Western Desert Language

Western Desert
Wati
Native to	Australia
Region	Desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory
Native speakers	7,400 (2006 census)
Language family	Pama–Nyungan Wati Western Desert
Dialects	Yulparija Manjtjiltjara (Martu Wangka) Kartutjarra Kukatja Pintupi Luritja Ngaatjatjarra Ngaanyatjarra Wangkatha Wangkatja (Nyanganyatjara) Ngaliya (Ooldean) Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Kukarta
Signed forms	Western Desert Sign Language Manjiljarra Sign Language Ngada Sign Language
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously: ktd – Kokata (Kukarta) kux – Kukatja mpj – Martu Wangka ntj – Ngaanyatjarra piu – Pintupi-Luritja pjt – Pitjantjatjara kdd – Yankunytjatjara pti – Pintiini (Wangkatja) pii – Pini
Glottolog	wati1241  (Wati)
AIATSIS	A80*
Wati languages (green) among Pama–Nyungan (tan)
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The Western Desert language, or Wati, is a dialect cluster of Australian Aboriginal languages in the Pama–Nyungan family.

The name Wati tends to be used when considering the various varieties to be distinct languages, Western Desert when considering them dialects of a single language, or Wati as Wanman plus the Western Desert cluster.

The speakers of the various dialects of the Western Desert Language traditionally lived across much of the desert areas of Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Most Western Desert people live in communities on or close to their traditional lands, although some now live in one of the towns fringing the desert area such as Kalgoorlie, Laverton, Alice Springs, Port Augusta, Meekatharra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing.

The following is a partial list of Western Desert communities:

The Western Desert Language consists of a network of closely related dialects; the names of some of these have become quite well known (such as Pitjantjatjara) and are often referred to as 'languages'. As the whole group of dialects that constitutes the language does not have its own name it is usually referred to as the Western Desert Language. WDL speakers referring to the overall language use various terms including wangka 'language' or wangka yuti 'clear speech'. For native speakers, the language is mutually intelligible across its entire range.

Some of the named varieties of the Western Desert Language, with their approximate locations, are: