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{{Short description|Australian Aboriginal language of northern Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{use Australian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
|name=Gunbarlang
|name=Gunbarlang
|nativename=Warlang
|nativename=''Warlang''
|states=[[Australia]]
|states=[[Australia]]
|region=[[Arnhem Land]]
|region=[[Arnhem Land]]
|ethnicity=[[Gambalang]]
|speakers=16
|extinct=by 2016
|date=2006 census
|ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ABS_C16_T09_SA|title=Census 2016, Language spoken at home by Sex (SA2+)|last=ABS|website=stat.data.abs.gov.au|language=en-au|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|access-date=2017-10-29|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226044803/http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ABS_C16_T09_SA|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|ref=e18
|familycolor=Australian
|familycolor=Australian
|fam1=[[Arnhem languages|Arnhem]]
|fam1=[[Arnhem languages|Arnhem]]
Line 16: Line 19:
|dia4=Marrabanggu
|dia4=Marrabanggu
|dia5=Marranumbu
|dia5=Marranumbu
|dia6=Gunguluwala<ref>{{harvnb|Dixon|2002|page=xl}}</ref>
|dia6=Gunguluwala<ref>{{cite book |last=Dixon |first=R. M. W. |authorlink=R. M. W. Dixon |title=Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2002 |url=http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521473780|page=xl}}</ref>
|iso3=wlg
|iso3=wlg
|glotto=kunb1251
|glotto=kunb1251
Line 23: Line 26:
}}
}}


'''Gunbarlang''' (Kunbarlang) is an [[Australian Aboriginal]] language in northern Australia with multiple dialects. Other names are ''Gungalang'' and ''Warlang''. Most of the ethnic group now speaks [[Gunywingu language|Gunywingu]].<ref name=e18/>
'''Gunbarlang''', or '''Kunbarlang''', is an [[Australian Aboriginal]] language in northern Australia with multiple dialects. Other names are ''Gungalang'' and ''Warlang''. Speakers are multilingual in [[Bininj Kunwok language|Kunwinjku]] and [[Maung language|Mawng]]. Most of the [[Gunbarlang]] people now speak [[Bininj Kunwok language|Kunwinjku]].<ref name=e18>{{e18|wlg|Gunbarlang}}</ref>


The language is part of a [[language revival]] project, as a critically endangered language.
==References==

==Classification==
Gunbarlang has been proposed to be included into the ''marne'' group of Gunwinyguan family,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Bininj Gun-Wok: A Pan-Dialectal Grammar of Mayali, Kunwinjku and Kune |last=Evans |first=N. |publisher=ANU |year=2003 |page=33 |hdl=1885/53188 |author-link=Nicholas Evans (linguist) |hdl-access=free}}</ref> making its closest relatives the Central Gunwinyguan languages [[Bininj Kunwok language|Bininj Kunwok]] and [[Dalabon language|Dalabon]]. The label ''marne'' refers to the phonological shape of the [[benefactive]] [[applicative voice|applicative]] affix common to all three languages (as opposed to the ''bak'' languages to the east, e.g. [[Rembarrnga language|Rembarrnga]], [[Ngandi language|Ngandi]] and [[Nunggubuyu language|Wubuy/Nunggubuyu]]).<ref name="Alpher, Evans & Harvey 2003">Alpher, B., Evans, N. & Harvey, M. 2003. "Proto Gunwinyguan verb suffixes." In Nicholas Evans (ed.), ''The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: Comparative Studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region'', 305-352. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.</ref>

==Geographic distribution==
Some Gunbarlang speakers live in [[Warruwi]] on [[Goulburn Islands|South Goulburn Island]] and [[Maningrida, Northern Territory|Maningrida]]. Historically, it was also spoken in [[Gunbalanya, Northern Territory|Gunbalanya]].<ref>{{harvnb|Harris|1969}}</ref>

== Phonology ==

=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! colspan="2" |
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
!<small>voiceless</small>
|p
|t
|ʈ
|c
|k
|ʔ
|-
!<small>tense</small>
|pː
|tː
|ʈː
|cː
|kː
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal vowel|Nasal]]
|m
|n
| colspan="1" |ɳ
|ɲ
|ŋ
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| colspan="1" |
|l
| colspan="1" |ɭ
| colspan="1" |
| colspan="1" |
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Rhotic consonant|Rhotic]]
| colspan="1" |
|ɾ
| colspan="1" |ɻ
| colspan="1" |
| colspan="1" |
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant]]
|w
| colspan="1" |
| colspan="1" |
|j
|
|
|}
/ɾ/ can also be heard as a trill [r].

