Knowledge

Torres Strait Island languages

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29: 107:. In 2001 and 2003, Ron Edwards published the Torres Strait Languages vocabularies of Sydney H. Ray. This is the only dictionary available for use by Torres Strait Islanders and people who want to teach, learn and speak the Torres Strait languages. Unfortunately, neither the Ray work nor his vocabularies are very good, and contain many mistakes. The dictionaries can only be used in conjunction with knowledgeable native speakers to point out errors and corrections. 1539: 1549: 110:
The four dialects of the Kalau Lagau Ya are very close to each other, somewhat like Standard American and Standard Australian English are to each other. Its vocabulary is potentially 80% non-Australian; much of the non-Australian content is Papuan (Trans-Fly) and Austronesian (South-East Papuan). It
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Both languages are strictly speaking mixed languages, Meriam Mìr having some Australian/Kalaw Lagaw Ya influence as well as Austronesian. It is probably the case that Meriam Mìr settlers 'overlaid' Kalaw lagaw ya speakers on the Eastern islands (these non-Meriam people who have always been resident
111:
is an interesting language in having feminine and masculine gender, though no neuter gender – and the difference is semantically significant in that many words can be masculine or feminine according to inherent reference or culturally significant reference. For example,
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family of languages, which covers most of Australia. This language is known by its dialect names: Kalau Lagau Ya, Kalau Kawau Ya, Kulkalgau Ya and Kaiwaligau Ya (this latter also called Kowrareg, which is from the mid-19th century Kowrareg dialect form
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Sydney Ray's "Linguistics" and Rod Mitchell's "Ngalmun Lagaw Yangukudu" are the main descriptions of the language. Ray contains a vocabulary list of both Mabuiag (as called by the Cambridge Expedition) and
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The table below shows how some example phrases differ in the Torres Strait languages. Kalau Kawau Ya, Kala Lagau Ya, Kulkalgau Ya and Kaiwaligau Ya, 'old' Kaiwaligau Ya are the dialects of Kalau Lagau Ya.
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David, Bruno; McNiven, Ian; Mitchell, Rod; Orr, Meredith; Haberle, Simon; Brady, Liam; Crouch, Joe (1 July 2004). "Badu 15 and the Papuan–Austronesian Settlement of Torres Strait".
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Mitchell, Rod (April 2015). "Ngalmun Lagaw Yangukudu: The Language of our Homeland in Goemulgaw Lagal: Cultural and Natural Histories of the Island of Mabuyag, Torres Strait".
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that developed from Torres Strait Pidgin English, the earliest records of which date to the mid 1800s, though creolisation started in the 1880s at the earliest. This
1501: 72:, or Torres Strait Creole, the third language, is a non-typical Pacific English Creole and is the main language of communication on the islands. 1587: 99:
is often called Kala Lagaw Ya in the literature. From here on it is known as Kalau Lagau Ya as per the High Court Decision on 7 August 2013.
188: 184: 86:
The language of the western and central islands of Torres Strait is related to languages of the Australian mainland and is a member of the
40:: two indigenous languages and an English-based creole. The indigenous language spoken mainly in the western and central islands is 458: 139:. Meriam Mir is the only Papuan language indigenous to Australia, and used to have two dialects, Erubim Mìr and Meriam Mir. 32:
Languages used at home by Torres Strait Islanders in localities with significant share of Torres Strait islander population.
1526: 609: 604: 198: 947: 1180: 393: 1577: 1349: 1582: 981: 795: 1553: 672: 1558: 1196: 1024: 1014: 1344: 1339: 1275: 844: 784: 771: 451: 87: 45: 1053: 909: 827: 749: 327: 1385: 1378: 776: 659: 1394: 48:
of the Australian mainland. The other indigenous language spoken mainly in the eastern islands is
1460: 1082: 887: 858: 194: 28: 19:"Torres language" redirects here. For the language spoken on the Torres Islands of Vanuatu, see 1543: 1430: 1425: 687: 444: 61: 1455: 1450: 1300: 898: 477: 387: 37: 1475: 1415: 1366: 1295: 160: 69: 8: 1435: 427:
Sign Languages of Aboriginal Australia: Cultural, Semiotic and Communicative Perspectives
53: 1511: 1470: 1440: 1420: 1252: 1019: 1465: 375: 115:
as masculine means 'an important topic/subject', and as feminine is 'thing, object'.
