<translate> The woman shared out the food, and everyone ate.

Jalbu mayi-nga wambi-jin, bama wubulku nukan.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> You all saw the kalbawurr cypress-pine pitch there.


<translate> The man put the dilly bag on the road.

Dingkar-angka ngunyin baral-ba yijarrin.


<lexeme> {'english': 'That food is very good', 'translation': 'Yinya mayi ngulkurr bajaku'}


<glossary> manubu-damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The policeman guarded him


<translate> They saw the julaji freshwater catfish there.


<translate> The children ran out to the wet world, and their feet made the first new tracks.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin ngalkalba, jina jirakal bawanda.


<translate> The old woman said the wild fig ripens dark and soft, but the flying-fox eats it in the night, so you must gather early in the morning.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: binanji kulbul ngumbu ngulkurr-ma-l, yamba jimbaru nuka wujurr-ba, yundu bangka wunkuwingku niji-niji.


<translate> He sees the jalnji tree there.


<translate> They saw the cloudless sky here.


<translate> Do not step on the reef with a bare foot, the old woman warned, lest the black spine of the sea-urchin break off deep in your heel.

Balbal-kari jina dulngku-ka wandi kari, mukul-jalbu balkan, jalan-mu jarran ngumbu yundu jina-ba dumbarri-nyji.


<translate> The baby pulled granny's hair!


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> They got very much food from the store


<translate> You saw the murral tree kangaroo there.


<translate> The old woman said every skill has its season for learning, and the child who will not practice the small dull tasks in the calm will not have the skill in the crisis, when there is no time to learn.

Wulbumanangka balkan: binal wubulku nyungu wungar binalka, karrkay nyulu kari kirraji buban jankanga ngaral kari nyulu binal karra yinilba, wanja kari wungar binalka.


<translate> The rainforest gives food all through the year: fruit and nuts, roots and honey, each in its season.

Madja mayi daji wungar wubulku: mayi diburr, bangkan wunba baja, nyungu wungar ngulkurr-ba.


<translate> The grandfather carved a wooden sword and a fighting stick from hard timber; he gave the sword to his eldest grandson and kept the stick for himself.

Kamingka wakay, durray juku dandi-muny yakan; nyulu wakay nyungu kami-yalbay-nka dayan, durray nyungunku karrban.


<translate> The young man washed his arm.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the tongs there.


<glossary> mala-yirrkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He was sorry and owned up


<translate> You all see the grasshopper there.


<translate> The old woman said the hand is the first tool of all, for before the spear there was the hand that shaped the spear, and before the net there was the hand that tied the net, so every made thing in the camp is the own child of somebody's two hands.

Wulbumanangka balkan mara nyulu yamba-murni ngadiku bajaku, kalka ngadiku mara wunan kalka murninmuny, makarr ngadiku mara wunan makarr kajanmuny, yamba-murni wubulku bayanba nyulu kangkal mara jambulmuny bamamuny.


<translate> The old man said: A person who washes every morning keeps sickness away, for dirt on the skin lets the sickness in.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Bama nyulu wunkuwingku wubulku julurri-ji, bambay kudamundu kujil, mumbu bangkarra bambay walamanil.


<translate> We two, not you, see the possum here.


<translate> The two of them saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> The branches on the tree are hard.


<translate> The poor motherless children, with no camp and no food, wandered from country to country.

Karrkay-karrkay ngamu-kari, bayan-kari, mayi-kari, bubu-muny bubu-ka jilban wubulku.


<translate> Which bird is singing? That is the lorikeet in the tree; when the fruit is ripe, the lorikeets come.

Wanya dikal balkal? Yinya birrbirr jukungu; kaki mayi kulbul, birrbirr kada baja.


<translate> We, not you, saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> You two see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> The children stood back to back to see who was the tallest, and the tallest boy was a whole head taller than the next, and he laughed with pride.

Karrkay-karrkay kudamundu-kudamundu janay nyajinka wanya kalbay bajaku, karrkay kalbay bajaku dukul nyubun kalbay-baja yindumuny, nyulu yajarrin wawu-yalbayji.


<translate> You two saw the diwalngku bird here.


<translate> The man saw the shark in the water.


<glossary> jarmbil ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The boat is drifting


<translate> The old man asked the children by the fire: "Who killed the big kangaroo out on the plain today?"

Mukul-dingkar-angka karrkay-karrkay babajin baya ngundu: Wanyangka mayarriji yalbay kunin bubu-ba niji?


<translate> First look, then place the foot — the reef teaches that to every foot that walks it.

Nyaji-ngurr, yalada jina bunga, jalun-bububu yinya milbil jina nyubun-nyubunka jilbanya.


<glossary> kulun ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He didn't give any food because of selfishness


<translate> I got water from the bark container.


<translate> The children carried the little bags and the dogs carried nothing.

Karrkay-karrkayangka balji buban jarra-kulban; kaya-kayangka yamba-kari.


<translate> You and I see the creek here.


<translate> On the island they found fresh turtle tracks in the sand.

Burrira jana ngawiyamu jina jirakal nyajin jukara.


<translate> You two see the straw-necked ibis there.


<lexeme> nyulu present ngayku dajin, "he gave me a present"


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I almost hit the chicken


<translate> When the fire had burned right down, only the grey ash and black charcoal were left.

Baya kunba-y-manin, bajar ngungul-ngungul ngunjil baja janka bundan.


<translate> I see the wurru-bulan small crab here.


<translate> You and I see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> The cyclone came in from the sea and blew down the big trees near the camp.

Wadjal jalun-muny kadan, juku yalbay bayan ngundu muyar-bu daran.


<translate> We two, not you, see the stomach there.


<translate> You and I saw the biwul snake there.


<translate> Grandfather saw mother's clothes.


<translate> The old woman gave food to the hungry child.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku mayi dajin karrkay dakwuy-nka.


<translate> The old woman said the tea-tree standing thick along the swamp is a whole medicine chest: its leaves crushed and breathed clear a blocked nose and a heavy chest, boiled they wash a wound clean, and its oil soothes the skin against the biting flies, and she said a camp pitched near a stand of tea-tree had half its illnesses already answered before they came.

Wulbumanangka balkan bijin junkurr bubu-yaral-ba janan nyulu kalbal-bayan wubulku: nyungu birra dudan ngaran ngandal kajan janka junkurr yukil-manil, balamun buyun julurril, nyungu bana-juku jindi kima-manil minya-baykal kala-kalbay, nyulu balkan bayan bijin ngunduku nyungu buyun jambul ngadiku kalbanmuny jana kadanya ngadiku.


<translate> The old man said the river is patient and always gives you another day to cross, but it never gives back a life, so when in doubt, wait — the far bank will still be there tomorrow.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bana maku-janay, yabarrka yundu wungar yindu bana dunganka dajil, yambada wawu kari dajil baja, yundu binal-karinya, maku-jana, bana kudamundu wunkun janay baja.


<translate> That jinjajalka tree is there.


<translate> They saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> The two of them saw the baliji people here.


<translate> The two of them saw the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> My father's sister married a man from the seaside people.

Ngayku bimayangka jalun-ji-warra dunyu manin.


<translate> With the knife, I kept chopping wrongly in the water meanwhile.

Ngayu naybu-bu-ku bana-nga-kuda wadu-kuda nyandan.


<translate> You two see the queenfish here.


<translate> They heard the clap sound there.


<glossary> kayil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> People hooked out crabs


<translate> You see the black palm there.


<translate> I see the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The cold season is the fat season, the old woman taught the girls at the fire: the fish are slow and carry fat, the bandicoots come down to the soft grass, the honey sits heavy in the trees, so the old people called the cold time the quiet harvest, and a family that works the short cold days eats with singing through the long hot ones.

Bulur-iji nyulu wungar wandulmuny, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin bayanga: kuyu buban-buban wandul-ji, kulngu kaday bada jikanka kimaka, wunba bundal dandi jukungu, yalada bama mukulungku kiway kunjan mayi-mani wunbu, jawun-karra nyulu murnil wungar kiway bubanba, nyulu nukal wulngku-ji wungar wumbul kalbayburr.


<translate> After hunting the goanna and the scrub-turkey all day through the deep scrub, the young men came back to the camp tired and very hungry, the old man said.

Wawu-balbi-nya-muny jadi diwan-jirr wungar narmba madja dajali-burr, warru-warru bayan-ka kaday baja-burray dakuy bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<translate> The child saw the flower on the tree.


<translate> What did the old man call that big bright star in the east?

Wanyu mukul-dingkarangka yinya dawar yalbay kunjan yarra-nga?


<translate> A big goanna ran up a tree, but the youngest man climbed after it and shook it down to the dogs.

Jadi yalbay jukungu dakan, yabajungku wukurrin dakan, jukumuny yilban kaya-kayanka.


<translate> The hook and line lay in the shade.


<translate> They saw the corkwood pine there.


<translate> They saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> The old woman saw the frog outside.

Wulbuman-angka yirku-yirku ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> Which way is home? the smallest one asked — and everyone pointed the same way without looking up. That is a camp.

Wanjaburr bayan? bubanbu bajakubu babajin, bama wubulkubu milbin jina nyubunbu nyaji-kari wangkarku: yinya bayan.


<translate> They see the mackerel sky there.


<translate> The child laughed at father.


<translate> This good dog is faster than that other one, and it always catches the kangaroo first.

Kaya yinya ngulkurr jarra-jinbal kaya yindu-nka, nyulu mayarriji niji karrban.


<translate> The old man can no longer see, yet he still knows every track by the feel of his own feet.

Mukul-dingkar kari nyaji-l niji, yamba jina narmba binal, jina-bu nyaji-nya.


<translate> The old man said the snakes come out most in the warm wet season when the frogs are many, and the old people watch the ground with every step then.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: jarba ngalkal wubul kaba-wungar wumbul-ba yirku-yirku wubul-nya, mukul-bama bubu nyaji-nyaji jina nyubun-nyubun-bu.


<translate> You and I see the milmarr cane there.


<translate> The old man carved a message-stick, cut with marks for each camp along the road; the messenger carried it north to call the clans to the big meeting.

Mukul-dingkarangka duburan-jaba yakan, nyubun-nyubun bayan-nka jalbu-ngu; yirrka-bamangka kuwa-nga wundin, bama wubul yalbay-muru-nka yirrkan.


<translate> The women called out to each other across the sand as they dug for the sweet white yams.

Jalbu-jalbu yirrka-wa jukar-a, jana wukay jiba-wulay bakal wubulku.


<translate> You all see the julbal tree here.


<translate> At daybreak father went for water.


<translate> The boy learned to throw the boomerang so that it flew out far and came spinning back to his hand.

Karrkay warru wangal daman binalman, wangal marra-warri kala-kalbay, jurrki-l nyunban mara-ka.


<translate> The boss talked with the young men about the net and the spear.

Maja warru-warru-nji balkalawan, makarr-ka kalka-ka balkan.


<translate> Hold the little child tightly by the water, lest the deep, dark river carry her away downstream.

Karrkay buban junkurr karrba bana ngundu, wawubaja dajali ngungul-angka nyunga wundi-nyji bada.


<translate> The man sharpened his spear.