=== Vowels ===
{| class="IPA wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|- style="text-align: center;"
![[High vowel|High]]
|i
|
|u
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|e
|
|o
|- style="text-align: center;"
![[Low vowel|Low]]
|
|a
|
|}

==Grammar==
Gunbarlang is a [[polysynthetic language]] with complex verb morphology. It includes polypersonal agreement, [[Incorporation (linguistics)|incorporation]], and a number of derivational affixes. Word order in a (transitive) clause is SVO or SOV.<ref>{{harvnb|Coleman|1982}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Kapitonov|2019}}</ref>

===Morphosyntax===
Morphology is primarily [[Agglutination|agglutinating]]. Verbal morphology (rather than case marking or syntax) encodes a significant part of grammatical relations.

====Verbal====
The verb includes obligatory agreement with its core arguments in the form of bound pronouns. The subject/agent prefix precedes the object prefix. Subject prefixes form four mood series: positive indicative, "non-performative", future/intentional, and potential.<ref>{{harvnb|Dixon|2002|page=338}}</ref>

The verb features derivational affixes, such as benefactive, directional, and TAM.

====Nominal====
Case in not marked on nouns and free pronouns, but bound pronouns follow [[Nominative–accusative language|nominative-accusative]] alignment.<ref>{{harvnb|Dixon|2002|page=350}}</ref>

Gunbarlang distinguishes five noun classes on demonstratives (M, F, plants, body-parts, and inanimate), but only four on other constituents (collapsing the latter two).<ref>{{harvnb|Coleman|1982}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Dixon|2002|page=478}}</ref>

==Language revival==

{{as of|2020}}, Kunbarlang is one of 20 languages prioritised as part of the Priority Languages Support Project, being undertaken by First Languages Australia and funded by the [[Department of Communications and the Arts]]. The project aims to "identify and document critically-endangered languages — those languages for which little or no documentation exists, where no recordings have previously been made, but where there are living speakers".<ref>{{cite web|website=First Languages Australia|url=https://www.firstlanguages.org.au/projects/plsp|title=Priority Languages Support Project|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=24 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224021102/https://firstlanguages.org.au/projects/plsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |last=Coleman |first=C. |title=A Grammar of Gunbalang with Special Reference to Grammatical Relations |year=1982 }}
* {{cite book |last=Dixon |first=R. M. W. |author-link=R. M. W. Dixon |title=Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2002 |url=http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521473780 }}
* {{Cite book |title=Papers in Australian linguistics no. 4 |last=Harris |first=Joy Kinslow |publisher=Pacific Linguistics |year=1969 |editor-last=Joy Kinslow Harris |series=Pacific Linguistics, Series A 17 |location=Canberra |pages=1–49 |chapter=Preliminary grammar of Gunbalang |editor-last2=Stephen A. Wurm |editor-last3=Donald C. Laycock |url=https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/144554/1/PL-A17.pdf |doi=10.15144/PL-A17 |hdl=1885/144554 |hdl-access=free }}
* {{Cite thesis |last=Kapitonov |first=I. |title=A Grammar of Kunbarlang |date=2019 |degree=PhD |publisher=The University of Melbourne |url=https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/225743/main.pdf |hdl=11343/225743 |hdl-access=free }}
* {{Cite book |last=Kapitonov |first=Ivan |title=A grammar of Kunbarlang |publisher=Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter |year=2021}}


{{Pama–Nyungan languages|Macro}}
{{Pama–Nyungan languages|Macro}}
{{Australian Aboriginal languages}}


[[Category:Gunwinyguan languages]]
[[Category:Gunwinyguan languages]]
[[Category:Arnhem Land]]
[[Category:Arnhem Land]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian languages in the Northern Territory]]

[[Category:Extinct languages of the Northern Territory]]

