru: river Bungan: sun

See also Yidiny language

References

Further reading

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language Wordlists: Djabugay Everyday Words, published by State Library of Queensland under CC-BY license, accessed 17 May 2022.