Djinang language
| Djinang | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Northern Territory |
|
Native speakers
|
100 (2005) to 230 (2006 census) (46 Wurlaki in census; not clear if included above) |
|
Pama–Nyungan
|
|
| Dialects |
|
| Yolŋu Sign Language | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | djin1253 |
| AIATSIS | N94.1 |
Djinang is an Australian Aboriginal Yolŋu language, spoken in Australia's Northern Territory.
Dialects of the two moieties are (a) Yirritjing: Wurlaki, Djardiwitjibi, Mildjingi, Balmbi, and (b) Djuwing: Marrangu, Murrungun, Manyarring.
Djinang is a language found in the Northern Territory of Australia in Arnhem Land. Djinang is a part of the Yolngu language family—consisting of 11 other languages. It is a part of the much larger Pama-Nyungan language family—285 languages (Lewis, Simons, Fennig 2013). Mark Harvey (2011) writes “Pama-Nyungan is a genetic grouping, which occupies ca. 90% of the continent”. Djinang has several dialects: Manyarring, Marrangu, Murrungun, Balmbi, Djaḏiwitjibi, Mildjingi, and Wuḻaki (Wurlaki) (Waters 1983), but has only one sister language, which is the endangered language of Djinba, spoken by 45 people (Lewis, Simons, Fennig 2013).
The people are simply called the Djinang. Based on the 2006 census their population is 220 people (Lewis, Simons, Fennig 2013). The Djinang are genetically linked with 90% of Australia, which points to a common ancestor from the distant past (Harvey 2011). Multilingualism is highly prevalent, not just with the Djinang, but throughout all of Australia. It came as a necessity for very specific reasons. First, when visiting a clan that has a different language, it is proper etiquette to speak in the host’s language. Not only is it polite, but more importantly to the Aboriginal people, it appeases the ancient ancestors of the host clan (Harvey 2011). Likewise, children usually have a father from one clan and a mother from another clan. While the father’s language would be the child’s primary language, the child would learn the mother’s language and would speak to her in her own language (Harvey 2011).
The Djinang, and indeed all Aboriginal people, even though they are multilingual, but keep their primary language in a place of great importance. One reason for this is that their language is directly connected to their land (Harvey 2011). While the Djinang have no definite boundaries to their lands, they and the clans of surrounding areas know which sites belong to a language. Their land is what links the Djinang to their ancestors—a function of ‘‘bapurrur’’ (Keen 1995). It is because of this “land-language” dependency that Australian languages are largely contained in a particular region.
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