{{IndigenousAustralian-lang-stub}}
{{NorthernTerritory-stub}}

Latest revision as of 20:21, 21 April 2024

Gunbarlang
Warlang
Native toAustralia
RegionArnhem Land
EthnicityGambalang
Extinctby 2016[1]
Arnhem
Dialects
  • Djimbilirri
  • Gurrigurri
  • Gumunggurdu
  • Marrabanggu
  • Marranumbu
  • Gunguluwala[2]
Language codes
ISO 639-3wlg
Glottologkunb1251
AIATSIS[3]N69
ELPKunbarlang

Gunbarlang, or Kunbarlang, is an Australian Aboriginal language in northern Australia with multiple dialects. Other names are Gungalang and Warlang. Speakers are multilingual in Kunwinjku and Mawng. Most of the Gunbarlang people now speak Kunwinjku.[4]

The language is part of a language revival project, as a critically endangered language.

Classification

[edit]

Gunbarlang has been proposed to be included into the marne group of Gunwinyguan family,[5] making its closest relatives the Central Gunwinyguan languages Bininj Kunwok and Dalabon. The label marne refers to the phonological shape of the benefactive applicative affix common to all three languages (as opposed to the bak languages to the east, e.g. Rembarrnga, Ngandi and Wubuy/Nunggubuyu).[6]

Geographic distribution

[edit]

Some Gunbarlang speakers live in Warruwi on South Goulburn Island and Maningrida. Historically, it was also spoken in Gunbalanya.[7]

Phonology

[edit]

Consonants

[edit]
Labial Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t ʈ c k ʔ
tense pː tː ʈː cː kː
Nasal m n ɳ ɲ ŋ
Lateral l ɭ
Rhotic ɾ ɻ
Approximant w j

/ɾ/ can also be heard as a trill [r].

Vowels

[edit]
Front Central Back
High i u
Mid e o
Low a

Grammar

[edit]

Gunbarlang is a polysynthetic language with complex verb morphology. It includes polypersonal agreement, incorporation, and a number of derivational affixes. Word order in a (transitive) clause is SVO or SOV.[8][9]

Morphosyntax

[edit]

Morphology is primarily agglutinating. Verbal morphology (rather than case marking or syntax) encodes a significant part of grammatical relations.

Verbal

[edit]

The verb includes obligatory agreement with its core arguments in the form of bound pronouns. The subject/agent prefix precedes the object prefix. Subject prefixes form four mood series: positive indicative, "non-performative", future/intentional, and potential.[10]

The verb features derivational affixes, such as benefactive, directional, and TAM.

Nominal

[edit]

Case in not marked on nouns and free pronouns, but bound pronouns follow nominative-accusative alignment.[11]

Gunbarlang distinguishes five noun classes on demonstratives (M, F, plants, body-parts, and inanimate), but only four on other constituents (collapsing the latter two).[12][13]

Language revival

[edit]

As of 2020, Kunbarlang is one of 20 languages prioritised as part of the Priority Languages Support Project, being undertaken by First Languages Australia and funded by the Department of Communications and the Arts. The project aims to "identify and document critically-endangered languages — those languages for which little or no documentation exists, where no recordings have previously been made, but where there are living speakers".[14]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ ABS. "Census 2016, Language spoken at home by Sex (SA2+)". stat.data.abs.gov.au. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  2. ^ Dixon 2002, p. xl
  3. ^ N69 Gunbarlang at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  4. ^ Gunbarlang at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  5. ^ Evans, N. (2003). Bininj Gun-Wok: A Pan-Dialectal Grammar of Mayali, Kunwinjku and Kune. ANU. p. 33. hdl:1885/53188.
  6. ^ Alpher, B., Evans, N. & Harvey, M. 2003. "Proto Gunwinyguan verb suffixes." In Nicholas Evans (ed.), The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia: Comparative Studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region, 305-352. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
  7. ^ Harris 1969
  8. ^ Coleman 1982
  9. ^ Kapitonov 2019
  10. ^ Dixon 2002, p. 338
  11. ^ Dixon 2002, p. 350
  12. ^ Coleman 1982
  13. ^ Dixon 2002, p. 478
  14. ^ "Priority Languages Support Project". First Languages Australia. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2020.

References

[edit]
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