<translate> Where did you leave the digging stick — I cannot find it anywhere?

Yundu juku-baka wanjabu bawan — ngayu milbil-kari wanjabu?


<translate> We two, not you, see the mulumu dove here.


<translate> Mother saw the blue-tongue lizard at the camp.


<translate> I saw grandfather's shoulder.


<translate> You and I saw the wawukuna long wild yam here.


<glossary> milka-burray ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The kids are maing too much noise; I'm tired of it

Kaykay-kaykay nurra baka; ngayu milka-burray


<translate> You two see the high bank here.


<translate> We see the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> You see the durral tree there.


<translate> The old man said the whole system of kin was really a way of answering one question that every human society must answer, the question of how strangers become people you can trust, and the Kuku Yalanji answer was to make everyone kin, to reach out the web until it covered the whole known world, so that there was, in the end, almost no such thing as a true stranger, only a relative whose exact link you had not yet traced.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jawun-karra wubulku nyulu bajaku yala kuku nyubun kuku-yukil-manilmuny bama wubulku kuku-yukil-manil junkurr, kuku wanjarr bama-nka bama-karra-mabi janan, Kuku Yalanji nyungu kuku-yukil nyulu bama wubulku kajanka, jawun-karra jilbanka dukul nyulu bubu-karra wubulku karrbanya, bada bajaku, bama-nka kuda bajaku nganga, nganga bama-karra nyungu karra-nyubun yundu ngadiku kari wukurrinmuny.


<translate> The old woman taught the girl the name of every tree and what each one gives.

Wulbuman jalbu-buban binal-bungan juku wubul-mu burri, wanya nyubun-nyubun dajil.


<translate> We see the scarlet robin there.


<translate> The old woman left the boomerang in the shade.


<translate> The two of them saw the scorpion there.


<translate> Why can you not sit with that woman? She is my mother-in-law; I must not look at her or speak to her, so I always leave when she comes.

Wanyurrinku yundu yinya jalbu-ji kari bundal? Nyulu ngayku biwul; ngayu nyulu kari nyajil, kari balkal, ngayu nganga dungay nyulu kada-nya.


<translate> The old man said the strongest law of all touched the name of the dead, for when a person died their name could not be spoken while the body decomposed, and a living person who shared that name was called by a substitute term, ngalba, and the family spoke of the dead one only by a kinship term, my father, my mother's brother, so that even in death a person remained held inside the web of kin that named them.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku junkurr bajaku wubulmuny janan bama wula-mabimuny nyungu kuku, bama wulanya nyungu kuku kari balkalmuny nyulu buyan-manda, bama wulay nyungu kuku nyubun karrban nyulu kuku-yindubu kunjal, ngalba, jawun-karra wula-bama balkan nganga kuku-karrabu, ngayku nganjan, ngayku kalnga, wula-nga baja bama nyulu janan karrban karra jawun-karra ngunduku nyulu kunjanmuny.


<glossary> nguwimal ; type=adverb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I saw him appear, a long ways off

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


<translate> The old woman said the water is rather cold in the morning but very cold at night, so wash early, before the sun leaves the sky.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: bana jarra-ngiki wunkuwingku, yamba ngiki-baja-ku wujurr-ba, janji niji-niji, wungar jiri-muny dunga kariku.


<translate> You all saw the running water here.


<translate> You and I see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> The old man said a little care at night keeps the morning free of trouble, and an hour of trouble in the morning can cost you the whole day's hunt.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: nyaji buban kunarangkal wunkuwingku mumbu-kari kujil, wungar mumbu wunkuwingku balbi wungar wubulku kilba-manyji.


<translate> The children understood then why the old people would never take more than they needed, and why they thanked the animals and the plants, and why they wasted nothing.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman yalada wanyurringku kamba-kamba kari wubul manil nyungu wawumuny, wanyurringku minya mayi ngulkurr balkan, wanyurringku nyubun kari yilban.


<translate> You two saw the mayfly there.


<translate> You all saw the spear point there.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the spear point there.


<translate> The two of them see the swallow here.


<translate> And so the country and its people go on together, as they have since the very first morning.

Yalaku bubu bamaji dungay baja, yala ngadiku muduwajuny nyubunmuny.


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> cook the meat properly


<translate> You see the mingur tree there.


<translate> The water gum tree is there.


<glossary> mururr-mururr ; type=adjective ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We came the same time


<translate> The two men who had quarrelled became friends after that, for they had seen each other's anger and each other's cooling, and a person you have quarrelled with and made peace with is bound to you.

Dingkar jambul kuni-wanmuny yaba-manda baja, jana nyajin nyubun-nyubunmu dukul-wuri, nyubun-nyubunmu kiwaymandanya, bama nyulu yundu kuni-wan, wunbu-manda baja, yununda kajil.


<translate> You and I saw the karrmbil parakeet here.


<glossary> nganganjirrka ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Bring (your) gun, in case a pig comes

Marrkin wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kadanyamunku


<glossary> yakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> you cut the meat up


<glossary> murba ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> He built his house well


<translate> We see the cockatoo crest there.


<translate> The sick old woman lay by the warm fire all the cold night, and her good daughter watched over her.

Mukul-jalbu bambay wunan baya wumbul ngundu wujurr ngiki wubulku, nyungu kangkal jalbu ngulkurr nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<translate> Grandmother wove the bag from black-palm upper fibre.


<translate> They saw the jiljay grub there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalbali tall man here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the balarri queenfish there.


<translate> The black wattle has flowers.


<glossary> bama-ngaykunku ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> my word, I was almost hit


<translate> News came from the other side, and the old people sat at the camp talking together.

Kuku ngubar-muny kadan, mukul-bama bayan-ba balkalawan bundanday.


<translate> The camp was left empty long ago, and now the grass has grown up all over it.

Bayan mali bawa-jin kalbay-muny, jikan wubul niji bubu-ngu wandin.


<translate> The star fell — did you see it?


<translate> In the cold dry season the yams are best, and the women dig them every day.

Ngiki dukurr-wungar-a bambayal ngulkurr-baja, jalbu bakan wungar nyubun-nyubun.


<translate> The grandmother said there are four living generations in the camp: herself and the old man, their children now grown, their children's children, and the newest babies, and she had watched the pattern turn four times like the seasons.

Babingka balkan: bama jambul-jambul bubu wawu bayanba: nyulu-nyulu mukul dingkar baja, nyungu kangkal nyiku yalbay, nyungu kangkalmu kangkal, ngawa jirakal, nyulu nyajin murni jambul-jambul murninya yala wungar.


<translate> We did not find any fish at the reef today, for the tide was too high and rough.

Ngana kuyu dulngku-ngu kari warrmba-bungan niji, bana wangkar-baja junkurr-baja.


<lexeme> {'english': 'I put out the food on the table', 'translation': 'Ngayu mayi wamban tablebu'}


<translate> The man put the grass at camp.


<translate> We see the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> You two see the mudcrab here.


<translate> Those white ant eggs are there.


<translate> The man saw the grey kangaroo in the scrub.

Dingkar-angka julmbanu madja-nga nyajin.


<translate> You two saw the lightning there.


<translate> The old man threw the many-pronged fish spear and held the big flathead down against the sandy bottom.

Mukul-dingkarangka yinba daman, dalmbal yalbay jukar-jina-nga bada karrban.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> If the water is deep, you will not swim.


<translate> The fat under the turtle is sweet and yellow, the very best food of all in the sea.

Ngawiya wandul jiba-wulay, mayi ngulkurr bajaku wubulku-muny, jalun-ba.


<translate> You see the madu sea pine there.


<translate> The stick is longer than the spear.


<translate> This light-coloured hair is here.


<translate> You see the clean ground there.


<translate> That old man is completely deaf; he does not hear the children calling out his name.

Yinya mukul-dingkar milka-kari; nyulu karrkay nyungu burri yirrka-nya kari milka-jana-l.


<translate> The old woman said the plants tell the water: where the reeds and the paperbarks and the big soft-leaved trees grow, there is water at the surface or just below, where certain hardy scrub grows, the water is deep and hidden, and where nothing much grows at all, there is no water for a long way, so a stranger in a new country could read the water simply by reading the plants.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi bana balkan: wanja jikan buyku juku birra-kima-mabi baja jarral, bana ngundu yambada bada nganga, wanja majaji-junkurr nyubun jarral, bana bada buyan, wanja yamba buban-baja jarral, bana kari kalbay bajaku, bama-yindu bubu jirakalba nyulu bana ngaral nganga mayi ngaralbu.


<translate> You and I saw the kalngkan small mullet here.


<glossary> jakay-jakayku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> He fell headlong


<translate> The dog followed me home; it slept beside me; in the morning it hunted with me; that dog is mine now.

Kaya nganya bayan-mundu wukurrin; nyulu ngaykundu wunan; wunkun nyulu ngaykunji balbin; yinya kaya ngayku.


<translate> Girl, give granny some water!


<translate> In the wet season the frogs always keep singing all night long in the water of the big swamp.

Kaba-wungar-a karrkurr wujurr wubulku balka-l-balka-l, daburri yalbay bana-nga.


<translate> The flood water pushed the logs down the river.

Banabu juku-juku jurrngan wawubajanga bada.


<glossary> buban ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> He stayed a little while


<translate> The girl began to weave the fine dilly-bag only after she had gathered enough of the strong vine from the deep scrub, the old man said.

Jalbu yudal ngunyin ngulkurr jaba-nka, wawu-muja-nya-muny wangay junkurr kanbal madja dajali-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<translate> They saw the smooth rock here.


<translate> Don't pick up the turtle eggs, or you will break them all on the rocks.

Kari yalnga diburr kulba, wubul dumbarri-nyji kulji-nga.


<glossary> yimbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He shouldn't come so close


<translate> The country was new after the rain.


<translate> The child happened to step on my hand.


<translate> Mother sees the ironwood tree here.


<glossary> jirrkalinku ; type=adverb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I went through the gate


<translate> You all see the murrkul tree there.


<translate> Share the honey out evenly, and give the first taste to grandmother.

Wunba wambajika yukilbu, nganja-ngurr babinda daya.


<translate> The little children played by the water while the women dug for yams in the soft sand.

Karrkay-karrkay bana ngundu bundan, jalbu-ngka wukay jukar-a bakan wungar wubulku.


<translate> The young man got the spear thrower.


<translate> You all see the possum here.


<translate> We all, not you, see the stick here.


<translate> They saw the buyukal tree here.


<translate> You all see the domestic turkey here.


<translate> We see the ngiwa moray eel here.


<glossary> jamba ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> We went along the hillsides


<translate> We see the rhinoceros beetle here.


<translate> The men were covered in sweat from the hot work of digging the deep ground oven.

Dingkar jila-warri-baja bubu-janku dukurr bakal-muny wungar wumbul-a.


<translate> I watched the man bailing water from the boat.

Ngayu dingkar nyaji-l-nyaji-n, bana wulji-l-wulji-nya buwun-muny.


<translate> He saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> You and I see the goose there.


<translate> The girls collected honey bread from the scrub.


<translate> You see the jajikal screw palm here.


<translate> The biggest portion went to the one who had done the most work, and the same portion went to the smallest child, for the child would grow and needed it more.