1506: 1491: 1100: 495: 197:, though they are not reported to be particularly well-developed compared to other 136: 57: 20: 1516: 1334: 1290: 1280: 989: 156: 132: 128: 49: 1285: 1165: 1003: 647: 575: 516: 436: 96: 81: 41: 1571: 1445: 1305: 1270: 1244: 1145: 1090: 967: 625: 468: 379: 175:. It has five dialects – Papuan, Western-Central, Eastern, TI and Cape York. 104: 1160: 1150: 1130: 1110: 1105: 538: 1202: 1170: 1135: 754: 735: 422: 1175: 1140: 1125: 1120: 1115: 1095: 565: 214:
Comparison of phrases in Torres Strait Islander Languages and Dialects
65: 64:; however Kalaw Lagaw Ya appears to be undergoing a transition into a 1521: 1497:
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
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Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits
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spoken on the nearby south coast of New Guinea and the only
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when masculine means 'sun', and when feminine means 'day'.
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language while Meriam Mìr is more clearly agglutinative.
335:""2021 Census - Cultural Diversity, 2021, TableBuilder"" 406: 135:
and is related to the languages of the nearby coast of
60:spoken on Australian territory. Both languages are 1569: 466: 155:The third language of the Torres Straits is a 452: 189:Eastern Torres Strait Islander Sign Language 185:Western Torres Strait Islander Sign Language 16:Three languages of the Torres Strait Islands 459: 445: 368:Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Culture 127:The language of eastern Torres Strait is 1502:Birds of Boigu, Saibai and Dauan Islands 429:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 365: 337:. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 36:There are three languages spoken in the 27: 269:Ngai lagau mabaig, ngai kaiwau mabaig 150: 1570: 421: 348:Ray, Sydney H. (1907). "Linguistics". 440: 361: 359: 1588:Culture of the Torres Strait Islands 1548: 1527:Warul Kawa Indigenous Protected Area 300:Kaka kaur le nali, kaka ged le nali 199:Australian Aboriginal sign languages 347: 13: 356: 143:on the Eastern Islands are called 14: 1599: 308:Torres Strait Creole (Yumplatok) 75: 1547: 1538: 1537: 1350:Torres Strait Regional Authority 178: 415: 400: 341: 267:Ngai lagalaig, ngai kaiwalaig 1: 1559:List of Torres Strait Islands 1197:Indigenous music of Australia 392:: CS1 maint: date and year ( 320: 122: 7: 1345:Torres Strait Island Region 1340:Torres Strait Islander Flag 283:Kauraraigau Ya (mid-1800s) 204: 10: 1604: 1359:Legal cases and principles 307: 296: 282: 277: 263: 249: 235: 218: 182: 147:'Common People', Lawrie). 79: 18: 1535: 1484: 1408: 1358: 1327: 1318: 1261: 1222: 1189: 1080: 1069: 719: 696: 671: 646: 618: 597: 574: 537: 494: 476: 272: 266: 1409:Buildings and structures 1578:Agglutinative languages 1461:Warraber Island Airport 1083:Torres Strait Islanders 1583:Languages of Australia 1431:Darnley Island Airport 1426:Coconut Island Airport 619:Adolphus Channel group 409:Archaeology in Oceania 292:Ngayi mudhapa/lagapa 230:I go home/to the house 46:Pama–Nyungan languages 33: 1456:Saibai Island Airport 1451:Murray Island Airport 1301:Torres Strait English 478:Torres Strait Islands 286:Ngayi kaurau mabaiga 38:Torres Strait Islands 31: 1476:Yorke Island Airport 1416:Boigu Island Airport 1367:Akiba v Commonwealth 1296:Torres