Kalkatungu (also Kalkutungu, Galgadungu, Kalkutung, Kalkadoon, or Galgaduun) is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language formerly spoken around the area of Mount Isa and Cloncurry, Queensland.
Classification Apart from the closely related language, Wakabunga, Kalkatungu is sometimes grouped with Yalarnnga as the Kalkatungic (Galgadungic) branch of the Pama–Nyungan family. O'Grady et al.,O'Grady G.N, Voegelen C.F, Voegelen F.M (1966) Languages of the Indo-Pacific, Fascicle six, Anthropological linguistics 8/2 however, classify it as the sole member of the "Kalkatungic group" of the Pama-Nyungan family, and Dixon (2002) regards Kalkatungic as an areal group.
Revival Emeritus Professor Barry Blake, Sheree Blackley and others have revived the language based on recordings, written grammars and personal memories. Robert Ah Wing, assisted by Uncle Arthur Peterson is also active in this field. Often, emphasis is placed on belonging, passing on elements of language to younger Kalkatungu.
Phonology Vowels Front Back High Low
Consonants *
Peripheral Laminal Apical Bilabial Velar Palatal Dental Alveolar Retroflex Stop Nasal Lateral Vibrant Approximant It is not clear if the vibrant is a trill or a tap.
Stress Like in English, word stress is realised in terms of loudness. Sentence stress is also organised similar to English with the first syllable in the final word of a phonological phrase getting the main stress. (tonic stress) Moreover, if there are more than two words in a phrase, the first syllable of the first word receives more stress than the non-final words.
Vocabulary Below is a basic vocabulary list from Blake (1981).
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! English !! Kalkatungu |- | man || yurru |- | woman || marabai |- | mother || mardu |- | father || kurla |- | head || kaṉṯa |- | eye || miḻṯi |- | nose || ityintyi |- | ear || iṉṯa |- | mouth || aṉṯa |- | tongue || marli |- | tooth || ardiṉḏa |- | hand || magaṯi |- | breast || mimi |- | stomach || putu |- | urine || kurkai |- | faeces || unu |- | thigh || nguḻṯu |- | foot || ṯapandu |- | bone || kunka |- | blood || ultyi |- | dog || ṯugu |- | snake || ṯuat |- | kangaroo || matyumba |- | possum || mirramba |- | fish || wakari |- | spider || kubu |- | mosquito || migara |- | emu || udingat |- | eaglehawk || uḻuyan |- | crow || waagarla |- | sun || pintyamu |- | moon || tuṉḏal |- | star || tyirka |- | stone || ndia |- | water || kuu |- | camp || muu |- | fire || utyan |- | smoke || purlu |- | food || maa |- | meat || adi |- | stand || nanbi |- | sit || ini |- | see || na- |- | go || ingga |- | get || mani |- | hit, kill || ḻai |- | I || ngai |- | you || nyini |- | one || ayat |- | two || lyuwadi
Kalkatungu Sign Language Kendon (1988) shows that Kalkatungu also had a developed signed form of their language.Kendon, A. (1988) Sign Languages of Aboriginal Australia: Cultural, Semiotic and Communicative Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
References
Roth, Walter E. (1897). The expression of ideas by manual signs: a sign-language. (p. 273–301) Reprinted from Roth, W.E. Ethnological studies among the North-West-Central Queensland Aborigines. London, Queensland Agent-Generals Information Office, 1897; 71–90; Information collected from the following tribes; Pitta-Pitta, Boinji, Ulaolinya, Wonkajera, Walookera, Undekerebina, Kalkadoon, Mitakoodi, Woonamurra, Goa. Reprinted (1978) in Aboriginal sign languages of the Americas and Australia. New York: Plenum Press, vol. 2.
External links
Soraya Johnston digital story, State Library of Queensland. Digital story discussing Kalkadoon language