Minya yalbay bajaku bamaka dungan nyulu kirraji wubul bajaku ngaranmuny, minya nyubun karrkay bubanka baja, nyulu kambanka wawu wubul-baja.


<translate> When a hunter came back with a big catch, the old man said, the first thing done was not to eat but to divide: the best portions to the old and the sick who could not hunt, the working shares to the hunters and their families, and the hunter who killed it often ate last and least, for the honor was in the giving, and a stingy hunter soon found no one glad to see him return.

Balbi-bama minya yalbaybu kadanya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yamba ngadiku kari nukal yambada buban-manda: minya yukil mukulnka buyun-bamanka jana murruji balbil, kirraji-minya balbi-bamanka jawun-karranka baja, balbi-bama nyulu kunin yabarrka dumbay-mba nukal buban baja, wawu-junkurr dajilba, balbi-bama kulun buban-buban bama nyubun kari wawu-mini nyulu nyunbanya nyajinka.


<translate> The children learned that everyone they met knew something they did not, and that if they approached each person as a teacher rather than a rival, the whole world became their school and every stranger a gift.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman bama wubulku jana nyaji-wanmuny yamba binal jana murruji binal, kaki jana bama wubulku milbibama yala ngundu kada kari kuni-way yala, bubu wubulku jana nyungu bubu-binal janay bama yindu wubulku dajil.


<translate> You all saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird there.


<translate> You two saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the scorpion there.


<glossary> kandarr ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> The child finished eating, then the mother burped him

Nyulu karrkaymayi kunban ngamungku kandarrda dakay-manin


<translate> We saw the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> Big sister is looking after the little ones today.


<translate> The woman sees the river there.


<translate> The man with the dogs went off hunting, but the man without a dog stayed hungry in the camp.

Dingkar kaya-jirr balbi-ka dungan, yamba dingkar kaya-kari bayan-ba dakwuy bundan.


<translate> I planted the seeds in the ground.


<translate> We will stay at the camp; perhaps the child is tired.

Ngana bayan-ba bundanday, nguba karrkay bajaburray.


<translate> After the meal, mother washes her hands.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> We saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> They saw the three-pronged spear there.


<translate> Those white ant eggs are there.


<translate> We saw the juku-juku bronzewing dove here.


<translate> The chest is a shelter built of rib-bones, the old man said, and deep inside it the breath lives like a fire that must never die, so if you go down into the water after turtle, fill that shelter slowly and deep before you go, and come up lest the fire grow small.

Damu nyulu bayan murninmuny mirrimarbu bajibaybu, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, dukurrba wawu wunay yala baya, nyulu kariku wulanyaku, yalada kaki yundu bada dungay banaka ngawuyaka, bayan yinya jakal-bunga buban-buban dukurrku dungay ngadiku, kaday wangkar baya buban-manyji.


<translate> Which bark is the strongest? The messmate bark is the strongest.

Wanya dumbul junkurrji? Warka dumbul junkurrji bajaku.


<translate> You and I saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the julbal tree here.


<translate> The old woman asked her daughter: "What did the dog steal from the camp and carry off last night?"

Mukul-jalbu-ngku nyungu jalbu-karrkay babajin: Wanyu kaya-ngka bayan-muny ngakin, madja-ka wundin wujurr-muny?


<translate> You two saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> The black cockatoos screech loudly high up in the tall trees as the sun goes down.

Kadanji wubul yirrka-y yalbay-bu juku kalbay-ba wangkar-a, wungar bada-nya.


<translate> The two of them saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


<translate> The woman left the firewood in the shade.


<translate> The old man said: You will spend your whole life giving to people who can never repay you — your children, your elders, strangers in need — and receiving from people you can never repay, and this is not a flaw in the design; this is the design, for it is the giving that cannot be repaid that binds us into one people.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu wawu wubulku dajil bama jana yundu kariku yukil-manil, nyungu kangkal, nyungu mukul, bama yindu wawuji, manil bama yundu kariku yukil-manil, yinya kari mumbu bunganmuny, yinya bungan, dajil kari yukil-manilbu ngana nyubun bama kajil.


<translate> How many children do you have?


<translate> They saw the daughter's child here.


<translate> The black kangaroo is there.


<translate> He sees the karrandal tree here.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> That person there is pleasant.


<translate> He saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> The children came to that place.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's a real aboriginal


<translate> You and I saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> The young man went to the road with a friend.


<translate> You and I see the nyamun natural debris there.


<translate> The woman sees the blue-tongue lizard on the ground.


<translate> The wild geese fly over in a great long line honking in the morning, the old man said, going from the drying swamp to the big lagoon in the north.

Jamarbina wubul jiri-ba karra marri-ba marra-warri yirrka wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, daburr marral-ma-nya-muny bana yalbay-ka jarba-warra dunga.


<translate> The child washed her hands and her feet in the cool clear water of the shallow creek at dawn.

Karrkay-ngku mara jina bana ngiki-ba janjin wawubaja buban-ba wunkuwingku.


<translate> You two see the blanket here.


<translate> You and I see the seashore there.


<translate> Grandfather saw the pig at the camp.


<translate> Grandmother gave food to the child.


<translate> You see the small sticks there.


<translate> The crab bit the child's stomach.


Ngayu yununy nyajin, mayi nuka-nuka-nya.


<translate> We all are going to the corroboree; you all come with us.

Ngana malkarri-ka dunga-y; yurra ngananji kada.


<translate> He saw the yuray snake there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<translate> This five-corner nut is sweet, and the children gather it in the dry time.

Yanyu bijalabay jiba-wula-wula, karrkay-karrkay-angka bangkal wungar wumbul-ba.


<translate> The two of them see the tree kangaroo here.


<translate> You two see the kakarr grass here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the mali small bat here.


<translate> Come on, let's sit down here!


<glossary> marra-warril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The man was angry and throwing things around


<translate> Mum poured the tea for the old people.

Ngamungku diyi nyangarrin kamba-kambanka.


<glossary> yanday-bungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> You gut the crass (to get the grass ready), I'll throw it out later

Yundu jikan yanday-bunga ngayu juma yilbal


<translate> The woman is carrying the baby.


<glossary> nguba ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Maybe he'll go, maybe not


<translate> I saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile there.


<translate> The water-gum grows straight and hard, the old man said, and its wood makes the best spear-shaft, one that flies true and does not break.

Dakumbar juku junkurr nyubun-nyubun, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu juku kalka-nka ngulkurr bajaku, wanarri nguymal kari dumbarri.


<translate> Uncle knows the deep water places — ask him.

Kalnga binal banaka — babajika nyungundu!


<translate> They saw the kunjarri palm here.


<glossary> kijar-kijar ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My leg was asleep


<translate> Granny put the honey in the dilly bag.


<translate> We all, not you, see the shield here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yiki owl there.


<translate> They saw the red king parrot.


<translate> The empty water hole, now without any water at all, could not save the thirsty travellers.

Bana-janku bana-kari niji nyulu jilba-bama bana-dakwuy kari wula-manin.


<translate> The two small fish were cooked in the coals and shared out among all the children.

Kuyu jambul buban baya-nga waju-jin, karrkay-karrkay-ka wubul daji-jin.


<translate> The old man threw the curved boomerang and it flew out far and came spinning back.

Mukul-dingkar-angka wangal mumal, nyulu kalbay dungan kada-ny-baja.


<translate> The firestick, the grinding stone, and the digging stick are the tools of the daily work of the camp.

Jidi, kulji murni-nka, juwal, narmba bayan-mu balbi-mu wungar-wungar.


<translate> They saw the kalkamuku snake there.


<translate> Every wind has a name and a load, the old woman said: the north wind carries the wet on its back, the west wind carries the dry country, the sea wind carries the smell of the low tide, and the cold wind from the high country carries the dew that whitens the morning grass.

Muyar nyubun-nyubun kuku-ji yamba-ji baja, wulbumanangka balkan: muyar kungkarrmuny bana-wungar wundil mukungu, muyar kuwamuny bubu marral wundil, muyar jalunmuny jila wundil ngajalmuny, muyar kiway bubu wangkarmuny bulur wundil, nyulu jikan kambar-bungal muduwajuny.


<translate> Which way did the dingo go — up the ridge or down to the creek?

Wanjaku murramu dungan — wangkar-ka, bada wawubaja-ka?


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> cook the meat properly


<translate> The old man smiled and said: That is a good question; the turkey's mound is warm from the rotting leaves, and the young come out from inside.

Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: Yinya babaji ngulkurr, jarrukamu bubu wumbul birra kabumuny, karrkay dukurrmuny wandil.


<translate> The man saw the parrot at camp.


<translate> You and I saw the outrigger canoe there.


<glossary> yiringkurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The sun shines everywhere


<translate> The dogs pushed through the grass after the bandicoot.


<translate> We see the striped water snake here.


<translate> You see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> The old woman taught the three doors of knowing: I saw it, someone told me, and maybe — and she made the children name the door before every story.

Wulbumanangka baral-ngandal kulur binalmuny milbin: ngayu nyajin, bamabu ngaykunka milbin, nguba: karrkay-karrkaybu baral-ngandal kunjal kuku-jangkar ngadiku nyubun-nyubunbu.


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The children are standing in front of the school

Jana kaykay-kaykay janjanay jakalba school


<translate> The women gave the little baby a name.


<translate> The children asked their grandmother who had made the strong straight spear long ago.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka babi babajin, wanyangka kalka junkurr jinbal kalbay-muny bungan.


<translate> The old man would have slept, but the young ones were singing the wrong verse again and again at the far fire, so he rose, walked over in his blanket, sat down without a word, and sang it once correctly, and the wrong verse died that night, for nothing kills an error like one quiet true showing.

Mukul dingkar wunanyaku, yambada warru-warru wulngku mumbu badin baja baja baya kala-kalbaymba, yalada nyulu wandin, jilban kararr-ji, bundan kuku-kari, wulngku badin nyubunbu yukil, wulngku mumbu wulan wujurr yinyanga, kari yambabu kunil kuku-mumbu yala milbil wunbu yukil nyubunbu.


<translate> The child saw the Torres Strait pigeon.


<translate> The two of them see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> The old man said: when a man is frightened in the dark scrub, he must sit still and make himself calm, because fear makes the feet stumble.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: dingkar wujurr madjanga yinil-kanga-jin, nyulu dandi bundal, nyulu ngulkurr-ma-ji, yinil jina buyun-bungal.


<translate> You two saw the fighting spear here.


<translate> We two, not you, see the sea turtle here.


<translate> You and I saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> You all saw the bajarr fern leaves there.


<translate> Grandmother washed mother's arm.


<translate> We see the rhinoceros beetle there.


<translate> They saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird there.


<translate> I saw the spear point there.


<translate> Dig the roots first, the old man said, but never break the young shoots, for they will feed the people next year.

Ngara baka nyubun-bu, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba jurrbu buban kari dumbarri, jana bama-nka mayi dajil wungar jirakal-ba.


<translate> I see the bingkajiri tree here.


<lexeme> tree (this term is very rarely used for money)


<glossary> yalayayku ; type=demonstrative ; domain=manner <usage_example> Get this kind of food


<translate> The girls picked up the bags and set off.


