Anangu languages
We, the traditional land owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, call ourselves Anangu (pronounced arn-ahng-oo), and would like you to use this term for us. Very few of us speak English as a first language.
Before European colonisation, Indigenous Australians spoke an estimated 700 dialects. These languages are as different and distinct from each other as is English to Russian and Italian. Many of these languages are no longer used or are under threat of disappearing. It is estimated that there are only 20 to 50 languages still described as 'healthy' - that is, they are spoken to and used by children.
Learn Pitjantjatjara
To learn how to pronounce Pitjantjatjara words, click on the links below:
People | Beliefs | Bush foods | Animals | Plants | Tools | Country | Phrases | Common words
Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara
Anangu mainly speak Pitjantjatjara (pronounced as pit-jan-jah-jarra) and Yankunytjatjara (pronounced as yan-kun-ja-jarra) with some people speaking up to six Aboriginal languages. These are all dialects of the Western Desert Language, the largest language group of Aboriginal Australia. The group includes about 4000 speakers, and stretches northwest to Balgo, west to Port Headland, south to Kalgoorlie, Yalata and Oodnadatta and northeast to Alice Springs.
Pitjantjatjara literally means the people who use 'pitjantja' when they say 'coming'. Yankunytjatjara are the people who use 'yankunytja' to say 'going'. Anangu means 'people' in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara. The grammar and structure of Western Desert languages are very different from English. There are 17 consonants, some of which non-Pitjantjatjara speakers find difficult. There are three vowels, a, i and u, each of which may sound long or short. Sounds such as s, z, v, sh or th do not exist. Some 'old' words are adapted for new situations such as the word for tourists, 'minga' - this literally means 'ants' because the lines of visitors climbing Uluru look like lines of ants. Anangu also incorporate English words such as 'mutuka' for 'motor car'.
Pronunciation and some words
There is always stress on the first syllable of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara words.
The letters t, n l and r can be written with a line underneath, called a retroflex. A retroflex on an 'n','l', or 't' tells us to curl the tongue back slightly in the mouth before pronoucing the letter. This produces a sound similar to an 'r' sound, for example 'walpa' is pronounced 'warlpa'. A retroflex on an 'r' tells us this is like the normal English 'r' sound. An 'r' without a retroflex has a rolled 'rrrr' sound, like some European languages. The 'oo' sound is the same as in 'look.'
Family
Tjitji (chee-chee) Child
Ngunytju Mother
Mama (mah-mah) Father
Kami (kah-mee) Grandmother
Tjamu (jah-moo) Grandfather
Kangkuru (kan-kooroo) Big Sister
Kuta (koo-tah) Big Brother
Kuntili (koo-tu-lee) Auntie
Kamuru (kum-moo-roo) Uncle
Numbers
Kutju (koot-choo) One (1)
Kutjara (koot-char-rrah) Two (2)
Mankurpa (mahn-koorr-pah) Three (3)
Kutjara-kutjara Four (4)
Kutjara-mankurpa Five (5)
Other words
Kapi (cuppy) Water
Kuli (koo-lee) Hot weather, summer
Pulka (pool-kah) Big
Tjuta (joo-tah) Many
Wiru (wi-roo) Beautiful
For reference
Anangu and non-Anangu linguists have
produced a Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara to
English Dictionary. It is available from Yulara
Newsagency and several bookshops in Alice
Springs.
