Kunjen language

Kunjen
Uw
Native toAustralia
RegionCape York Peninsula, Queensland
EthnicityNgundjan (Ogh-Undjan), Uw Oykangand, Olkola
Native speakers
2 (2005)[1]
Dialects
  • Uw Oykangand
  • Uw Olkola
  • Ogh-Undjan
  • Kawarrang
  • Athina
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
kjn – Oykangand
olk – Olkol
Glottologkunj1248
AIATSIS[1]Y83 Kunjen (cover term), Y188 Kokiny, Y237 Athina
ELP
Kunjen is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
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Kunjen, or Uw, is a Paman language spoken on the Cape York Peninsula of Queensland, Australia, by the Uw Oykangand, Olkola, and related Aboriginal Australian peoples.[2] It is closely related to Kuuk Thaayorre, and perhaps Kuuk Yak.

Two of its dialects, Uw Olkola (Olgolo) and Uw Oykangand (Koko Wanggara), are very close, being mutually intelligible and sharing 97% of their core vocabulary.[3] Another two, Ogh-Undjan and Kawarrangg, are also close, but somewhat more distant from the first pair. Kokinj (Kokiny) is a subdialect of Ogh-Undjan. A fifth variety, Athima, is poorly attested.

Below is a table showing the mutual intelligibility in vocabulary between the Kunjen dialects, based on a list of 100 basic words.[4]

Uw Oykangand 97% 44% 38%
Uw Olkola 43% 38%
Ogh-Undjan 82%
Kawarrangg

A small dictionary of Kunjen has been compiled by Philip Hamilton.[5] A great majority of words begin with a vowel (>96%), similar to the situation in distantly-related Arrernte. Exceptions include kinship terms and loanwords. Syllable onsets are thought to be present in all languages, so their absence in native lexicon is highly notable.

  1. ^ a b Y83 Kunjen (cover term) at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies  (see the info box for additional links)
  2. ^ Crump, Des (10 August 2020). "Language of the Week: Week Eleven - Oykangand". State Library Of Queensland. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Description of the languages Uw Olkola and Uw Oykangand". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
  4. ^ Sommer, Bruce A. (January 1970). "An Australian Language Without CV Syllables". International Journal of American Linguistics. 36: 57–58. doi:10.1086/465090. S2CID 143977924.
  5. ^ "Uw Oykangand and Uw Olkola wordlist". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2009.