Strait Creole 303:Ka metaìm bakeamuda 193:Both languages have 161:Torres Strait Creole 151:Torres Strait Creole 93:kauraraiga/kaurarega 1436:Eborac Island Light 253:Ngai kaiwau mabaig 215: 54:Trans-Fly languages 44:, belonging to the 1512:Alfred Cort Haddon 1471:Yam Island Airport 1441:Goods Island Light 1421:Booby Island Light 239:Ngai kauau mœbaig 213: 52:: a member of the 34: 1565: 1564: 1466:Wyborn Reef Light 1404: 1403: 1373:Mabo v Queensland 1314: 1313: 1276:Eastern Trans-Fly 1065: 1064: 673:The Three Sisters 318: 317: 288:Ngayi kauraraiga 163:is also known as 1595: 1551: 1550: 1541: 1540: 1507:Endeavour Strait 1492:Adolphus Channel 1325: 1324: 1249: 1208: 1078: 1077: 1070:People, culture, 923:North Possession 527:Warakuikul Talab 492: 491: 461: 454: 447: 438: 437: 431: 430: 419: 413: 412: 404: 398: 397: 391: 383: 363: 354: 353: 345: 339: 338: 331: 255:Ngai kaiwalaig 225:I am an Islander 216: 212: 137:Papua New Guinea 21:Lo-Toga language 1603: 1602: 1598: 1597: 1596: 1594: 1593: 1592: 1568: 1567: 1566: 1561: 1531: 1517:Margaret Lawrie 1480: 1400: 1354: 1335:Shire of Torres 1320: 1310: 1257: 1247: 1218: 1206: 1185: 1073: 1072:communities and 1071: 1061: 948:Prince of Wales 872:Little Adolphus 715: 692: 667: 642: 614: 593: 570: 533: 481: 472: 465: 435: 434: 420: 416: 405: 401: 385: 384: 364: 357: 346: 342: 333: 332: 328: 323: 264:Kalau Lagau Ya 236:Kalau Kauau Ya 207: 191: 183:Main articles: 181: 153: 133:Papuan language 125: 84: 78: 58:Papuan language 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1601: 1591: 1590: 1585: 1580: 1563: 1562: 1536: 1533: 1532: 1530: 1529: 1524: 1519: 1514: 1509: 1504: 1499: 1494: 1488: 1486: 1482: 1481: 1479: 1478: 1473: 1468: 1463: 1458: 1453: 1448: 1443: 1438: 1433: 1428: 1423: 1418: 1412: 1410: 1406: 1405: 1402: 1401: 1399: 1398: 1391: 1390: 1389: 1382: 1370: 1362: 1360: 1356: 1355: 1353: 1352: 1347: 1342: 1337: 1331: 1329: 1322: 1319:Governance and 1316: 1315: 1312: 1311: 1309: 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1286:Kalaw Lagaw Ya 1283: 1278: 1273: 1267: 1265: 1259: 1258: 1256: 1255: 1250: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1226: 1224: 1220: 1219: 1217: 1216: 1209: 1199: 1193: 1191: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1183: 1181:Jesse Williams 1178: 1173: 1168: 1166:Wendell Sailor 1163: 1158: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1087: 1085: 1075: 1067: 1066: 1063: 1062: 1060: 1059: 1056: 1051: 1048: 1045: 1042: 1039: 1036: 1033: 1030: 1027: 1022: 1017: 1012: 1009: 1006: 1001: 998: 995: 992: 987: 984: 979: 976: 973: 970: 965: 962: 959: 956: 953: 950: 945: 942: 939: 936: 933: 930: 927: 924: 921: 918: 915: 912: 907: 904: 901: 899:Mount Adolphus 896: 893: 890: 885: 882: 879: 876: 873: 870: 867: 864: 861: 856: 853: 850: 847: 842: 839: 836: 833: 830: 825: 822: 819: 816: 813: 810: 807: 804: 801: 798: 793: 790: 787: 782: 779: 774: 769: 766: 763: 760: 757: 752: 747: 744: 741: 738: 733: 730: 727: 723: 721: 717: 716: 714: 713: 710: 707: 704: 700: 698: 694: 693: 691: 690: 685: 682: 678: 676: 669: 668: 666: 665: 662: 657: 653: 651: 644: 643: 641: 640: 639:Middle Brother 637: 634: 631: 628: 622: 620: 616: 615: 613: 612: 607: 601: 599: 595: 594: 592: 591: 588: 585: 581: 579: 572: 571: 569: 568: 563: 560: 557: 554: 551: 548: 544: 542: 535: 534: 532: 531: 528: 525: 522: 519: 514: 511: 508: 505: 501: 499: 489: 474: 473: 464: 463: 456: 449: 441: 433: 432: 414: 399: 374:(1): 323–446. 