<translate> The man saw the fish net at the sea.


<translate> He sees the karrandal tree here.


<translate> The wallaby came to the grass.


<translate> They saw the jama tree here.


<translate> At night the whole country talks, the old man said, and if you lie still and listen you can hear the possum moving in the branches, the bandicoot digging, the frogs in the gully, the dingo far off calling its family, the night birds passing over, and a person who learns to read all these voices in the dark is never lost and never truly afraid of the night.

Wujurr bubu wubulku balkan, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, kaki yundu janka wuna ngara yundu ngaral yawa juku-mara murninya, kulngu bakanya, diburr-kaya bubu-jandu, murramu kala-kalbay nyungu jawun-karra balkanya, buyi-wujurr wangkar dunganya, bama nyulu binalman kuku wubulku wujurr-bu nyulu kariku wulal kari wujurr yinilman bajaku.


<translate> The two of them see the salmon here.


<translate> The little boy would not stop asking why, and though the others grew tired of it the old man never did, for when the boy asked why the sun is hot, why the water flows down, why the old people died, why the baby cries, the old man saw not a nuisance but a mind waking up, and he said a people is only ever as wise as its children are free to ask.

Karrkay buban kariku bawan babajinka wanyurrinku, bama yindu baja-burray-manin yambada mukulungku dingkarangka kariku, karrkay babajinnya wanyurrinku kala-kalbay wumbul, wanyurrinku bana bada dungay, wanyurrinku bama mukul wulan, wanyurrinku ngawa badil, mukulungku dingkarangka nyajin kari mumbu yambada milka wandin, nyulu balkan bama nyulu nganga binal yala karrkay nyungu yamba-kari babajinka.


<translate> You and I saw the kurriyala snake there.


<translate> The two of them saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> Put the food carefully on the plate.


<glossary> yalaymbu ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> He missed the fish. By this time we should have been eating (it)

Byulu minya nyundan. Ngana yalaymbu mukanyakuda


<translate> You and I see the ghost crab here.


<translate> He saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish here.


<translate> A good humpy is worth the work, said the old man, for a wet cold camp makes everyone sick and cross.

Wurun ngulkurr kirrajimu ngulkurr, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bayan yaru kiway bama wubulku bambaymal, dukul-wuri baja.


<glossary> ngamba ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> He's sitting not noticing


<translate> The old man said: that vine is strong; we tie the vine to the house.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: wangay yinya junkurrji; ngali wangay kajal bayanka.


<translate> The little boy hurt his forehead badly when he fell down hard on the sharp grey rock.

Warru buban munju kaka-mani-n, nyulu bada dara-n kulji jinbal-ba junkurr-baja.


<translate> I heard you chewing the food noisily in the dark of the night.

Ngayu yununy nyajin, mayi maja-l-maja-nya wujurr-ba.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jiljay grub here.


<translate> You and I saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> The old woman made a bag from grass.


<translate> Grandmother cooked food at camp.


<translate> We, not you, are not ashamed.


<translate> He saw the walmbi-walmbiji left-handed person there.


<translate> The old man showed the boy how to hold the spear-thrower like this, so the spear flies straight and true and far.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay nyaji-mani balur karrba yala-ku, kalka wanarri nyubun-ba kala-kalbay-ka.


<glossary> jaway ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The old man is very generous


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


<glossary> balbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The sun shone brightly


<translate> Do not swim there at dusk, for that is when the shark hunts near the shore.

Kari janji yinyay wungar bada-nya, yaburr jalun karangkal balbil niji.


<translate> The young man saw the snake outside.


<glossary> yukil ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Is it true that he came?


<translate> The two women called to each other across the river, one from this side, one from the far side.

Jalbu jambul yirrka-wa wawubaja naka-naka, nyubun ngundu-mundu, nyubun kala-kalbay-mundu.


<translate> They saw the stony crossing here.


<translate> We two (not you) see the spring there.


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The birds were singing early in the morning


<translate> Granny made a warm drink and the child slept at last, and by midday the fever had gone.

Babingka diyi wumbul wajun, karrkay warngku wunanda, wungar wangkar wumbul dunganda.


<glossary> wawu yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Hank is wishing for a new outboard motor

Hankangka wawu yungal-yungal motorka jirakalka


<lexeme> tree (this term is very rarely used for money)


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karrmbil parakeet here.


<translate> I see the bronze wing pigeon.


<glossary> kukujida ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> news mouth


<translate> That azure kingfisher is here.


<translate> You two saw the kurrubal freshwater cod here.


<translate> I gathered firewood before dawn.


<translate> I saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> The tide rose and the prawns came up the creek, and we caught them with a net in the dark night.

Yira dakan, wakal wawubaja wangkar kadan, ngana makarr-bu karrban wujurr ngumbu-ngu.


<glossary> nulngkun ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> That girl has big breasts


<translate> You two saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> You and I saw the dukul-mukul lizard here.


<translate> We saw the durra caterpillar here.


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Aim the gun


<translate> The young hunter with a strong spear brought back a big grey kangaroo and shared its meat with all.

Warru balbi-bama kalka junkurr-jirr julmbanu yalbay wundin, minya narmba-nka dajin.


<translate> The rain stopped. The children ran outside. The whole camp was wet.

Kaba dungan. Karrkay-karrkay ngalkalba warrin. Bayan dunamanyarrku.


<translate> The old woman who stays alone got the first fish.

Wulbumanangka kuyu maninngarr, nyulu bundanday nyulurrku.


<translate> You and I see the marrku fruit there.


<translate> They saw the mukukana tree there.


<translate> The young man went with a spear.


<translate> In the hot season the sun burns fierce, the waterholes dry right up, and the people move to the sea.

Wungar-iji wungar wumbul wajun, janku marral-ma-l, bama jalun-ka dunga-y.


<translate> The child put the bag there.


<translate> The grandfather carved a wooden sword and a fighting stick from hard timber; he gave the sword to his eldest grandson and kept the stick for himself.

Kamingka wakay, durray juku dandi-muny yakan; nyulu wakay nyungu kami-yalbay-nka dayan, durray nyungunku karrban.


<translate> My old grandmother is afraid of the deep water, so she never goes into it alone.

Ngayku babi mukul yinil bana dajali-nka, nyulu kari kana dunga-y nyubun-bu.


<translate> Those small sticks are there.


<translate> Hold the throwing-stick firmly at the very end, lest it twist in your hand at the moment of the throw and send the spear wide of the mark.

Juku yilbalmu murru bajakungu junkurr karrba, yilbanya maranga murni-nyji, kalka kalakalbay dunga-nyji.


<translate> The big rain came from the north, and the whole hinterland country turned green in the wet season.

Kaba yalbay kungkarr-muny kadan, jibarr bubu wubulku balbal-ma-n kaba-wungar-a.


<translate> The woman saw the shallow water.


<translate> Dad caught a wallaby yesterday.


<translate> The old man said the very land was mapped by kin, for each family line held its own country by descent, and a person could look across the whole landscape and read it as a map of relations, this ridge my father's, that river my mother's people's, this camp where my grandmother was born, so that to walk the country was to walk among one's kin living and dead, and the land and the family were finally two names for one thing.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bubu nyulu karra-bu dandi-bungan, karra-jina nyubun-nyubun karrbal nyungu-nyungu bubu karra-mundu, bama nyulu nyaji bubu wubulku ngaral yala karra-bubu-jarray, jina-kiway yinya nganjan-amu, wawubaja yinya ngamu nyungu bama nyungu, bayan wanja ngayku babi wandinmuny, bubu jilbanka nyulu karra-mundu jilbal wula-mabi wula-mabi-kari baja, bubu jawun-karra jambul kuku nyubunku bada bajaku.


<translate> They saw the jabil lizard here.


<translate> You and I see the mackerel sky here.


<translate> The two of them saw the charcoal here.


<translate> Which one of these two good spears do you want to take with you on the hunt today?

Wanjaku kalka jambul-muny yundu wawu wundi-nka balbi-ka niji?


<translate> The old man said: a weapon is not for anger; the spear feeds the family, the axe builds the camp, the digging stick finds the yam — hold your weapons for life, not for killing your own people.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: jarrngkurr kari kuli-nka; kalka-ngku bama mayi dayal, warrbi-bu bayan ngaral, karrkany-ju banjay manil; yurra jarrngkurr wawu-nka karrba, kari yurranga bama kuni-nka.


<translate> Late in the afternoon the sun sinks low and the shadows grow long on the ground.

Wungar bada dunga-y niji, wabarr kalbay-ma-l bubu-ngu.


<translate> The bloodwood, the ti tree, and the white gum are all for the fire.

Babajaka, bikarrakul, bajar baja — jana kunjinku.


<translate> The old woman kept the string, the small dilly bags, and the hard stones all in her big carrying bag.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karra, ngunyin buban, kulji junkurr narmba balji yalbay-mba nanda.


<translate> They saw the jinjajalka tree there.


<translate> He sees the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> He hurt himself with his own knife — the careless one's nearest fight is himself.

Nyulu nyulu-nyulu baykan naybubu nyungu-nyungubu: bama miyil-karimuny kuniway ngundu bajaku nyulu-nyulu.


<translate> Check your feet before you set out and again at every rest, for a small blister ignored in the morning becomes a crippling wound by nightfall.

Jina nyaji-ngarr dunganyjiku, nyaji baja yundu maku-jananya wubulku, jina kaka buban wunkuwingku milka-wulanmuny yalbay-manda kunarangkalka.


<translate> The man put the fish in the bag.


<glossary> wawu-darra ; type=noun ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> The house is too small for all the people (just can't fit in)


<translate> The shark follows the school of mullet close to the shore, and the birds reveal where the fish are.

Yaburr kalngkan wubul wukurrin yalmba karangkal, buyi nyulu milbin wanja kuyu wunay.


<translate> The hunters came one after another out of the dark scrub, each carrying a big fat kangaroo.

Balbi-bama jururr kadan madja ngungul-muny, nyubun-nyubun mayarriji yalbay wandul wundin.


<translate> The children grew restless and thirsty, and the smallest one began to cry hard for water.

Karrkay-karrkay wawu-wulan yilay-yilay-mba, badin banaka, karrkay buban bajaku badin junkurrku.


<translate> "Where does the sweet water lie in the dry season, when all the creeks and the waterholes are empty?"

Bana ngulkurr wanjabu wuna marral-wungar-a, wawubaja janku narmba kari-ma-nya?


<glossary> kana ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> we are sitting inside the house


<translate> The man opened his mouth wide and put out his tongue, showing the children the sweet fruit held inside.

Dingkar-angka ngandal yalbay bungal, nyabil ngalkal nanda, karrkay-karrkay mayi jiba-wulay dukurr nyaji-mani.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> Those two found the honey, so those two share it out — the finding hand, the sharing law.

Bula wunba manin, yalada bula wambajil: mara maninmuny, kuku wambajinmuny.


<translate> We tracked the wild honey to three different trees in one good morning: the first bee led us to a low hollow easy to reach, the second to a tall tree we had to climb with a vine rope, the third into a rock crevice we opened with a digging stick, we took honey from all three and left each nest alive, we carried the full bark buckets home dripping, and then the whole camp ate honey until the children's faces were sticky and glad.

