Wamin language
| Agwamin | |
|---|---|
| Wamin | |
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Queensland |
| Ethnicity | Ewamin |
| Extinct | 1 speaker in 1981[1] |
Pama–Nyungan
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | wmi |
| Glottolog | wami1239 |
| AIATSIS[2] | Y132 |
| ELP | Agwamin |
Wamin (also known as Agwamin or Ewamian) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North Queensland spoken by the Ewamian people.[2] Wamin was traditionally spoken in the Etheridge region, in the areas around Einasliegh, Georgetown, and Mount Surprise.[3] There was only one living speaker of the language alive in 1981.[1]
Alternative names and dialects
The language of Ewamian people, now undergoing revival[4], is variously known as Wamin or Agwamin. Elder Fred Fulford, as documented by Peter Sutton in the early 1970s, explained that Agwamin and Wamin were originally two mutually intelligible dialects, one 'heavy' and one 'light'.[5] There was said to be one living speaker of the language alive in 1981.[6] Dixon (2002) counts Wamin as an alternative name for Agwamin.[7]
The following is a list of alternative names for Agwamin:[8]
- Wamin
- Ewamin
- Wimanja
- Egwamin
- Gwamin
- Ak Waumin
- Wamin
- Wommin, Waumin, Wawmin
- Walamin
- Wommin
- Walming
- Wailoolo
Vocabulary
Some words from the Agwamin language are:
References
- ^ a b Wurm and Hattori 1981
- ^ a b Y132 Agwamin at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- ^
This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Agwamin published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 30 May 2022.
- ^ "About Ewamian People". Ewamian People Aboriginal Corporation. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ a b Sutton, Peter (1976). "The diversity of initial dropping languages in southern Cape York". In Sutton, Peter (ed.). Languages of Cape York: papers presented to the linguistic symposium, part B, held in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Biennial General Meeting, May, 1974. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. pp. 116–120.
- ^ Wurm, S.A.; Hattori, S. (1981). Language atlas of the Pacific area, part 1 and 2. Canberra: Australian National University.
- ^ Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: their nature and development. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ a b Tindale, Norman Barnett (1974). "Ewamin (QLD)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-708-10741-6.
