<translate> The camp woke before the sun, when the morning star still hung low over the eastern hills.

Bayan wandin wungar wandinyjiku, kurrubijal bada janay manjalba nakanga.


<translate> They saw the yellow March fly here.


<translate> You all see the rainbow here.


<translate> The dugong is hard to hunt and must be taken quietly on the still water, the old man said, for it hears the least sound and is gone in a moment.

Biwuy balbi buyun, jana janka mani bana wangkar-a, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu milka-janay junjuy-mu, wanarri buban-bu.


<translate> We see the karrandal tree here.


<translate> The old people knew many seasons, not just two, and they read each one in the plants and the winds and the animals.

Kamba-kamba binal wungar wubulku, kari jambul nganga, jana nyajin yala mayinga muyara minyanga.


<translate> When the children became deaf to advice and would not heed their mother's words, she grew angry and growled.

Karrkay-karrkay milka-kari-ma-n, jana kari binal ngamu-mu kuku, ngamu kuli-ma-n yirrkan.


<glossary> kanban ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I was hit by the mistake by the child


<translate> The dew is the night's quiet gift, the old man said, walking the children out at dawn: it puts little stars on every grass blade, it shows every track that walked in the dark, and it waters the grass when no rain comes, so the person who sleeps toward the high sun reads a country that has already been washed.

Bulur nyulu daji-jirray wunbu wujurrmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, karrkay-karrkay jilba-bunganya muduwajuny: nyulu dawar buban yijarril jikanba nyubun-nyubunba, nyulu jina wubulku milbil wujurrba jilbanmuny, nyulu jikan bana-dayal kaba kari kadanya, yalada bama nyulu wunay wungar wangkarku nyulu bubu nyajil julurrinmuny ngadiku.


<translate> The child dug and dug all morning and found one small yam only, and the old woman laughed and said the ground was still asleep.

Karrkay-angka baka-baka wunkuwingku wubulku, bambayal nyubun buban warmban, mukul-jalbu yajarrin, balkan bubu warngku kariku.


<translate> The man saw liver in the shade.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is slow, and it eats the beetles and the snails on the ground.

Bajabaja janka-baja, ngirran kaduy nukal bubu-ngu.


<translate> The sea is calm and flat this morning, good for hunting turtle.

Jalun janka barrangkul yanyu wunkuwingku, ngulkurr yalnga balbi-nka.


<translate> He saw the jimalili lizard here.


<translate> We saw the jika-birra tobacco leaf here.


<translate> You two saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> The two of them saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> The light-coloured clothing is here.


<translate> You two see the possum here.


<translate> He saw the small sticks here.


<translate> The child went to the road with a stick.


<translate> The big river kept running fast and strong down over the stones after the heavy rain fell.

Wawubaja yalbay wanarri junkurr kulji kaka-muny, kaba kulngkul dara-nya-muny.


<glossary> maku ; type=locational ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The boat was coming toward him


<translate> The grandmother said a child is a new arrangement of old pieces: the nose comes from one line, the temper from another, the gift for song from a great-grandfather nobody now remembers, and yet there it is, singing again.

Babingka balkan: karrkay yamba ngadikumu jirakal yijarril: murru nyubun jawun-karramuny kadan, dukul-wuri yindumuny, kuku ngulkurr juwaymu nyulu bama kari nyiku binalku, yambada yinya janay, kuku ngulkurr baja.


<glossary> wungka ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> She's swearing another woman (because she's wronged)


<translate> The grandmother said your relatives are of three kinds: those above you whom you must respect and care for, those beside you whom you share everything with, and those below you whom you must teach and protect.

Babingka balkan: yundu jawun-karra kulur yala: jana wangkar yundunka yundu wawu-yukil nyaji, jana ngundu yundunka yundu yamba wubulku daji-way, jana bada yundunka yundu milbil kujil.


<translate> You and I saw the bajal bower bird here.


<translate> The old people said that true words must be held, heard, and given to the children.

Mukul-bama balkan, kuku yukil karrba-nka, nyaji-nka, karrkay-karrkay-nka daji-nka.


<translate> We see the kurrkal shortcut here.


<glossary> jungkarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Danny rolled the stones down the hill


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> She rubbed the warm turtle fat on the old man's sore, aching shoulder and his thin back.

Nyulu wandul wumbul mukul-dingkar binda kaka-nga baja muku-ngu julngkan.


<translate> Grandfather saw the black scrub goanna.


<glossary> dudu ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The knife is blunt, you should sharpen it


<translate> They saw the jumper ant there.


<translate> The ants got into the honey!


<translate> You see the freshwater prawn here.


<translate> They saw the large bat there.


<translate> The oldest boy answered: We went up the river to the deep waterholes, and we swam, and we caught many fish.

Karrkay yalbayangka balkan: Ngana wawubaja wangkarka dungan bana badaka, ngana marajin, ngana kuyu wubul manin.


<translate> You two saw the jadi goanna there.


<translate> You see the spoon bill bird here.


<translate> They saw the bloodwood tree here.


<translate> They saw the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


<glossary> bijal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=ingestion-consumption <usage_example> The child licked the icecream cone


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> You see the flat-tailed ray here.