355: 352:. Vol. 3. 340: 325: 324: 322: 319: 316: 315: 312: 309: 305: 304: 301: 298: 294: 293: 290: 284: 280: 279: 275: 274: 273:Ngai mudhaka 271: 265: 261: 260: 259:Ngai mudhapa 257: 251: 250:Kaiwaligau Ya 247: 246: 243: 241:Ngai kaualaig 237: 233: 232: 227: 222: 206: 203: 180: 177: 152: 149: 124: 121: 97:Kalau Lagau Ya 82:Kalaw Lagaw Ya 80:Main article: 77: 76:Kalaw Lagaw Ya 74: 42:Kalaw Lagaw Ya 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1600: 1589: 1586: 1584: 1581: 1579: 1576: 1575: 1573: 1560: 1556: 1555: 1546: 1545: 1534: 1528: 1525: 1523: 1520: 1518: 1515: 1513: 1510: 1508: 1505: 1503: 1500: 1498: 1495: 1493: 1490: 1489: 1487: 1483: 1477: 1474: 1472: 1469: 1467: 1464: 1462: 1459: 1457: 1454: 1452: 1449: 1447: 1446:Kubin Airport 1444: 1442: 1439: 1437: 1434: 1432: 1429: 1427: 1424: 1422: 1419: 1417: 1414: 1413: 1411: 1407: 1397: 1396: 1395:Terra nullius 1392: 1388: 1387: 1383: 1381: 1380: 1376: 1375: 1374: 1371: 1369: 1368: 1364: 1363: 1361: 1357: 1351: 1348: 1346: 1343: 1341: 1338: 1336: 1333: 1332: 1330: 1326: 1323: 1321:legal matters 1317: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1272: 1269: 1268: 1266: 1264: 1260: 1254: 1251: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1227: 1225: 1221: 1215: 1214: 1210: 1205: 1204: 1200: 1198: 1195: 1194: 1192: 1188: 1182: 1179: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1147: 1146:Mills Sisters 1144: 1142: 1139: 1137: 1134: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1117: 1114: 1112: 1109: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1101:Aaron Fa'aoso 1099: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1091:Christine Anu 1089: 1088: 1086: 1084: 1079: 1076: 1068: 1057: 1055: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1043: 1040: 1037: 1034: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1010: 1007: 1005: 1002: 999: 996: 993: 991: 988: 985: 983: 980: 977: 974: 971: 969: 966: 963: 960: 957: 954: 951: 949: 946: 943: 940: 937: 934: 931: 928: 925: 922: 919: 916: 913: 911: 908: 905: 902: 900: 897: 894: 891: 889: 886: 883: 880: 877: 874: 871: 868: 865: 862: 860: 857: 854: 851: 848: 846: 843: 840: 837: 834: 831: 829: 826: 823: 820: 817: 814: 811: 808: 805: 802: 799: 797: 794: 791: 788: 786: 783: 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 767: 764: 761: 758: 756: 753: 751: 748: 745: 742: 739: 737: 734: 731: 728: 725: 724: 722: 718: 711: 708: 705: 702: 701: 699: 695: 689: 686: 683: 680: 679: 677: 674: 670: 663: 661: 658: 655: 654: 652: 649: 645: 638: 635: 632: 629: 627: 624: 623: 621: 617: 611: 608: 606: 603: 602: 600: 596: 589: 586: 583: 582: 580: 577: 573: 567: 564: 561: 558: 555: 552: 549: 546: 545: 543: 540: 536: 529: 526: 523: 520: 518: 515: 512: 509: 506: 503: 502: 500: 497: 493: 490: 488: 484: 479: 475: 470: 469:Torres Strait 462: 457: 455: 450: 448: 443: 442: 439: 428: 424: 418: 410: 403: 395: 389: 381: 377: 373: 369: 362: 360: 351: 344: 336: 330: 326: 313: 311:Ai ailan man 310: 306: 302: 299: 295: 291: 289: 285: 281: 278:Kulkalgau Ya 276: 270: 262: 258: 256: 252: 248: 245:Ngai lagapa 244: 242: 238: 234: 231: 228: 226: 223: 221: 217: 211: 202: 200: 196: 190: 186: 179:Sign language 176: 174: 170: 169:Broken/Brokan 166: 162: 158: 148: 146: 140: 138: 134: 130: 120: 118: 114: 108: 106: 100: 98: 94: 89: 83: 73: 71: 67: 63: 62:agglutinative 59: 55: 51: 47: 43: 39: 30: 26: 22: 1552: 1542: 1393: 1384: 1377: 1372: 1365: 1262: 1211: 1201: 1161:Albert Proud 1151:Danny Morseu 1131:Rachael Maza 1111:Nathan Jawai 1106:Josh Hoffman 1047:Woody Wallis 903:Mount Ernest 875:Little Woody 426: 423:Kendon, Adam 417: 408: 402: 388:cite journal 371: 367: 349: 343: 329: 287: 268: 254: 240: 229: 224: 219: 208: 195:signed forms 192: 172: 168: 165:Blaikman Tok 164: 154: 144: 141: 131:. This is a 126: 116: 112: 109: 101: 95:'islander'. 