Ngana wunba wukurrin juku kulur yindu-yindu-mundu nyubun muduwaju ngulkurrnga: minya-buban ngadiku ngaya wukurrin dimbirr bada maninka yukil, jambul juku kalbay ngana kalal-bu dakanka, kulur kulji-jarra-dukurr-bu ngana jaba-bu kajan, ngana wunba kulurmuny manin nyubun nyubun juku-bayan wula bawan, ngana kambi-dakilji buwan bayan-mundu jarrakulban jinbal-manda, yalada bayan wubulku wunba nukan dukul karrkay miyil bikirr wawu-mini janaymu.


<translate> The two of them see the sandfly there.


<translate> Down below in the deep hills the river ran fast and strong over the big grey stones.

Bada-bada jamba-nga, wawubaja wanarri junkurr kulji yalbay-muny.


<translate> You saw the kalkamuku snake here.


<translate> They saw the spear point here.


<translate> Father saw the fish spear on the open ground.


<translate> He saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> You all see the small sticks here.


<translate> The duck is standing outside.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> Which of you two will climb the tall tree to get the honey?

Wanjinya yubal juku kalbay daka-l, wunba mani-nka?


<glossary> muru ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> They sat all together


<translate> You all saw the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The old woman left the boomerang outside.


<glossary> dandi ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The meat is tough, I cooked it a short time


<translate> We, not you, saw the biru-biru rainbow bird there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<glossary> ngakil ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The old man stole the firewood


<glossary> jarrngkurr ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> He hit the man with his weapon


<glossary> muku-duku ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The pregnant woman ate cassoway meat

Jalbungku kulngkuldu minya kurranji nukan, nyungu kangkal muku-dukumal


<translate> I see the woomera butt here.


<translate> And the same stars still shine on the children tonight that shone on the first people long ago, and that is a kind of forever.

Dawar nyubun balbajil karrkay-karrkayka nyiku, yala balbajinmuny bama ngadiku, yanyu yala yabarrka.


<glossary> badur ; type=noun ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> I'm fishing (sitting with hook and line)


<glossary> yulmbarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The school children come from down south, all the people welcomed them

Jana school children nakamun kadarin, bamangka wubulduku jananin yulmbarrin


<translate> I see the tree kangaroo there.


<translate> In the early morning the sun climbs up slowly over the big mountain in the east.

Wunkuwingku wungar manjal yalbay-muny wangkar-a daka-l.


<translate> Has the language died in this place? No — the children are learning it again, the old words are becoming strong, and the country is waking up.

Kuku nyiku bubungu wulan? Kariku — karrkay-karrkay binal-mal baja, kuku ngadiku junkurr-mal, bubu wandin baja.


<translate> The man sees the digging stick.


<translate> They see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> Granny broke the damper and gave everyone a piece.

Babingka damba murrngan, dajin jananda wubulku.


<translate> Granny keeps the good stories for the children.

Babingka kuku ngulkurr kujil karrkayanka.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's a real aboriginal


<translate> He saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


<translate> The tall white gum stands on the ridge; its branches are dry.

Bajar kalbay bubungu janay; nyungu dakil marral.


<translate> You all saw the murramu dingo there.


<translate> The one without a dog found no pigs.

Kaya-kari-ngka bikibiki kari warmba-bungan.


<translate> The clean clothes are there.


<translate> They walked from waterhole to waterhole, the way their old people showed them.

Jana jilba dungan banamuny bananga, yalaku kamba-kambangka milbin.


<translate> I see the kalkuri tree here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the running water here.


<translate> The seaside people know all the fish and the turtle, and the names of every place along the coast.

Jalun-warra bama kuyu ngawiya narmba binal, bubu narmba-mu burri jalun-burr.


<translate> The white man's knife cut faster than the old shell knife, so the people traded for it; but the old woman kept her shell knife, saying it never spoiled the taste of the fish.

Waybala-mu naybu warri yakan, warkal-naybu-ngadiku, bamangka dajiway; yambada mukulungku nyungu warkal-naybu karrban, balkan: warkal-naybu-ngku kuyu kariku buyun-bungal.


<translate> You two see the black cockatoo here.


<glossary> kakawarri ; type=adverb ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He sang well then


<translate> Going down, she came to the river.


<translate> The child saw the freshwater eel.


<translate> They see the murrkul tree there.


<translate> They saw the fighting stick there.


<translate> The green ants bit the little child all over, and he cried and cried and ran to the water.

Munjurr-angka karrkay buban wubulku baykan, nyulu banbadi-l-banbadi-l, bana-ka warri.


<translate> When will the wet season rains come again to fill up all the dry creeks and rivers?

Wanjawanja kaba-wungar kada-y-baja, wawubaja marral wubul bana-jirr-ma-l?


<glossary> kunil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He killed (shot) the pig with a gun


<lexeme> {'english': 'That food is very good', 'translation': 'Yinya mayi ngulkurr bajaku'}


<translate> They saw the spider shell here.


<translate> The old man walked between the two fighters and said: You are not people who fight each other; you are two brothers who have forgotten it for a moment, and I will not let you do to each other what you would both regret for the rest of your lives.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kuni-bama jambul ngundu jilban, balkan: Yurra kari nyubun-nyubun kuni-way; yurra yaba jambul yurra kanbalka milka-wulanmuny, ngayu kari yurranka bawal yurra nyubun-nyubunka ngaranka yurra jambulku wawu wubulku milka-badil janaymuny.


<translate> That evening the little girl ate a little food and smiled, and everyone in the camp was glad.

Yilay-yilay maral buban mayi buban nukan, wawu-mini, jana wubulku bayanba wawu-mini.


<translate> Grandfather called out at night.


<translate> We two, not you, see the flea here.


<translate> The wild geese fly over in a great long line honking in the morning, the old man said, going from the drying swamp to the big lagoon in the north.

Jamarbina wubul jiri-ba karra marri-ba marra-warri yirrka wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, daburr marral-ma-nya-muny bana yalbay-ka jarba-warra dunga.


<translate> You two see the kakaji mangrove tree there.


<translate> "Yes," the old man said, "the child came."

"Yuwu," mukul-dingkar-angka balkan, "karrkay kadan."


<glossary> jilba ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The child can walk now


<translate> We will stay at the camp; perhaps a friend will come.

Ngana bayan-ba bundanday, nguba jawun kaday.


<glossary> wambaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> Share out the meat now


<translate> When the fruit is not yet ripe, you leave it on the tree for the sun to redden it.

Mayi kulbul-kari-nya, yundu juku-ngu bawal, wungar-bu ngala-ngala-bunga-nka.


<translate> The children learned that the green tree snake is harmless, but the death adder is not.

Karrkay binalman kalkamuku kari bama bambay-bungal, yambada kundurr bambay-bungal.


<translate> He woke the boys: get up, we're going before the rain!

Nyulu dabal warndimanin: wandi, ngana dungay kaba kadanyjiku!


<translate> You see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree here.


<translate> Water from the boat, the woman bailed.


<translate> The boys swam in the shallows while the men loaded the canoes.

Dabal marijin bananga bubanba, dingkar-dingkarangka marrakan mumbanya.


<translate> You and I saw the spring there.


<translate> I see the kubu-kubu tadpole there.


<translate> If the moon is round and full, the old man taught the boy, then the low tide pulls right back and the whole reef is bare for gleaning.

Kaki kija murru-murru yalbay, mukul-dingkarangka karrkay balkan, ngajal bajaku dunga, dulngku narmba ngalkal bangka-nka.


<translate> You and I saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> That woman saw me at the camp and called me by my name.

Yinya jalbu-ngka nganya nyajin bayan-ba, ngayku burri-bu kunjan.


<translate> Each time the fish got bigger!


<translate> He sees the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> The woman put food on the ground.


<translate> A good humpy is worth the work, said the old man, for a wet cold camp makes everyone sick and cross.

Wurun ngulkurr kirrajimu ngulkurr, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bayan yaru kiway bama wubulku bambaymal, dukul-wuri baja.


<translate> They saw the bark belt there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the baringkan small bird there.


<translate> He saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> We two (not you) see the sun there.


<translate> He sees the archerfish here.


<translate> You see the freshwater eel there.


<glossary> kambal ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Get the food from the low (branch)


<translate> The old man knew every face in the camp, the young and the old alike.

Mukul-dingkarangka walu wubul bayan-ba binal, buban mukul yindu-kari.


<translate> You two see the love handles there.


<translate> They came to the water, caught a fish, cooked it on the coals, and then ate it together.

Jana bananga kadan, kuyu manin, ngunjilba wajun, muru nukanda.


<translate> When the dove calls quietly in the day the old people say a visitor is coming from far away.

Kuludu wungar-a yirrkan janka, bama mukul balkan bama-yindu kada kalbay-muny.


<translate> Anger kept overnight turns to poison or to knowledge; stir it and see which.

Kuli kujinmuny wujurrburr yindu-mal bakulku yambada binalku: murni nyulu, nyaji wanjaku.


<translate> We see the spear point there.


<translate> The good hunter speared a sea turtle.


<translate> From the deep, still water the big crocodile watched the dogs drinking on the muddy bank.

Bana dajali-mundu bilngkumu yalbay kaya nyajin nuka-nya daburri buyun-ba.


<translate> The cassowary is standing at camp.


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> let the tea get cool


<translate> The child got fruit from the tree.


<translate> The young man felt very ashamed when the old people saw that he had taken the food.

Warru murru-kaday bajaku, mukul-bama-ngka nyajin nyulu mayi manin.


<translate> The two of them see the yinkunji fig tree here.


<translate> The old man walked slowly along the beach after he had fed the dogs and banked the fire up for the long night, the old woman said.

Mukul-dingkar jilba jukar-a, wawu-kaya-muny mayi daji-n buri wandi-n wujurr marri-nka, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> You all see the mura tree here.


<translate> The two of them see the dakaldakal trochus shell there.


<translate> They see the windbreak there.


<translate> You all saw the kungkun snake here.


<translate> A strong wind blows through the tall trees and scatters the dry leaves everywhere.

Muyar junkurr juku kalbay-burr warri, birra marral wubul bubu-ngu dunga-y.


<translate> The young man laughed at father.


<translate> A sapling stands near the camp.


<translate> He saw the kaykay-kaykay children there.


<translate> A man who makes his own tools well never goes hungry, the old man told them.

Bama nyulu kalka ngulkurr ngaral kari dakwuy yabarrka, mukulungku dingkarangka jananda balkan.


<translate> I see the baldy gum tree here.


<translate> The children found an old broken axe in the sand, its handle rotten and its stone dull; the old man said it was his father's, and he cleaned it and kept it in the house.

Karrkay-karrkayngku warrbi mukul murrnga-ji jukar-a nyajin, jaba kabu, kulji buyun; mukul-dingkarangka balkan yinya nyungu nganjan-mu, nyulu ngulkurr-bungan, bayan-ba karrban.


<translate> He saw the spear barb there.


<translate> That night the first big storm of the wet season came, but the camp was ready and dry and warm.

