Warrongo language

"Warungu language" redirects here. Not to be confused with the Wurango language.

Warrongo
Northern Maric
Native toAustralia
RegionQueensland, west of Ingham and Abergowrie almost to Einasleigh
EthnicityWarrongo, Gugu-Badhun, Gudjal
Extinct1981, with the death of Alf Palmer
Dialects
  • Warungu
  • Gugu-Badhun
  • Gudjal (Gudjala)
Language codes
ISO 639-3Either:
wrg – Warungu
gdc – Gugu-Badhun
Glottolognort2757
AIATSIS[1]Y133 Warungu, Y128 Gugu Badhun
ELP

Warrongo (or War(r)ungu) is an Australian Aboriginal language, one of the dozen languages of the Maric branch of the Pama–Nyungan family.[2] It was formerly spoken by the Warrongo people in the area around Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Its last native speaker was Alf Palmer, who died in 1981.[3]

Before his death, linguists Tasaku Tsunoda and Peter Sutton worked together with Palmer to preserve the language (Warrungu proper); thanks to their efforts, the language is beginning to be revived.[4]

One of the notable feature of the language is its syntactic ergativity.[5]

As noted by Ethnologue, the language is currently dormant meaning that there are no native/proficient speakers left.[2]

Alternative names for the language include Warrangu, Warrango, War(r)uŋu, War-oong-oo,[6] Gudjala and Gudjal.[2]

The Warungu language region includes areas from the Upper Herbert River to Mount Garnet.[7]

  1. ^ Y133 Warungu at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies  (see the info box for additional links)
  2. ^ a b c "Warungu". Ethnologue. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. ^ Tsunoda 2011, preface.
  4. ^ Tsunoda 2011, p. [page needed].
  5. ^ Tsunoda 2011, p. 1.
  6. ^ Tsunoda 2011, p. 2.
  7. ^ State Library of Queensland.