92: 88:Pama–Nyungan 85: 66:declensional 35: 25: 1223:Communities 1171:Sam Thaiday 1136:Patty Mills 1020:Turtle Head 838:Great Woody 812:East Strait 796:Deliverance 697:Yorke group 598:Inner group 297:Meriam Mìr 1572:Categories 1557:See also: 1328:Governance 1176:Brent Webb 1141:Rita Mills 1126:Eddie Mabo 1121:Robert Lui 1116:Ellen Jose 1096:Seaman Dan 958:Red Wallis 926:North West 852:Hawkesbury 605:Port Lihou 321:References 314:Ai go aus 129:Meriam Mìr 123:Meriam Mir 105:Meriam Mìr 50:Meriam Mir 1522:Sea Swift 1263:Languages 1213:Taba Naba 1156:Tanu Nona 1074:languages 1038:Wednesday 1035:Underdown 1015:Turnagain 806:Dumaralug 781:Dalrymple 720:Ungrouped 553:Kabbikane 380:1440-4788 173:Yumplatok 70:Yumplatok 1544:Category 1248:(people) 1235:Kaurareg 1081:Notable 990:Thursday 982:Stephens 944:Portlock 895:Mouinndo 832:Getullai 818:Farewell 815:Entrance 762:Campbell 513:Keatinge 510:Kamutnab 496:Bellevue 467:List of 425:(1988). 205:Examples 1554:Commons 1240:Mabuiag 1190:Culture 1011:Tukupai 1004:Trochus 997:Travers 978:Spencer 935:Passage 929:Obelisk 917:Nicklin 906:Murangi 892:Morilug 884:Meddler 849:Hammond 845:Halfway 785:Darnley 772:Coconut 755:Bramble 726:Allison 706:Marsden 656:Aubussi 562:Roberts 517:Mabuiag 220:English 1291:Meriam 1281:Gizrra 1253:Seisia 1245:Meriam 1230:Bamaga 1207:(film) 1025:Turtle 986:Suarji 975:Sassie 972:Salter 968:Saibai 964:Saddle 941:Phipps 938:Pearce 914:Nepean 910:Murray 863:Kaumag 824:Friday 803:Dugong 792:Dayman 768:Castle 759:Browne 743:Barney 729:Anchor 709:Rennel 648:Talbot 633:Eborac 626:Albany 587:Maitak 576:Duncan 556:Layoak 550:Aureed 547:Aukane 539:Bourke 485:, and 483:islets 471:topics 378:  157:creole 145:Nog Le 1485:Other 1058:Zagai 1054:Yorke 1044:Whale 994:Tobin 952:Quoin 932:Packe 920:North 878:Lowry 869:Lacey 841:Green 835:Goods 828:Gabba 789:Dauan 765:Canoe 750:Booby 732:Arden 712:Smith 703:Keats 675:group 664:Moimi 660:Boigu 650:group 584:Kanig 578:group 541:group 530:Widul 524:Subur 504:Aipus 498:group 117:Gœiga 1386:No 2 1379:No 1 1306:Wipi 1271:Bine 1203:Mabo 1050:York 1041:West 1032:Twin 1029:Turu 1008:Tudu 1000:Tree 961:Roko 866:Kerr 859:Horn 855:High 821:Flat 809:East 800:Dove 777:Crab 746:Bond 740:Barn 736:Badu 684:Poll 630:Bush 610:Yeta 590:Meth 559:Mimi 521:Pulu 487:cays 394:link 376:ISSN 187:and 171:and 955:Red 888:Moa 881:Mai 688:Sue 681:Bet 636:Ida 566:Yam 507:Cap 1574:: 390:}} 386:{{ 370:. 358:^ 201:. 167:, 113:za 480:, 460:e 453:t 446:v 411:. 396:) 382:. 372:8 23:.

Index

Lo-Toga language

Torres Strait Islands
Kalaw Lagaw Ya
Pama–Nyungan languages
Meriam Mir
Trans-Fly languages
Papuan language
agglutinative
declensional
Yumplatok
Kalaw Lagaw Ya
Pama–Nyungan
Kalau Lagau Ya
Meriam Mìr
Meriam Mìr
Papuan language
Papua New Guinea
creole
Torres Strait Creole
Western Torres Strait Islander Sign Language
Eastern Torres Strait Islander Sign Language
signed forms
Australian Aboriginal sign languages
""2021 Census - Cultural Diversity, 2021, TableBuilder""


ISSN
1440-4788
cite journal

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