Jump to content

Wik languages

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Stevage (talk | contribs) at 16:21, 2 June 2006 (see also Wik Peoples v Queensland). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Wik or Middle Paman languages are a family of genetically related Australian Aboriginal languages spoken on the Cape York peninsula, Queensland, Australia.

Most Wik dialects have names beginning with the prefix Wik-, and some can use either Wik- or Kugu-/Kuku-.

Classification

R. M. W. Dixon (2002) places the Wik languages as a subgroup within the north Cape York subgroup, along with the Northern Paman subgroup and Umpila, but regards further connections as unproven.

As is the case with many Australian languages, a traditional name exists only for each tribal dialect, and there is no name for languages in the linguistic sense. Additionally, linguists sometimes differ as to how the dialects should be grouped to form languages. Ethnologue regards each dialect as a distinct language.

Dialects Dixon (2002)
Wik-Ngathan Wik-Ngathan
Wik-Ngatharr
Wik-Me'nh Wik-Me'nh
Wik-Ep
Wik-Keyeganh
Wik-Mungknh Wik-Mungknh
Wik-Iiyanh
Kugu-/Wik-Muminh Kugu-Muminh
Kugu-/Wik-Nganhcara
Kugu-/Wik-Mu'inh
Kugu-/Wik-Uwanh
Kugu-/Wik-Ugbanh
Kugu-/Wik-Yi'anh
Kugu-/Wik-Mangk
Kugu-/Wik-Iyanh
Bakanha
Ayabadhu

See also

References

  • Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.