Yinya kunarangkal jarramali yalbay kadanyarr buluriji, yambada bayan ngulkurrmanda, marral, wumbul.


<translate> He dropped the stone on the child's foot.

Nyulu kulji daray-manin karrkay-anda jina-nga.


<translate> The child dropped the stone on the foot.

Karrkay-ngku kulji jina-nga daray-manin.


<translate> I see the small conical shellfish there.


<translate> My back is very sore now from gathering firewood all through the morning.

Ngayku muku kaka-baja niji, baya-juku muja-l-muja-nya wunkuwingku wubulku.


<glossary> julngkal ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I rubbed the medicine on the sore


<glossary> milka-dalkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The dead person remembered about his wife


<translate> The young man speared his first wallaby that day, and his uncle said: give the meat to all the old people.

Warrungku yinya wungar kadar nyubun daman; kalngangka balkan: minya daya kamba-kambanka wubulku.


<glossary> dayirr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The sun is bright


<translate> We see the smouldering log here.


<translate> Many mangrove trees stand by the river: kakan, kurubarr, and mangkurru.

Kajul wubul wawubajanga janay: kakan, kurubarr, mangkurru baja.


<translate> The woman went outside with father.


<translate> You two see the marrku fruit here.


<translate> After the meal, the children sleep.


<translate> He sees the fire stick here.


<translate> The blind old man knows the country by his feet, not by his weak eyes.

Mukul-dingkar miyil-kari bubu jina-bu binal, kari miyil bambay-bu.


<translate> We see the butcherbird there.


<lexeme> {'english': 'That food is very good', 'translation': 'Yinya mayi ngulkurr bajaku'}


<translate> The old man said young legs are for walking the country and learning its ways.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan warru-mu jandal bubu jilba-nka, kuku binal-ma-nka.


<translate> The old people sat in the shade.


<translate> A thing made by many hands together is strong, said the old man, like a family and like a camp.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yamba mara wubulku ngaranmuny junkurr, yala jawunkarra, yala bayan.


<translate> The woman gave water to grandmother.


<translate> That nakawarra bee is there.


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I got water for you


<translate> You and I see the jukar-warra whirlwind there.


<translate> They saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<translate> At first light, when the wood was damp with dew, the old man crouched over the fire-drill and spun it patiently between his palms until the first thread of smoke rose, and he fed it dry grass and bark until the flame took hold.

Muduwajungu, juku bana-jangkarrbu duna janay-mba, mukulungku dingkarangka jimal-murnil ngundu bundan mara jambulba kalbay dama-murnin dukul kubu ngadiku wandinya, nyulu daya kima janka wawun kiway-kiway wula manin.


<translate> The light bellied black snake is here.


<translate> The old man's foot is sore and swollen, and he cannot walk far from the camp any more now.

Mukul-dingkar jina kaka yalbay-ma-n, nyulu kala-kalbay jilba kari bayan-muny niji.


<translate> We see the deep water there.


<translate> The friarbird takes the honey from the flowering tree, chasing the smaller birds away so it can have the sweetness alone.

Jaka juku-nganka-nga kawar manin, buyi buban jirrku-mal, nyubun kawar karrbanka.


<translate> And so, the old woman said, we end where we began: you are not alone, you were never meant to be alone, and the whole purpose of a life is to weave yourself so deeply into the lives of others that when you are gone, the cloth holds, and your thread, though you can no longer see it, goes on holding everything together.

Yalaku, wulbumanangka balkan, ngana bawal wanja ngana wandin: yundu kari nganga, yundu kari yabarrka nganga janayka, wawu wubulmu yala nyulu-nyulu bama yindumu wawungu bada-baja wukurrinka, yundu dunganya, kambi karrbal, nyungu wukurr, yundu kari nyajil, yamba wubulku karrbal yabarrka.


<translate> You saw the jiljay grub here.


<translate> Everyone knows that story but everyone listens again.

Jana wubulku binal, yambada jana milka-janay baja.


<translate> The old man said to the old woman: "That child came."

Mukul-dingkar-angka mukul-jalbu-ndu balkan: "Yinya karrkay kadan."


<translate> You and I see the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> As the children walked home through the grass, the biggest boy stopped suddenly and held up his hand.

Karrkay-karrkay bayanba dunganya jikanba, karrkay yalbay bajaku janan jinbalku, mara wangkar manin.


<translate> The old woman looked at the wound carefully and said: It is deep but it is clean, and if we bind it well and keep it clean, it will heal by itself.

Wulbumanangka muja nyajin wunbu, balkan: Yinya bada, yambada dayirr, kaki ngana ngulkurr kajil, dayirr kujil, muja nyulu-nyulu kakawarrimal.


<translate> Put the fish in the dilly bag!


<translate> We see the umbrella palm there.


<translate> The milbarakal tree is here.


<translate> The dogs barked loudly at the two strangers walking slowly toward the quiet evening camp.

Kaya-kaya yalbay-bu yirrkan, bama yindu jambul bayan janka-ka buban-buban jilba-nya.


<translate> We all, not you, see the stick here.


<lexeme> {'english': 'I put out the food on the table', 'translation': 'Ngayu mayi wamban tablebu'}


<glossary> babal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> While I'm cooking the food I'll taste it for salt

ngayu mayi wayjul-wayjul, babal saltmunku


<translate> That lady apple tree is there.


<translate> That yam is not ripe yet; leave it in the ground until the wet season comes.

Yinya bambayal kariku kulbul; bawa bubu-ngu, bana-wungar-ka.


<translate> I saw the running water here.


<translate> They saw the little wallaby here.


<translate> The old woman said everyone brings food to the fire according to what they can do: the strong hunters bring the big meat, the sharp-eyed women bring the yams and the fruit and the honey, the children bring the small lizards and the eggs, and the very old bring the stories, and all of it goes into the one meal, and all of it is honoured equally.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama wubulku mayi bayangu daya yala nyulu wanya bungal: balbibama junkurr minya yalbay daya, jalbu miyil-warri juwal mayi wunba baja daya, karrkay-karrkay jarba buban diburr baja daya, mukul bajaku jangkar daya, yamba wubulku nyubun mayingu dungay, yamba wubulku nyubun yukil-bungal.


<lexeme> {'english': "He's well now after being sick", 'translation': 'Nyulu bambaymun ngulkurrda'}


<translate> Don't speak for me at the meeting; carry my words in my order, or carry only my name.

Kari balkal ngaykunka kuku-yalbayba: kuku ngayku wundi jinanji ngaykumunyji, yambada burri ngayku nganga wundi.


<translate> He sees the tree snake there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kuran case-moth larva here.


<glossary> jikaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You stretch when you get up


<glossary> narmba ; type=adjective ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> All the people came


<glossary> kaka ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The river is salty, not fresh water


<translate> We followed the old walking track all the way from the sea to the mountain camp.

Ngana jina kalbay-muny wukurri-l, jalun-muny manjal bayan-ka.


<translate> I saw the bajal bower bird here.


<translate> For whom did you cook all this good meat? — I cooked it for my hungry old father.

Wanyanka yundu minya ngulkurr wubul wajun? Ngayu nganjan mukul dakwuy-ka wajun.


<translate> You see the deep water there.


<translate> You and I see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> The old woman said the person who prepares for the worst is not gloomy but wise, for they alone are free to enjoy the best, having already made peace with whatever may come.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama nyulu yamba mumbu bajakuka ngaranmuny kari walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, yambada binal, nyulu nganga kaja-kari wawu-mini janayka yamba ngulkurrji, nyulu yamba wanya kadanyji wunbu-mandanya.


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He turned him over to the police


<translate> The dog runs quickly and quickly.


<translate> Little sister is turning the damper on the ashes.


<translate> The mother cried quietly by the fire, feeling sad in her liver for her little son who had died.

Ngamu badi janka baya ngundu, jiba-badi nyungu karrkay buban wula-nya-mu.


<translate> The old woman said tell the old stories again and again to the children, for a story not told again is a story that dies with you.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: kuku ngadiku karrkay-karrkay-nka balka-baja balka-baja, kuku kari balka-nya-baja nyulu yundu-jirr wula.


<translate> Every animal's foot writes a different mark, and the old man made a game of it with the boys, drawing each track in the sand and asking whose it was: the wallaby's two long marks and the drag of the tail, the goanna's clawed hand and sweeping tail, the bird's little forked star, the dingo's neat round pad, until they could read the whole camp of animals from the ground alone.

Minya wubulku nyungu jina yindu-yindu jarral, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-yajarr bungan warru-warrunji, jina wubulku jukara jarran babajin wanyumuny: darrba nyungu jina kalbay jambul junkan-jarral, jadi nyungu mara-jalan jina-nga, buyi nyungu jina buban jiri-mabi, murramu jina murru yukil, dukul jana ngaral minya-bayan wubulku bubu nganga.


<translate> We see the baldy gum tree there.


<translate> The child saw the crocodile in the river.

Karrkay-ngku bilngkumu wawubaja-nga nyajin.


<lexeme> smoke the inside of a house after the owner dies


<translate> We two, not you, see the nganyil haze here.


<translate> You see the corkwood pine there.


<translate> Father heard the thunderstorm there.


<translate> Don't go near that drunkard; a man too fond of grog brings trouble to the whole camp.

Kari dunga-y yinya-nji kamu-baka-nji! Dingkar kamu-baka bayan-ka yamba wundi-l.


<translate> The old woman said if you speak in anger you will say the one thing that cannot be unsaid, so when the anger is on you, close your mouth and open your feet, walk until the heat leaves your blood, and speak only when you could speak the same words to a child.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu dukul-wuribu balka yundu kuku nyubun balkal nyulu murruji murni-manilmu, dukul-wuri nyungu jibanga janaka, nyungu ngandal nanda, nyungu jina wangkar, jilba kiway nyungu mulamuny dunganya, balka nganga kaki yundu kuku nyubun karrkaynka balka.


<translate> We, not you, saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> "Who gave you that good meat and the sweet fruit that you are eating there by the fire?"

Wanyangka yundu minya ngulkurr mayi jiba-wulay dajin, yundu nuka-l baya ngundu?


<translate> The old man said: every living animal has its own time and its own place — the wallaby at dusk, the fish at the turning tide, the honey when the tree flowers — so learn the seasons of each, and the country will feed you always.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: minya juran wubul nyungu wungar nyungu bubu — kadar wungar bada-nya, kuyu bana kada-nya, wunba juku mayi-nya; yundu wungar wubul binal, bubu yundu daya mayi ngadiku-ngadiku.


<lexeme> {'english': 'I put out the food on the table', 'translation': 'Ngayu mayi wamban tablebu'}


<translate> The old woman turned the baby toward the fire's warmth.


<translate> They saw the jurriyan satin bower bird here.


<glossary> ngarra-yilbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The Bloomfield team beat the rest


<translate> You saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<translate> The children fell asleep before the dancing finished.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan, wurinyjiku.


<glossary> baru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> she is holding the child in her lap


<translate> Walk straight through the dark scrub and you will come to the big river before the sun goes down.

Madja ngungul yimba-y, yundu wawubaja yalbay-ka kadan wungar bada dunga-nyjiku.