<glossary> jakal ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> Fill the bucket up with water


<glossary> kaki ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> When/if you go, close the gate


<translate> You two see the mountain here.


<translate> We two (not you) see the pumice stone here.


<translate> Grandfather left the grass at camp.


<translate> The dukul-mukul lizard is there.


<translate> We see the light bellied black snake there.


<glossary> kari ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I didn't get any meat, the fish didn't bite at all

Ngayu minya kari manin, kuyungku kari bajaku baykan


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


<translate> You see the native cat there.


<translate> The child saw the sun outside.


<translate> You and I see the kalu garfish there.


<translate> The child asked grandfather about the mango.


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


<translate> They dug up the long wild yam, which runs deep like a rock python under the ground.

Jana wawukuna bakan, nyulu bada kalbay yala kabul bubu-dukurr-ba wunay.


Nyiku kami murruji kalakalbay jilba dungay.


<translate> We hear the rustling noise here.


<translate> Watch the western sky always in the hot season, the old man warned, lest the great thunderstorm catch you far out on the open plain.

Jiri kaba-wungar-a nyaji-nyaji wungar-iji-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, jarramali yalbay yundu bubu ngalkal-ba marri-ba mani-nyji.


<translate> Uncle says the island turtles are laying now.

Kalngangka balkal: ngawiyangka diburr yijarril nyiku burrira.


<glossary> yalkaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He's limping with sore on his feet

Nyulu yalkan-yalkan-yalkaji, jina bajiji


<translate> The old man fell down on the wet slippery rock, and hurt his leg badly on the hard stone.

Mukul-dingkar daran kulji duna julbarr-ba, nyungu jandal yakan kulji junkurr-bu kaka bajaku.


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


<translate> The child saw the mountain peak there.


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


<translate> The old man gave the boys the wallaby ladder: darrba of the open ground, jumar of the timber, kadar of the stone country — one English word, three lives, and the hunter who says only wallaby goes home with only wind.

Mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban darrba-jina milbin: darrba bubu ngalkalmuny, jumar jukumuny, kadar bubu-kuljimuny: kuku waybala nyubun, wawu kulur, balbi-bama nyulu 'wallaby' nganga balkal nyulu bayanka muyar nganga wundil.


<translate> The roots of this vine are good medicine for a sore stomach.

Yanyu maya-mu ngara ngulkurr dukunjaka, jibar bambay-nka.


<translate> The old woman said the young tree bends in the big wind and does not break, but the old dry tree stands stiff and the wind throws it down.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: juku jirakal muyar yalbay-mba jurrki, kari dumbarri, yamba juku wulman marral janay junkurr, muyar-angka bada dama.


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


<translate> The child saw the paperbark on the ground.


<translate> Don't sit near the big crocodile's water; come back up onto the dry white sand!

Kari bunda bilngkumu bana ngundu! Kada-y-baja jukar marral-ka wangkar-a!


<translate> They saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


<translate> The young man laughed at grandmother.


<translate> When will the big rains finally come this year, the children asked, and the old man watched the sky a long while and did not answer them.

Kaba yalbay wanja-wanja kada-y wungar-jarra yinya-ba? karrkay-karrkay nyajin, mukul-dingkar jiri nyaji-nyaji wumbul, kari balka.


<translate> The old man said the difference between a good decision and a bad one is often just the questions you asked before making it: did I ask who this will affect, did I ask what could go wrong, did I ask whether I am deciding in anger, did I ask what the old people would have done, so that a slow decision with the right questions asked beats a fast one made blind almost every time.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-manin yukil kuku-manin mumbu yindu-yindu nganga kuku yundu babajinmuny ngadiku bungalmuny: ngayu babajin wanya yinya murninmuny, ngayu babajin wanyu mumbu-mandanmuny, ngayu babajin ngayu dukul-wuri-nga kuku-manilmuny, ngayu babajin wanyu bama mukul murninmuny, kuku-manin buban-buban kuku yukil babajin-ji ngulkurr-baja kuku-manin warri miyil-karibu wubulku wungara.


<translate> You and I saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile here.


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


<translate> He saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> You two saw the mali small bat here.


<translate> The dog bit grandfather's upper leg.


<translate> The black crow is standing there.


<translate> The child shouted with his mouth.


<translate> They saw the wurmbariji scrub tree there.


<translate> The wallaby heard us and ran into the scrub.

Kadarangka nganjinan nyajin, madjanga warrin.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<glossary> jarmbil ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The flood washed the tree away


<translate> You all saw the jayju kangaroo rat there.


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


<translate> The two stayed there, one on the north side and one on the south side.

Bula bundandan yinyaymba, yindu kungkar-mundu yindu jibarr-mundu.


<translate> Are you coming with us down to the water right now? — Yes, I am coming along right now.

Yundu ngana-ji bana-ka kada-y niji? Yuwu, ngayu kada-y niji-baja.


<translate> How many long seasons have you lived in this same country, grandmother, the child asked, and the old woman only laughed softly and said nothing.

Wanjarrinya wungar-jarra yundu yinya bubu-ba wuna-n, babi? karrkay nyajin, mukul-jalbu nyubun yajarri janka, kari nyubun-bu balkan.


