Gunwinyguan languages

The Gunwinyguan languages form the second largest family of Australian Aboriginal languages. They are spoken in Arnhem Land in northern Australia. The most populous language is Gunwinygu, with some 1500 speakers.

Although the validity of the Gunwinyguan family is widely accepted, the inclusion of some lesser known language isolates is debated. Ethnologue, for example,[1] includes the Burarran languages, Kakadu, and Enindhilyagwa, which are not included here. What follows is based on a recent classification by Nicholas Evans at the University of Melbourne.

Classification

• Gunwinyguan proper: Jawony (Djauan), Ngandi, Ngalakgan, Kunwinjku (Gunwinggu, Kunwinjku), Kunbarlang, Ngalkbun, Rembarrnga, Wagiman, Wardaman, Yangman
• Maran languages: Alawa, Warndarrang, Marra
• Kungarakany language
• Nunggubuyu language
• Waray language
• Mangarayi language

Evans has proposed that Gunwinyguan is related to the Pama-Nyungan languages in a family he calls Macro-Pama-Nyungan.

References

• McConvell, Patrick and Nicholas Evans. (eds.) 1997. Archaeology and Linguistics: Global Perspectives on Ancient Australia. Melbourne: Oxford University Press