Language name and locationː Nyamal, Australia  [Refer to Ethnologue]

语言名称和分布地区: 尼亚加马尔语, 澳洲西部

1. yikamarta

2. kujarra

3. purrku

Linguist providing data and dateː Mr. Albert Burgman, Senior Linguist,

Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre, South Hedland, Western Australia, Australia.  September 14, 2012.

提供资料的语言学家: Mr. Albert Burgman, 2012 年 9 月 14 日.

Other comments: Traditionally, Nyamal didn't use words for very higher numbers, so the traditional numbers are as above. Nyamal is an endangered language with 20 speakers.

Orthographies used
The Pilbara languages have adopted either a voiceless ‘ptk’ or voiced ‘bdg’ spelling system based upon orthographies already being used as per community wishes. In all orthographies ‘j’ is used rather than ‘dj’, ‘dy’, ‘tj’ etc.. The name Yindjibarndi may seem to contradict this, but it is the only word in the language that has this spelling (as the community wished to retain the original spelling of the language name). Sometimes a ‘k’ is used in a ‘bdg’ orthography; this occurs when ‘n’ and ‘g’ cross syllable boundaries, otherwise ‘n-g’ could be confused with the sound ‘ng’.

The following spelling system (based upon the pronunciation of Standard Australian English) is used for Pilbara languages:

Short Vowels

a          As in the ‘u’ in cut.

i           As in pin.

u          As in put.

Long Vowels

aa        Similar to a but held a bit longer. It is about the same as the vowel sound in the English words cart, start and farm.

ii          Similar to i but held a bit longer. It is about the same as the vowel sound in the English words seek, teeth and pristine.

uu        Similar to u but held a bit longer. There is no real equivalent in Standard Australian English. Practice by saying the sound in put but holding it longer, as in the word pool.

Consonants

b/p       About halfway between the English sounds b as in the word bill and p as in the word pill. It’s a bit like the sound in spill. Try to listen to the difference between the way you pronounce pill and spill. To Australian English speakers, the p in spill often sounds more like b.

d/t       About halfway between the English sounds d as in the word dill and t as in the word till. It’s a bit like the sound in still. Try to listen to the difference between the way you pronounce till and still. To Australian English speakers, the t in still often sounds more like d.

rd/rt    Similar to the English d sound as in had, but made with your tongue tip curled slightly back. This sound is a bit like the American English way of saying herd and yard.

g/k      About halfway between the English sounds g as in the word gill and k as in the word kill. It’s a bit like the sound in skill. Try to listen to the difference between the way you pronounce kill and skill. To Australian English speakers, the k in skill often sounds more like g.

j           Similar to the j sound in the English words jam, jump and major, but it is said with most of the front half of your tongue pressed against the top of your mouth. It’s very similar to the sound in dew.

l           Like English l.

lh         Made by saying l with the tongue  touching the back of the top front teeth.[

rl         Similar to the English l sound as in pal, but made with your tongue tip curled backwards. This sound is a bit like the American English way of saying girl and snarl.

ly         Made by saying l with most of the front half of your tongue pressed flat against the top of your mouth. It is like the sound in the English word million when the word is said quickly.

m         Like English m.

n          Like English n.

ng        Same as the sound at the end of the English word bang and in the middle of singer. In Pilbara languages, this sound can also occur at the start of a word, which can be hard for English speakers to say. You can practise by saying the word singer, getting slower each time. Then try saying the first part, si-, silently so you are just saying -nger out loud.

nh        Made by saying n with the tongue  touching the back of the top front teeth.

rn        Similar to the English n sound as in pan, but made with your tongue tip curled backwards. This sound is a bit like the American English way of saying barn and earn.

ny        Made by saying n with most of the front half of your tongue pressed against the top of your mouth. It is like the sound in the English word onion, or in bunyip when it is said quickly.

r          Similar to the English r sound as in run, pram and red, but made with your tongue tip curled slightly back.

rr         A trilled r like in Italian or Scottish English. Sometimes this is pronounced as a very short trill or tap, similar to the sound in butter when it is said very quickly.

th         Made by saying t with the tongue  touching the back of the top front teeth.

w          Like English w.

y          Like English y.