Kalkatungu
Native toAustralia
RegionMount Isa area, Queensland
EthnicityKalkadoon people
Extinct(date missing)
Kalkutungu Sign Language
Language codes
ISO 639-3ktg
Glottologkalk1246
AIATSIS[1]G13
ELPKalkatungu

Kalkatungu (also Kalkutungu, Galgadungu, Kalkutung, Kalkadoon, or Galgaduun) is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language formerly spoken around the area of Mount Isa and Cloncurry, Queensland.[1][2]

Classification

Apart from the closely related language, Wakabunga, Kalkatungu is sometimes grouped with Yalarnnga as the Kalkatungic (Galgadungic) branch of the Pama–Nyungan family. O'Grady et al.,[3] however, classify it as the sole member of the "Kalkatungic group" of the Pama-Nyungan family, and Dixon (2002)[4] regards Kalkatungic as an areal group.

Revival

Emeritus Professor Barry Blake, Sheree Blackley[5] and others have revived the language based on recordings, written grammars and personal memories. Robert Ah Wing, assisted by Uncle Arthur Peterson[6] is also active in this field. Often, emphasis is placed on belonging, passing on elements of language to younger Kalkatungu.

Phonology

Vowels

Front Back
High i iː u uː
Low a aː

Consonants

[7]

Peripheral Laminal Apical
Bilabial Velar Palatal Dental Alveolar Retroflex
Stop p k c t̪ t ʈ
Nasal m ŋ ɲ n̪ n ɳ
Lateral ʎ l̪ l ɭ
Vibrant r
Approximant w j ɻ

It is not clear if the vibrant is a trill or a tap.

Stress

Like in English, word stress is realised in terms of loudness. Sentence stress is also organised similar to English with the first syllable in the final word of a phonological phrase getting the main stress.(tonic stress) Moreover, if there are more than two words in a phrase, the first syllable of the first word receives more stress than the non-final words.

Kalkatungu Sign Language

Kendon (1988) shows that Kalkatungu also had a developed signed form of their language.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 G13 Kalkatungu at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  2. ↑ This Wikipedia article incorporates text from Kalkatunga published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 25 May 2022.
  3. ↑ O'Grady G.N, Voegelen C.F, Voegelen F.M (1966) Languages of the Indo-Pacific, Fascicle six, Anthropological linguistics 8/2
  4. ↑ Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  5. ↑ "Sheree speaking Kalkutungu and English - Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders" on YouTube
  6. ↑ "Robert Ah Wing - A Kalkatungu Language Story" on YouTube
  7. ↑
    • Blake, B. J. (1979). A Kalkatungu grammar. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  8. ↑ Kendon, A. (1988) Sign Languages of Aboriginal Australia: Cultural, Semiotic and Communicative Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Roth, Walter E. (1897). The expression of ideas by manual signs: a sign-language. (p. 273–301) Reprinted from Roth, W.E. Ethnological studies among the North-West-Central Queensland Aborigines. London, Queensland Agent-Generals Information Office, 1897; 71–90; Information collected from the following tribes; Pitta-Pitta, Boinji, Ulaolinya, Wonkajera, Walookera, Undekerebina, Kalkadoon, Mitakoodi, Woonamurra, Goa. Reprinted (1978) in Aboriginal sign languages of the Americas and Australia. New York: Plenum Press, vol. 2.


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