<translate> They saw the corkwood tree here.


<translate> The man cut himself with a knife.


<translate> The old man said: I should have taught you all this while I was still strong, but the days went fast; so learn well, teach your own children, before your own day comes.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayu yundu-yundu yinya wubul binal-bunga-nyaku, ngayu junkurrji jananya, yambada wungar warri-baja dungan; yundu binal, karrkay-karrkay yundu binal-bunga, yundu wungar kada-nyjiku.


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> You didn't let me go


<translate> The mungka-mungka tree is here.


<glossary> yukil ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Is it true that he came?


<translate> They saw the light bellied black snake here.


<translate> They saw the son or daughter.


<translate> The woman washed her shoulder.


<translate> They see the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> We see the fighting stick there.


<translate> The two of them see the jalnji tree here.


<lexeme> sharp corner in the upper reaches of Daintree River


<translate> The children learned the law of fair exchange: you do not name your price and hold to it like a stone; you name a price, they name a price, and you move toward each other, each giving a little, until you meet in the middle and both walk away content.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman daji-waymu kuku yukil: yundu kari nyungu dandi burri karrbal yala kulji; yundu dandi burri, jana dandi burri, yundu nyubun-nyubun ngundu murni-way, wubulku buban daji, dukurrbu nyaji-wanyjiku, jambulku wawu-mini dungay.


<translate> They saw the madu sea pine there.


<translate> You all saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> You and I saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> We see the spear barb there.


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He took off his shoes


<translate> You and I see the rope there.


<glossary> murba ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> He built his house well


<translate> We two (not you) see the spear thrower here.


<translate> They see the dilly bag here.


<translate> When the wet season rain comes the water rises, and the salmon come into the river mouth in a great school.

Bana-wungar kaba kada-nya bana yalbay-mal, jalkay wawubaja-ngandal-ba wubul kadan.


<glossary> bila ; type=particle ; domain=manner <usage_example> a person in a hurry


<translate> Two bright stars sit low in the northern sky, and the old man steers by them walking at night.

Dawar jambul balbal jiri kungkarr-ba bada, mukul-dingkar-angka yinya-mu nyaji-l wujurr-ba jilba-nka.


<translate> We see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> He wears a plaited band of strong vine around each brown wrist and each strong ankle.

Nyulu mawar kulba-nya jinbar-a baja wulu-ngu karrban.


<translate> Grandmother washed the billycan at the creek.

Babi-ngka jungkalu julurrin wawubaja-nga.


<translate> You all see the mayfly there.


<glossary> janbay-janbay ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> You people are cheeky


<glossary> bajurr-bangkan ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I scolded my child because he broke the cassette

Ngayu kangkal bajurr-bangkan, nyulu cassette dumbarrinya


<translate> I saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<glossary> bambal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=kinship <usage_example> I call her grandmother


<translate> The loud cicadas sing in the trees all through the hottest part of the day, the old woman said, and when they suddenly stop, the whole scrub goes strangely quiet.

Kurrmbal wubul juku-ba yirrka wungar-iji wangkar-wangkar-a, mukul-jalbu balkan, jana nyubun-bu yirrka kunbayn-nya, madja narmba janka yindu-mal.


<translate> We all, not you, see the whip snake there.


<translate> The dingo is sleeping by the fire.


<translate> We all, not you, see the possum there.


<translate> You all see the lizard there.


<translate> The young man's spear was longer and straighter than his elder brother's spear.

Warru-mu kalka kalbay jinbal-baja, yaba-mu kalka-muny yindu.


<translate> You hear the rustling noise there.


<translate> We see the dalkari bladder here.


<translate> The old people chose this place long ago.

Kamba-kambangka yanyu bubu manin ngadiku.


<translate> You and I see the flea here.


<translate> Where are you all going so early this cold morning, the old woman called out to the young men as they left the camp together.

Yurra wanjabu dunga-y wunkuwingku ngiki niji? mukul-jalbu-ngku warru-warru burri, jana bayan-muny muru dunga-nya.


<translate> She filled her dilly bag with sweet ripe fruit and small roots and carried it home on her back.

Nyulu ngunyin mayi kulbul jiba-wulay wukay buban nanda, bayan-ka wundin kudamundu.


<translate> We saw the dilly bag in the shade.


<glossary> bama-ngaykunku ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> my word, I was almost hit


<translate> The young men went out for pigs.


<translate> The bloodwood tree is standing there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the nyirribulu appendix here.


<translate> The girl ground yams with a stone.


<glossary> jarra-jarra ; type=adjective ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> She climbed up high


<glossary> ngamba ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> They went into his house in his absence

Jana nyunguwunbu bayanba walan nyungungunbu ngambanga


<glossary> balbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The sun shone brightly


<translate> I light the fire so you get warm.


<translate> This vine has small sweet berries that the children want to eat.

Yanyu maya-nga jidu buban jiba-wula-wula wunay, karrkay-karrkay-angka wawu nuka-l.


<translate> The old woman knows more than the young man, for she has walked this country many more wet seasons.

Wulbuman jarra-binal warru-nka, nyulu nyiku bubu bana-wungar wubul-baja jilban.


<translate> Move the camp to the high ground before the first big rain comes, the old people never argued about that one, get the nets before the river talks, and go before the wet ground makes the walking hard, for the person who moves early chooses the new camp, and the person who moves late takes what was left.

Bayan wundi bubu wangkarku bana yalbay ngadiku kadanyjiku, bama mukulungku yinyaka kariku balka-way, makarr mana wawubaja balkanyjiku, dungay bubu bana-ji jilba dandi-bunganyjiku, bama nyulu warri dungay nyulu bayan jirakal wawu-manil, bama nyulu badaku dungay nyulu manil yamba bawanmuny.


<translate> The dog licked the boy's face.


<translate> You two see the whip snake there.


<translate> Cover the food — the flies are coming!


<translate> You two saw the deep water here.


<translate> When you carry fire from one camp to another, hold the stick low and steady, lest the wind reach your hand or a coal fall on your dilly bag.

Yundu baya bayanmuny bayanka wundinya, baya juku bada yaral karrba, muyar maranga wanda-nyji, ngunjil baljinga wanda-nyji.


<translate> The charcoal lay on the ground.


<translate> We saw the karranda tree there.


<translate> My mother's father taught me to read the sky, my father taught me to track, and my uncle taught me to make spears — each kinsman gives a different gift.

Ngayku ngaji nganya binal-bungan jiri nyajinka, ngayku nganjan jina wukurrinka, ngayku kalnga kalka bunganka — mula-mula wubul nyubun-nyubun binal dayal.


<translate> The girl began to weave the fine dilly-bag only after she had gathered enough of the strong vine from the deep scrub, the old man said.

Jalbu yudal ngunyin ngulkurr jaba-nka, wawu-muja-nya-muny wangay junkurr kanbal madja dajali-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<translate> That brother-in-law is there.


<translate> Then the brothers came together, the yaba-karra, walking in a line from oldest to youngest, and behind them the sisters, the babarr-karra, carrying dilly bags heavy with the season's food.

Yindu yaba-karra nyubun kadan, jarran warru bajakumuny buban bajakuka, kudamundu babarr-karra, balji dandi mayi wungarmu wundin.


<translate> You saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<translate> You all saw the mullet there.


<translate> You two saw the yalnga turtle there.


<translate> The child saw the freshwater eel.


<translate> We see the older brother here.


<translate> The baby ate a little of the bitter leaf and made a face like a storm coming, and everybody laughed, and grandmother said: good — that face means the mouth is learning its first law: not every leaf is food.

Ngawabu birra ngambuy nukan buban, walu murnin yala jarramali kadanya, bama wubulku yajarr-man, babingka balkan: yukil, walu yinya balkal ngandal binal-mal kuku ngadiku nyungu: kari birra wubulku mayi.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yawa possum here.


<translate> The woman saw the digging stick at the camp.


<glossary> jarra ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I am bigger than he is


<translate> They see the jellyfish here.


<translate> They saw the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The old man taught that the possum, the flying fox, and the tree they lived in were all one thing, and to waste one was to harm them all.

Mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: yawa, kambi, juku jana bundaymu, wubulku nyubun yamba, nyubun kilbanka yinya wubulku yinyil-kangal.


<translate> He sees the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> The old man showed the boy how to make a good throwing-stick: he chose a curved branch of hard wood, cut it and stripped the bark, worked it down with a stone scraper to the right thickness, warmed it over the coals and bent the curve true, rubbed it with fat until it shone, tested the throw, and then gave it to the boy as his very first proper weapon.

Mukulungku dingkarangka buban milbin yala kali yukil bunganka: nyulu juku-murru junkurr manin, dakan wawun kudamundu, kulji-kunbir-bu murni-manin dandi yukilku, ngunjil wangkar wumbul-manin murru murni kajan, wandul-bu murni-manin dukul yukil, yilbal murni-nyajin, yalada buban dayan nyungu kalka ngadiku yukilku.


<translate> They saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> The women went to dig yams in the soft ground beside the creek.

Jalbu-jalbu dungan bambayal baka-nka bubu kima-nga wawubaja karangkal.


<translate> After the first heavy rain the green frogs called out loudly all through the wet night.

Kaba nyubun yalbay-muny karrkurr wubul yalbay-bu yirrkan wujurr wubulku.


<translate> We all, not you, see the charcoal here.


<translate> You see the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<translate> You and I see the deep water there.


<glossary> baja-burray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> I'm tired after the walkabout


<translate> In the morning only the birds were singing.

Wunkuwingku buyi-buyi nganga wulngku badi.


<translate> That baringkan small bird is there.


<translate> The boy stood over the wallaby, half proud and half sad, and did not know what he felt.

Karrkay darrba wuyar janan, wawu-mini baja walu-jirrbu baja, kari binal wanya nyulu wawu.


<translate> The black cockatoos screech loudly high up in the tall trees as the sun goes down.

Kadanji wubul yirrka-y yalbay-bu juku kalbay-ba wangkar-a, wungar bada-nya.


<translate> Mother went to the road with clothes.


<translate> The two old men sat quietly by the fire, saying nothing, listening to the noise of the tall trees.

Dingkar jambul janka bundan baya ngundu, kuku-kari, juku kalbay-mu nyurra nyaji-l.


<translate> The old man said: the curlew cries at night for its lost young, and the old people say that when you hear it close to the camp, someone will soon pass away — so listen, and hold your family close.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kuyir wujurrbu badil nyungu karrkayka, mukul-mukul balkal kaki yundu milkabu nyaji bayan ngundu, bama nyubun wulay baja; yundu milkabu nyaji, yundu mula-mula karrba.


<translate> We see the marrabal ti tree here.


<translate> I see that kurunkal mangrove.


<translate> The women went first to the water, carrying the big bark water-carriers on their heads.

Jalbu-jalbu banaka dunganyarr, bana wungarmu wundin, balji yalbay dukulba jarra-kulban.


<glossary> muyul-muyul ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He's got a block against snakes (doesn't want to touch them, doesn't like them)


<translate> The rainbow bird digs a long home in the sandy bank and lays its young deep inside where the snake cannot reach.

Biru-biru jukar-a baka-l bayan kalbay, karrkay dukurr-ba wunan wanja jarba kari kadanka.


<translate> We, not you, saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> We see the son or daughter here.


<translate> You all saw the mountain here.


<translate> The fish are moving upriver.


<translate> Mother saw the rope in the bag.


<translate> You two saw the mawal bee there.


<translate> The old man was so thin that you could see each and every rib on his hollow chest.

Mukul-dingkar buban-baja-ku, yundu mirrimar wubulku damu-ngu nyaji-l.


<lexeme> tree (this term is very rarely used for money)


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<glossary> ngarra ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Danny went to the store, Carol also went.

Danny storengy dungan, Carol ngarra dungan


<translate> That young man is a good hunter.


<glossary> muja-muja ; type=adjective ; domain=texture <usage_example> You should dry out your tent; it might get rotten


<glossary> kunjal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> They'll invite you to the wedding


<translate> You and I saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<translate> You two see the small sticks here.


<translate> The old man said the mark of a spear-master is not how hard they can throw but how well they can hold back, for a spear once loosed obeys no one, and a word once spoken is a spear.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: mala-kalkamu milbil kari nyulu junkurr yilbanka, yambada nyulu ngulkurr karrbanka, kalka bawanmuny kari bamanka ngaral, kuku balkanmuny kalka janay.


<translate> His hair is grey now like the old man's, but his eyes are still sharp and see far across the wide plain.

Nyungu mungka wulman niji mukul-dingkar-mu yala, yamba nyungu miyil junkurr, kala-kalbay nyaji-l bubu-burr.


<translate> Share the meat with everyone!


<translate> The old man said the country is full of old roads that no one walks anymore, grown over and forgotten, and each was once a living path between two peoples who traded and married and shared, and when the road died, something between the peoples died too, and someone should walk them again.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bubu baral ngadiku wubulmu wawu bama nyubun kari jilbal, juku wandin milka-wulan, nyubun wubulku ngadiku baral wawu-yukil bama jambulmu jana daji-way manyarr-way daji-way baja, baral wulanya, yamba bama jambul dukurrbu wula baja, bama nyubun yinya jilbal baja.


<translate> Father ate meat near the fire.

Nganjan-angka minya nukan baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> When the high tide comes in the evening, the old man said, the water rises over the whole flat reef and the fish come in close to feed.

Balar wujurr-ma-nya kaday, mukul-dingkar balkan, bana dulngku ngalkal narmba daka, kuyu ngundu kaday nuka-nka.


<translate> Your father spoke to you, but you were not listening to him.

Yunu nganjanangka yununku balkan, yundu kari nyungunku milka-jana-l.


<translate> With and without are the two hands of describing, the old woman taught: say the man with the beard, the woman with the net, the camp without fire, the child without fear — and you have shown them all without one colour word.

Kuku '-ji' kuku '-kari' nyulu mara jambul milbilmuny, wulbumanangka milbin: balka dingkar walarr-iji, jalbu makarr-ji, bayan baya-kari, karrkay yinil-kari, yundu jana wubulku milbin kuku nyubunbu nganga.


<translate> We would have stayed dry, the old man laughed, squeezing the blanket, if anyone had believed the black wall over the sea instead of the clear sky over the camp, so hear the weather law of the two skies: the sky overhead tells you today, the sky at the sea tells you tomorrow, and it is tomorrow that ties up the camp.

Ngana marral wunanyaku, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man, kararr jubilnya, kaki bamangka kuku-junkurr-manin ngurrban ngumbu jalunba, kari jiri ngalkal bayan wangkara, yalada milka-janay kuku jirimuny jambulmuny: jiri wangkara balkal nyiku, jiri jalunba balkal wunkuny, wunkunybu bayan kajal.


<translate> The young man went to the mountain with a friend.


<translate> You all see the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> We found the turtle tracks in the sand and followed them down to the water.

Ngana yalnga jina warrmba-bungan jukar-a, wukurrin bana-ka bada.


<translate> He sees the kuji-kuji tree there.


<translate> You see the murrkul tree here.


<translate> The two women carried the water back to the camp in the big bark containers, one behind the other.

Jalbu jambul bana wundin bayan-ka dakil yalbay-mba, nyubun nyubun kudamundu.


<translate> The old man's foot is sore and swollen, and he cannot walk far from the camp any more now.

Mukul-dingkar jina kaka yalbay-ma-n, nyulu kala-kalbay jilba kari bayan-muny niji.


<translate> The child laughed at grandmother.


<translate> The children gathered the small yams while the old woman sat in the shade of the tree.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka kawu buban bangkan, wulbuman juku wabarr-ba bundan.


<translate> You all saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> The river is very big and very fast after the big rain, so do not go down into the water.

Wawubaja kalbay-baja-ku jinbal-baja-ku kaba yalbay-muny; yundu kari bana-ka bada-y.


<translate> You and I saw the sand here.


<glossary> jarri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He hasn't come yet, is staying away


<translate> He dropped the stone on the girl's foot.

Nyulu kulji daray-manin maral-anda jina-nga.


<translate> The children got up early in the morning.


<translate> They saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> They saw the wooden sword here.


<glossary> bajurr-bangkan ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I scolded my child because he broke the cassette

Ngayu kangkal bajurr-bangkan, nyulu cassette dumbarrinya


<translate> The grandmother said the greatest gift the old can give the young is not answers but questions, not the memory of how things were but the wisdom to see how things are, and above all the knowledge that they are loved.

Babingka balkan: dajil yalbay bajaku mukulmu warruka kari kuku-yukil, yambada babajil, kari milbi yala yamba ngadiku janan, yambada binal yala yamba nyiku janay nyajinka, wangkar bajaku binal jana wawu jirray janay.


<glossary> bakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Sister gave me a shot (pricked with a needle)


<translate> We saw the karranda tree here.


<translate> Big brother went fishing with a hook and line. He sat on the rock all day. He caught nothing.

Yaba dungan baduriji. Nyulu kuljinga bundandan. Nyulu yamba-kari manin.


<glossary> kala-jalamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He jumped over (the mud) on the rocks


<translate> They saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> The woman left the bag outside.


<glossary> kalbarr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They're going together (because they're intereted in each other)


<translate> You and I see the swallow there.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> Mother sent to me the store


<glossary> janbangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> he'll keep the ball


<translate> The frightened kangaroo jumped out from behind the big rock and ran off into the long grass.

Mayarriji yini-yini jalaman kulji yalbay kudamundu-muny, wanarrin jikan kalbay-ka.


<translate> That light-coloured hair is there.


<translate> "No," the child said, "I do not know."

"Kari," karrkay-ngku balkan, "ngayu kari binal."


<translate> You two see the jumper ant here.


<translate> By the end of the day the grandmother had named every relation in the camp for the child, and the child, who had felt small and alone that morning, now felt held on every side by a great warm net of people.

Wungar dungaymuny babingka jawun-karra wubulku bayanba karrkayka kunjan, karrkay nyulu buban nganga wunkuwingku milkabu baykanmuny, nyiku nyulu milkabu baykal wanya wubulku ngundu bama wumbul yalbaybu karrbal.


<translate> The knife is there in the bag.


<translate> The old man asked the child: "Do you know this story?" The child said: "I know."

Mukul-dingkar karrkay-anda babajin: "Yundu yanyu kuku binal?" Karrkay-ngku balkan: "Ngayu binal."


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> The child saw the old man's head.

Karrkay-ngku mukul-dingkar dukul nyajin.


<translate> He came from that house with the tree.

Nyulu bayan-muny yinya-muny juku-jirr-muny kadan.


<translate> You and I saw the mawul freshwater eel there.


<glossary> jururr-jururr ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> The policeman beat him repeatedly

Bulimanangka nyungun jururr-jururr kunin


<translate> We see the dukul-barangkal flathead fish here.


<translate> You and I saw the diwalngku bird here.


<translate> We see the butcherbird here.


<glossary> junkali ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Nyulu junkali


<translate> You see the waddy club here.


<translate> You and I see the tree snake here.


<translate> They see the julbal tree here.


<translate> The morning star is the traveller's friend, the old man said as they carried the bags in the dark: when it stands alone above the high ground, the dawn follows close behind it, so the person who leaves beneath the morning star walks the cool road, and reaches the far camp before the sun grows teeth.

Kurrubijal nyulu jawun jilba-bamamuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jana balji wundinya wujurrba: kaki nyulu janay nyubun bubu wangkara, muduwaju nyulu ngundu wukurril, yalada bama nyulu dungay kurrubijal badabada nyulu jilbal baral kiway-kiway, nyulu kaday bayanka kala-kalbayba wungar dirra-ji-manyjiku.


<glossary> ngamba ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> They went into his house in his absence

Jana nyunguwunbu bayanba walan nyungungunbu ngambanga


<translate> The woman saw the fire at camp.


<translate> Which way did the dingo go — up the ridge or down to the creek?

Wanjaku murramu dungan — wangkar-ka, bada wawubaja-ka?


<translate> You see the reflection here.


<translate> They ground ripe yams and made damper.

Jana wukay kulbul nyurrban, damba bungan.


<translate> The old man's grey hair was thin on top, but his eyebrows were still thick and dark.

Mukul-dingkar dukul mungka ngungul-ngungul buban wangkar-a, yamba nyungu bilirr junkurr ngungul niji.


<translate> He sees the spear barb here.


<translate> He saw the makarra streaky yellow ochre there.


<translate> They saw the spider shell there.


<translate> The child pestered elder brother for food.


<translate> He is my elder brother; I saw him down at the river yesterday.

Nyulu ngayku yaba; ngayu nyunguny nyajin wawubaja-nga yilayku.


<translate> Turn the canoe — rocks ahead!


<translate> The two young men looked at the ground, ashamed, and after a while they put down their anger.

Warru jambul bubu nyajin, jana walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, wungar dunganya jana dukul-wuri bawan.


<translate> They two see the prawn there.


<translate> He sees the jawurraji ant bed there.


<translate> When the old man died, the old woman cried, and all the people cried too, just the same, for they had all loved him.

Mukul-dingkar wula-nya, mukul-jalbu badin, bama narmba badin yala-rrku, jana wubulku nyungu-nka kuru-jirr.


<translate> Walk along the sandy beach towards the north until you come to the mouth of the big river.

Jukar-burr jilba-y maku kungkarr-ka, yundu wawubaja yalbay ngandal-ka kada-nyjiku.


<translate> They saw the fighting spear there.


<translate> Kind is a doing-word here, the old woman said: manun-manun is as manun-manun does — bring wood, sit with the sick one, wait for the ones who are not fast.

Manun-manun nyulu murni yanyaba, wulbumanangka balkan: manun-manun nyulu wanyu manun-manun murnil: juku mana, bunda bambaynji, janay bamanka warri-karinka.


<glossary> walngkurril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The dog barked at the pig


<glossary> kayal ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Leave that fruit, it's still green


<translate> Hold the little child tightly by the water, lest the deep, dark river carry her away downstream.

Karrkay buban junkurr karrba bana ngundu, wawubaja dajali ngungul-angka nyunga wundi-nyji bada.


<translate> You two saw the sandfly there.


<translate> You all see the grass wallaby there.