Kuku Nyungkal language
Encyclopedia
Kuku Nyungkal is an Australian
Aboriginal language
and the language of the Kuku Nyungkal people
of Far North Queensland
. It is one of the Kuku Yalanji languages still being spoken (though by fewer people than speak Kuku Yalanji itself). Most of the speakers today live in the communities of Wujal Wujal and Mossman
.
The UNESCO
Atlas of World Languages in Danger includes Kuku Nyungkal language as part of a larger Kuku Yalanji languages listing, identifying and listing all the Kuku Yalanji languages as a whole as being "severely endangered"
s as follows:
s as follows:
All are pronounced as they would be in English, with the rr used for a rolled r, as in the scottish r.
Aboriginal language
Australian Aboriginal languages
The Australian Aboriginal languages comprise several language families and isolates native to the Australian Aborigines of Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding the languages of Tasmania and the Torres Strait Islanders...
and the language of the Kuku Nyungkal people
Kuku Nyungkal people
The Kuku Nyungkal people are a group of Aboriginal Australians who are the original custodians of the coastal mountain slopes, wet tropical forests, waters, and waterfalls of the Upper Annan River, south of Cooktown, Queensland...
of Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
. It is one of the Kuku Yalanji languages still being spoken (though by fewer people than speak Kuku Yalanji itself). Most of the speakers today live in the communities of Wujal Wujal and Mossman
Mossman, Queensland
For the collection of Horsedrawn Carriages see Mossman CollectionMossman is a town in Far North Queensland, Australia, on the Mossman River...
.
The UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Atlas of World Languages in Danger includes Kuku Nyungkal language as part of a larger Kuku Yalanji languages listing, identifying and listing all the Kuku Yalanji languages as a whole as being "severely endangered"
Vowels
Kuku Nyungkal has three vowelVowel
In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language, such as English ah! or oh! , pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis. This contrasts with consonants, such as English sh! , where there is a constriction or closure at some...
s as follows:
| Vowels | English equivalent |
|---|---|
| a | as in f a ther |
| i | as in p i t |
| u | as in p u t |
Consonants
Kuku Nyungkal has thirteen consonantConsonant
In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are , pronounced with the lips; , pronounced with the front of the tongue; , pronounced with the back of the tongue; , pronounced in the throat; and ,...
s as follows:
| b | d | j | k | l | m | n | ny | ng | r | rr | w | y |
All are pronounced as they would be in English, with the rr used for a rolled r, as in the scottish r.