<translate> You all saw the karrkurr frog there.


<translate> That kuji-kuji tree is here.


<translate> He saw the julbal tree 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> The grandmother said a family gathering is a living map of the whole people: in one camp you see every kind of kin, every age, every relation, the whole web that holds a people together laid out for your eyes to see.

Babingka balkan: jawun-karra bangkanmuny bama wubulmu bubu wawu: nyubun bayanba yundu jawun-karra wubulku nyajil, wungar wubulku, murni wubulku, kaji wubulku bama nyubun-manilmu yundu miyilba nyajinka.


<translate> The woman saw the wood on the ground.


<translate> Everything you need is here in the middle of our own good country.

Yamba wubulku yundu wawu yaluy dindarra-nga ngana-mba bubu ngulkurr-ba.


<translate> You see the red flower there.


<translate> I saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko here.


<translate> They saw the karrandal tree there.


<translate> The boy fell ill after the long walk, his body grew hot, but after two days he became well and stood up strong again.

Buban bambay-man jilbay yalbay-muny, nyulu wumbul-man, yambada wungar jambul-muny nyulu kakawarri-man, junkurr wandin baja.


<translate> You all see the deep water here.


<translate> The dog bit the little boy's hand hard, and the frightened child cried out loudly in the camp.

Kaya-ngka karrkay buban mara baykan junkurr, karrkay yini-yini yirrkan yalbay bayan-ba.


<translate> He saw the yirku-yirku frog there.


<glossary> kumurr ; type=noun ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> It's flower time now


<translate> The young man's neck is good.


<translate> They see the large mud clam there.


<translate> You all saw the kujuway pigeon there.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Give me some bullets for my gun


<translate> They saw that kurunkal mangrove.


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


<translate> He saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> Wait, it is hot! Let it stand first, and then eat.

Janay, nyulu wumbul! Bawa janay-ngurr, yalada nuka.


<translate> Catfish for dinner: ugly in the water, very good in the coals.

Julaji mayinka: mumbu bananga, yukil bajaku ngunjilba.


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


<translate> The old woman walked up the steep track to the hinterland camp, carrying a heavy dilly bag of yams.

Mukul-jalbu wangkar jilban jina junkurr jibarr bayan-ka, ngunyin kulngkul wukay-jirr wundin.


<translate> Whose fire is that on the far ridge? I do not know whose it is; maybe hunters, maybe strangers from another country. We will watch it through the night and see who comes.

Wanyamba baya yinya wuyar kala-kalbay-mba? Ngayu kari binal wanyamba; balbi-bama nguba, bama yindu bubu yindu-muny nguba. Ngana wujurr-burr nyaji, wanya kaday nyaji.


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


<translate> We set out before dawn to reach the good fishing ground at the change of tide: we paddled downriver in the dark by the sound of the water, reached the mouth as the sky lightened, spread the nets across the channel, took a great haul as the tide ran out, filled the canoe until it sat low, paddled home heavy and slow, and then divided the whole catch on the beach among every family in the camp.

Ngana muduwaju ngadiku badan kuyu-bubu ngulkurr bana-murninga kadanka: ngana wawubaja bada jarrakulban wujurr-bu bana kuku-bu, julay-mundu kadan jiri jirakal-mandanya, makarr bana-dukurr-bu naka-naka bawan, kuyu wubulku manin bana naka-naka dunganya, marrakan buwan dukul bada bundan, bayan-mundu jarrakulban dandi buban-buban, yalada kuyu wubulku jukara buban-manin jawun-karra bayanba wubulku.


<translate> I took the wrong spear by mistake and left my own good one back at the camp.

Ngayu kalka yindu kanban manin, ngayku ngulkurr bayan-ba bawan.


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


<glossary> mulka-warri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Do you feel ambitious?


<translate> You and I saw the ngumbul snake here.


<glossary> ngulkurrijin ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Yinya nganka ngulkurrijin


<translate> Soak the zamia nuts in the water first.


<translate> The first taste is for the finder, the second for the carrier, the third for the fire-keeper, the old woman kept the small honoring alive: three little thanks before the meal, so that no work walks invisible.

Nganja-ngurr bama maninmunyka, nganja jambulku bama wundinmunyka, nganja kulurku baya-kuji-bamanka, wulbumanangka murni buban yinya juran karrban: yulmbarril buban kulur mayi ngadiku, murni nyubunbu kariku jilbal nyajil-kari.


<translate> We see the small sticks there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> Grandmother laughed at grandfather.


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> the dogs were howling because their master left them


<translate> Two turkeys ran quickly into the scrub when the camp dog came near them.

Diwan jambul madja-ka jinbal-baja warri, kaya ngundu kadan.


<translate> You and I saw the fighting spear here.


<translate> The man left the hook and line at camp.


<glossary> nganga ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I came for just a little bit, have to get back to cook

Ngayu nganga kadan. Ngayu dungay baja mayika wayjul


<translate> That bingkajiri tree is here.


<translate> The little girl covers herself with the warm blanket in the cold, dark night.

Maral buban kararr wumbul-bu nanda-ji, wujurr ngiki-nga.


<translate> Two ducks with their little ones swam close to the reeds at the edge of the water.

Nili-nili jambul buban-jirr bana-nga janji-l, jukar karangkal.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I'm definitely not going


<translate> Don't touch the grubs in that log — they are for grandmother's fishing.

Kari jambun karrba jukungu yinyangu: jana babimuny kuyu-maninka.


<translate> Father laughed at grandmother.


<translate> The friend laughed at mother.


<translate> The little one is afraid of the dark — leave the fire burning.


<translate> The kangaroos feed inland in the dry season, but come down to the river when the rain falls.

Mayarriji jibarr-ba nukal marral-wungar-a, yamba bada kadan wawubaja-ka kaba dara-nya.


<translate> We, not you, saw the walkarr goanna there.


<translate> If food is there, take the bag.


<translate> They saw the barramundi there.


<translate> The son or daughter is there.


<glossary> baya ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> he collected firewood


<translate> The woomera is the arm's second arm, the old man showed the throw: short wood, and the hand becomes long — the spear leaves the hand twice, and the second leaving is the one that feeds you.

Balur nyulu wakuy jambulku wakuymuny, mukulungku dingkarangka mumal milbin: juku buban, mara kalbay-mal, kalka dungay maramuny jambulku, dungay jambulkubu nyulu yununy mayi-dayal.


<translate> You and I see the leg there.


<translate> The children love to watch the kookaburra dive down from its branch and snatch a small snake, the old woman said, and carry it off in its strong beak.

Karrkay-karrkay kururrungka nyaji-nyaji dakil-muny bada daray jarba buban mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngandal junkurr-bu jarra-kulba.


<translate> You saw the kalkamal locust here.


<translate> In the nut season the women gathered the hard nuts that fall from the tall trees near the water.

Barka wungara jalbu-jalbungku barka junkurr bangkan, juku kalbaymuny daranmuny bana ngundu.


<translate> We see the red king parrot here.

Ngana karrambil ngala-ngala yaluy nyajil.


<translate> The two of them saw the darrba grass wallaby there.


<translate> You and I see the squid there.


<translate> The baringkan small bird is there.


<translate> The girl laughed at the young man.


<translate> The old woman said if the rains fail one year, tighten your belt and share what little there is, for a people that shares scarcity survives it together, but a people that hoards in the lean time tears itself apart, and the tearing kills more than the hunger ever would.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki bana wulan nyubun wungara, nyungu mudu karrba buban mayi daji-way, bama nyulu buban daji-way nyubunji kilban, yambada bama nyulu dakwuy wungara kambal nyulu-nyulu damil, damil bama wubul kaka-manil junkurr-baja dakwuymuny.


<translate> The two of them see the wurrul shellfish there.


<translate> They saw the kaya-kaya dogs here.


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


<translate> The old man kept walking and walking through the ranges for two days without water, following the tracks of the grey kangaroo.

Mukul-dingkar jilba-jilba jamba-burr wungar jambul bana-kari, julmbanu-mu jina nyaji-nyaji dunga.


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


<glossary> jalngkun ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The axe is very dull; sharpen it with a file

Axe dudu bajaku; jalngkun-bunga filemundu.


<translate> They heard the rattling sound here.


<translate> Father put the rope on the ground.


<translate> You and I see the goose here.


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


<translate> He sees the ngamu-murramu dingo there.


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> What are you looking for?


<lexeme> see and know someone before he sees and knows you


<translate> When they made a new camp the old man lit the first fire himself, in the center where all could reach it, and he spoke a few quiet words to the country as the smoke rose, thanking the place for having them, for a fire is the first word a people says to a new piece of ground.

Jana bayan jirakal murninya mukulungku dingkarangka baya ngadiku nyulu-nyulu wandiman, dukurr-bu wanja bama wubulku manil, nyulu balkan kuku buban janka bubungu kubu wandinya, bubunka wawu-mini bama karrbanmuny, baya kuku ngadiku bama nyubun bubu jirakalnka balkalmu.


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


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

Jana nyunguwunbu bayanba walan nyungungunbu ngambanga


<translate> You saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> The children watched from their mothers' laps as the dancers moved like animals in the firelight.

Karrkay-karrkayangka nyajin ngamumu jandalba, warru-warru minya yala jalaman bayanga.


<translate> They two saw the spear barb here.


<translate> How did the old woman carry all that heavy firewood by herself?

Wulbuman wanjarr baya-juku kulngkul wubul nyubun-du wundin?


<translate> You see the freshwater prawn there.


<translate> The woman came out of the house.


<translate> We see the spoon bill bird there.


<translate> Granny cooked the wallaby in the earth oven with the yams.

Babingka kadar wayjun kurrmanga wukayji.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the fighting spear here.


<translate> They saw the yiki owl there.


<translate> You all see the kalmnbagarr diver bird there.


<glossary> bubu ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> the clothes are dirty now


<translate> I saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> The nuts were bitter and could not be eaten; the women soaked them, pounded them, and cooked them with care.

Barka kabu, murruji nukal; jalbu-jalbungku bananga yijarrin, dudan, wajun ngulkurrku.


<translate> The old man said the making of a spear is a chain of changes, each one shaping the next, for the straight sapling becomes a cut length, the cut length becomes a scraped and straightened shaft, the shaft is hardened in the fire, the point is sharpened and fixed, and the whole thing balanced, so that from a living tree comes, through a dozen deliberate changes, a made thing that could never have grown, and this is the whole nature of craft: guiding a raw thing through changes toward a use.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalka-murni nyulu yindu-mabi karra, nyubun-nyubun yindunka murnil, juku kalbay nyulu yakal, yakan yinya yurril kalbay-bungal baja, kalka baya-nga dandi-bungal, murru junkurr-bungal kajal baja, yamba wubulku nyubunji-bungal, juku juranmuny kadan, yindu-bungan wubulbu, yamba-murni nyulu kariku nyulu-nyulu yalbay-manmuny, yinya yala murnimuny wubulku: yamba jani-kari yindu-burr jilba-bungal murninka.


<translate> He said never leave a living fire alone, lest it wander off like a child and rise into the dry grass and make trouble for everyone.

Nyulu balkan: kari yundu baya nganga bawa nyulu kariku wula, baya karrkay yala dunga-nyji, jikanba wanda-nyji, bama wubulku mumbu-manyji.


<translate> You see the black spotted dart there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jimalili lizard there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the biwul snake here.


<translate> We'll sleep outside — the house is too hot.

Ngana ngalkalba warngku wunay — bayan wumbul bajaku.


<translate> The shoulder and the arm of the strong young man are big, for he throws the spear every day.

Warru junkurr binda wakuy yalbay, nyulu kalka daman wungar-wungar.


<glossary> muna ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That man is not afraid of wild pigs


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


<translate> The old woman dug the yams out of the hard ground with a strong wooden digging stick.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku wukay bubu junkurr-muny bakan juku junkurr-bu.


<translate> This side of the fire is for the story-teller; the other side for the doubters — both seats are honorable.

Ngundu bayamuny balkal-bamanka: ngubar warmbil-bamanka: bunda-bubu jambul yulmbarri-ji.


<translate> Uncle showed me where to dig for yams.

Kalngangka nganya milbin, wukay bakanka.


<translate> You and I see the yinkan ribs there.


<translate> The young man washed himself in the cold water to wake himself up.

Warru julurri-ji bana ngiki-nga, wandi-nka.


<glossary> yanday-nyajil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I overheard them


<translate> When the bark of that tree becomes soft, we use it well for our fishing and our tying.

Juku yinya warrur kima-ma-nya, ngana nyungu kuyu-nka karrba-nka baja mani-l.


<translate> If a man has no dog, he finds no pigs in the scrub.

Kaki dingkar kaya-kari, nyulu biki kari milbil madja-nga.


<translate> The two of them saw the mukukanka tree there.


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


<lexeme> {'english': 'Yabaju kari diday-mana ngaykundu. Ngayu babarr', 'translation': "Don't say bad something bad about my younger brother to me. I'm his older sister."}


<translate> As the fire burned high, the old men began to sing the old songs and the young men came out to dance.

Baya wangkar wajunya, mukul dingkar-dingkar wulngku badin, warru-warru kadan wurinka.


<glossary> kunjal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Mother's calling you


<glossary> yaral ; type=adjective ; domain=water <usage_example> You talk in the right way (not cheeky - talk as you should in a court case)


<translate> The blue spotted fantail ray is there.


<translate> You two see the small sticks there.


<translate> The brown snake bit the dog on the leg, and by the next day the poor dog had died.

Jinkalmu-ngka kaya jina-nga baykan, wungar yindu-ngu kaya wulan.


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


<translate> The woman went to the road with father.


<translate> The little rainbow bird sat on the dead branch, its red wings shining in the sun.

Biru-biru buban juku-wulan-ba wunan, nangki nyungu ngala-ngala wungar-bu balbal.


<translate> You all saw the mountain there.


<translate> Granny cooked the turtle eggs in the coals, and there was food for every family in the camp.

Babingka ngawiyamu diburr wayjun nulungu, mayi janan bayanba jawunkarra wubulku.


<translate> They saw the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> You and I see the spear barb there.


<translate> Why did you take the dog into the house? You should have left it outside in the yard.

Wanyurringku yundu kaya bayan-ba wundin? Yundu ngalkal-ba bawa-nka.


<translate> The camp is hot in the afternoon.


<translate> On the ground, the man put the stone.


<translate> The child asked which fruit is best, and the old man said: the one in your hand now, in its own season, is always better than the one you dream of.

Karrkay-angka babajin wanya mayi ngulkurr bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi mara-nga niji, nyungu wungar-a, ngulkurr bajaku mayi yundu jiba-ngundu-mu.


<translate> The dog bit the child's shoulder.


<glossary> binal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I want to know


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> You all saw the wakuka bird here.


<translate> I hear the thunderstorm here.


<translate> The shovelnose ray is there.


<translate> The woman brought the mango from the house.


<translate> We see the ghost crab there.


<translate> The young men watched and learned.


<translate> The men speared fish in the shallow water at the mouth of the river.

Dingkar-angka kuyu daman bana buban wawubaja ngandal-ba.


<translate> They knew: the water here never dries up.


<translate> Mother is staying in the shade with the baby.


<translate> You all see the small sticks there.


<translate> Throw the stone into the water!


<translate> The child is afraid of him and runs to me again and again.

Karrkay nyungunku yinjilji, ngaykunku warri baja-baja.


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


<translate> You and I see the ridge pole here.


<translate> My spear broke — I'll make a new one.

Ngayku kalka kadaban — ngayu jirakal balkal.


<translate> The old man said the leaf is the oldest cooking pot: wrap the small fish or the shellfish or the soft yam in a thick green leaf, tie it with a strip of bark, lay it in the coals, and the leaf holds the juices in and gives its own faint flavor to the food, and when you unwrap it the steam and the smell are the reward for the patience.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: birra waju-yamba ngadiku bajaku: kuyu buban wurrul juwal buban baja birra junkurr jirakalbu buwu, wawun-bubanda kaja, ngunjilba daya, birra wuynkurr dukurr-bu karrbal nyungu nganja buban mayingu daji, yundu kajanya bana-kubu nganja baja maku-janalmu yukil.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> We see the kunjarri palm there.


<translate> You two see the jellyfish there.


<translate> The big old tree fell in the night, its branches broke on the ground, and the children climbed on it.

Juku yalbay daran wujurrbu, dakil bubungu daran, karrkay-karrkay dakan.


<translate> You two see the death adder here.


<translate> She loves her little baby very much, holding it close to her warm breast all through the cold night.

Nyulu wawu jirray nyungu karrkay buban-ka, karrbal bibi wumbul ngundu wujurr-ba ngiki.


<translate> They see the dilly bag there.


<translate> The two boys made toy weapons from soft wood: a little boomerang, a little club, and a little shield; they had a play-fight and no one cried.

Bula karrkayngku baki-jarrngkurr juku kima-muny bungan: wangal buban, mirru buban, kunjuri buban; bula nguju kuni-wan, bama nyubun kari badin.


<translate> You all saw the birukay egg yolk here.


<translate> The old man taught the boys never to kill the little birds for no reason, only to take what the family will eat.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay balkan buyi buban kari yarkin-bungalka, minya jawun-karra nuka-nka nyubun maninka.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The canopy of the tree is big.


<translate> Grandmother saw the spear on the open ground.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is slow and gentle and does no harm, and when it opens its wide blue mouth it is only bluffing, for it has no bite worth fearing, and the old woman used it to teach the children that a loud show is often the weakest thing, and the truly dangerous creature, like the quiet snake, gives no warning at all.

Bajabaja bada kima yamba nyubun kari mumbu-bungal, nyulu nyungu ngandal yalbay jarrba kajanya nyulu nganga kanban-balkal, nyulu baykal-kari yinilmanka, wulbumanangka yinya kirrajin karrkay-karrkay milbinka kuku-yalbay yabarrka minya buban-buban baja, minya yinil bajaku, jarba dandi yala, nyulu yamba nyubun kari milbil.


<translate> You and I saw the kurruba freshwater fish there.


<translate> We saw the wakumba tree canopy here.


<translate> Why do the old people talk about the sky-things so much? the young man teased, and the old woman did not laugh: because the weather is the country talking about food, water, travel and shelter all at once, so weather talk is not small talk, it is the country's oldest message-stick, and you pay for it only with the ear.

Wanyurrinku bama mukulungku jiri-yambaka balkal wubulku bajaku? warrubu yajarr-ji babajin, wulbuman kari yajarr-man: jiri-yamba nyulu bubu balkanya mayika banaka jilbanka bayanka nyubunji, yalada kuku jiri-yambamuny nyulu kari kuku buban, nyulu kuku-juku mukul bajaku bubumuny, yundu dayal milka nganga.


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


<translate> We see the dalkari bladder here.


<translate> The child went to the road with a stick.


<translate> The two of them saw the jinkalmu snake there.


<translate> The wild yam grows deep and twisting and is hard to follow down, but its flesh is white and good when the fire cooks it well.

Banjay bubu dajali-ba wuna jurrki-jurrki, baka buyun bajaku, yamba nyungu bada-bada balbal ngulkurr baya waju-nya-muny.


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


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


<translate> The people did not try to take her grief away, but sat with her in her silence, brought her water, kept her fire, and let the sadness run its course.

Bayanmu bama kari nyungu jiba-badi kudamundu manin, yambada jana nyungu ngundu bundan wunbungu, bana wundin, baya kujin, jiba-badi nyungu yala dungay bawan.


<translate> The visitors told news of their own country, and the two camps talked late into the night.

Jawunkarrangka kuku balkan nyungu bubuka, jana jambul balkan kunarangkal wubulku.


<translate> They saw the kurunkal mangrove there.


<translate> I saw the yikari hardened beeswax there.


<translate> The old woman kept softening the stiff bark in the water, working it with her hands over and over, until it was soft enough to wrap the baby.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku dumbul dandi kima-bal-bal bana-ba, mara-bu murni-murni, nyulu kima karrkay kaja-nka kariku.


<translate> The children ran back to the camp laughing, and the game was the best thing of the whole day.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin baja bayanba yajarrinya, kinkay ngulkurr bajaku yinya wungarmuny.


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


<translate> The women dug the fat witchetty grubs from the roots of the tree with a stick.

Jalbu mujurr yalbay bakan juku-bangkan-muny juku-bu.


<translate> Hold your sister's food-share — she is still at the water.

Mayi-daji jinkurrmuny karrba, nyulu bananga yabarrka.


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


<translate> I wanted to sleep, but the mosquitoes kept on biting me all through the dark night.

Ngayu wawu wuna-nka, kari kamu-ngka nganya bayka-l-bayka-l wujurr wubulku.


<translate> I asked my elder brother for meat, but he gave it to his own child, so I went to my uncle.

Ngayu yaba-nda minya babajin, nyulu nyungu kangkalka dayan, ngayu kalnga-nda dungan.


<translate> The Torres Strait pigeon is good.


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


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


<translate> Uncle showed me where to dig for yams.

Kalngangka nganya milbin, wukay bakanka.


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


<translate> The big kangaroo stood up tall, looked all around, and then hopped away down across the plain.

Mayarriji yalbay wandin janay, murru-murru nyaji-l, bada dungan bubu-burr.


<translate> Don't wake the baby — she has only just fallen asleep.

Kari ngawa wandi-mani — nyulu niji warngku-wunan.


<translate> He saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


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


<translate> Why do you always give the very first and best of the meat to the old people, the child asked her mother, and the mother told her it was the law.

Wanyurrimun yundu marri minya nyubun ngulkurr bajaku mukul-bama-nka daji? karrkay-angka nyungu ngamu nyajin, ngamu-ngku nyunguny balkan yinya yalaku.


<translate> Grandfather washed father's chest.


<translate> If the child is sick, the old woman warms him by the fire.

Kaki karrkay bambay, wulbuman nyungu baya-nga wumbul-bungal.


<translate> The two of them saw the birinjil centipede there.


<translate> The old man praised the legs at the end of a long walk: the thigh pushed the person up the mountain, the shin took the stony ground, the ankle turned on the loose rock but held, and the foot read the whole road like an eye that never closed, so then they may all lie down first.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jandal yulmbarrin wungar kalbay badanga: wababu jurrngan bama wangkar manjalku, bibarabu manin bubu kulji-ji, wulu murnin kuljinga yambada karrban, jinabu baral wubulku nyajin yala miyil nyulu kariku nandajinmuny, yalada jana wubulku wuna ngadiku.


<translate> The broad leaf lay in the bag.


<translate> One clever boy asked how the first people ever learned which plants were safe, when there was no one to teach them.

Karrkay binal nyubungku babajin: bama ngadiku wanjabu binalman mayi ngulkurr, wanya jana milbin kari?


<translate> Frighten the birds away from the drying fish, not the children away from the fire.

Yinyil-kanga waja kuyumuny marralmuny, kari karrkay bayamuny.


<translate> He saw the binjurr-binjurr honeyeater there.


<translate> The man's foot left a deep track in the wet sand by the edge of the wide river.

Dingkar jina jukar buyun-ba dajali nanda, wawubaja jirrbu ngundu.


<translate> No swimming now — the water is the boss.


<translate> You and I saw the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> You two saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> You two saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard here.


<translate> The child swam in the water.


<translate> When my daughter was born, my mother came to help, my aunt brought food, and the whole family gathered to give the child a name.

Ngayku kangkal jalbu jana-nya, ngayku ngamu kada mara-dajinka, ngayku mukul mayi wundin, mula-mula muru janan kangkalka burri dayanka.


<translate> Three long days passed, and still the two young men did not return from the far hunt.

Wungar kalbay kulur dungan, warru jambul kariku kadan balbi kala-kalbay-muny.


<translate> The child took the dilly bag from the ground.


<translate> That kuji-kuji tree is there.


<translate> I take medicinal root in case the child gets sick.

Ngayu bangkan wundil, kunka karrkay bambay-ma-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> Father saw the mountain there.


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


<translate> They saw the wild plum here.


<translate> You see that marrabal ti tree.


<translate> The old man kept his best spears and his boomerang in the bark shelter out of the heavy rain.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu kalka ngulkurr, wangal, dakil bayan-ba nanda kaba-muny.


<translate> The old woman taught the girl to read the signs of the coming weather: they watched the ants move their eggs to high ground, they saw the sky redden strangely at evening, they felt the wind swing round to the north, they noticed the birds fly low and restless, the old woman named each sign and what it meant, they moved the camp gear up under cover, and then the great rain came in the night just as she had said it would.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-jalbu milbin bana-wungar kadalmu burri nyajinka: jana minya-buban diburr wangkar-mundu murninya nyajin, jana jiri mula-mula murni kunarangkalba nyajin, jana muyar kungkarr-mundu murninya milkabu nyajin, jana jujubala bada janka-kari wandinya nyajin, wulbumanangka burri wubulku wanya yala balkan, jana bayan-yamba wangkar birra bada murni-manin, yalada bana yalbay wujurr kadan nyulu balkanmu yala.


<translate> We see the small patch of scrub there.


<translate> You all saw the karrkurr frog here.


<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


<translate> The children would call out the answers, and if they were right the old man nodded his head, and if they were wrong he told them the true word.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kuku balkal, kaki jana yukil, mukulungku dingkarangka dukul murnil, kaki jana kari, nyulu kuku yukil milbil.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yalnga turtle here.


<glossary> dayirr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> After washing th clothes are very clean


<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> The old man taught the boy to stand very still and spear the archer-fish quickly, before it can dart away into the deep.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay balkan: janjanay janka bajaku, dalku bila dama, nyulu wanarri dajali-ka kariku.


<glossary> majamal-majamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He is too bossy


<glossary> kankur ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> Nyulu milka bikibiki kankuruku nyandan


<translate> You all saw the biyangkal yam here.


<translate> Don't eat that fruit — it is not ripe, and it is hard like a stone.

Kari nuka-y yinya jidu — nyulu kariku kulbul, dandi yala kulji.


<translate> The child cried out to father and mother: "Come now!"

Karrkay nganjan-anda ngamu-ndu yirrkan: "Yala kada-y!"


<translate> The old man said the happiest people were not those who had everything they wanted but those who wanted what they already had, and this was a skill that could be learned like any other.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama wawu-mini bajaku kari jana yamba wubulku wawumuny karrbal, yambada jana yamba nyungu ngadiku karrbal wawu, yinya yala binalka yala yamba yindu.


<translate> They two see the boomerang there.


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


<translate> The frogs are singing — rain is coming.


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


<translate> The infant is very small, so its mother carries it everywhere in a soft bark cradle.

Ngawa buban-baja-ku, nyungu ngamu-ngka nyulu juku-kambi kima-nga wubulku wundil.


<translate> The old man's fish net was strong, and he caught many mullet at the mouth of the creek.

Mukul-dingkar-mu makarr yaykarr, nyulu kalngkan wubul karrban wawubaja-ngandal-ba.


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


<translate> The mosquitoes came out at sunset and bit everyone around the smoky camp fire.

Kamu wungar daray wandin, bama wubul baykan baya kubu karangkal.


<translate> They see the outrigger canoe there.


<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.


<translate> The grandfather said: a spear remembers the hand that made it; carve it slowly, hold it well, and it will go true; a spear made in anger flies badly and shames the thrower.

Kamingka balkan: kalka mara nyaji nyulu bungan; kiray yaka, ngulkurr karrba, nyulu ngulkurr dungay; kalka kuli-nga bungan buyun dungay, yilba-bama murru-kaday-mal.


<translate> He sees the wangku tree there.


<translate> The girl took the billycan with her, in case she found water on the long path.

Maralangka junkalu wundin, kunka bana warrmba-bunga-nya-mun-ku jina kalbay-ba.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The old man said the way to change a bad habit is not to fight it head-on, which only feeds it with attention, but to slowly grow a good habit in its place, for a person who merely tries to stop being lazy stays fixed on laziness, while a person who takes up an absorbing daily work finds the laziness has quietly withered from lack of room, so that the truest way to end an old thing is to change into a new thing that leaves it no space.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yala murni-mumbu yindu-bungalka nyulu kari yinya-nka kuli-mal, yinya nganga nukal milkabu, yambada buban-buban murni-yukil yalbay-bungal nyungu jarraymba, bama nyulu nganga wawu-manil junkurr-kari bawanka nyulu janan junkurr-kari-nga, yambada bama nyulu wungar-daji milka-manil manil nyulu manil junkurr-kari nyulu wunbu bada-manin jarray-karimuny, yala yukil bajaku murni mukul bada-bungalka nyulu yindu-mal murni jirakal nyulu yinya jarray-kari dayal.


<translate> The man pushed the big stone and set it up.

Dingkar-angka kulji yalbay jurrngan, yijarrin.


<translate> The people of this place hunt in the scrub; the people of that place fish in the sea.

Yaluy-arra madja-nga balbil; yinyay-arra jalun-ba kuyu damal.


<translate> My grandmother always sings the old song quietly to the children before they go to sleep.

Ngayku babi kuku mukul janka balka-nya karrkay-nka, jana warngku wuna-nka kariku.


<translate> Grandmother cooked the food carefully.


<translate> They saw the burnt patch of grass here.


<translate> The men thanked the wallabies for giving themselves to the people, for the old law said you must never take an animal's life without a word of thanks.

Dingkar-dingkarangka darrba ngulkurr balkan, jana nyulu-nyulu bamaka dajinmuny, kuku ngadiku balkan: yundu murruji minya wawu manil kari kuku ngulkurrbu.


<translate> The old woman said the most useful thing she ever learned about change was to ask, of anything that troubled her, whether it was a thing she could change or a thing she could only change herself to bear, for half of all suffering comes from trying to change what cannot be changed, the weather, the past, another person's heart, and the other half from failing to change what can be, and wisdom, she said, is mostly the slow-won skill of telling the two apart.

Wulbumanangka balkan yamba yukil bajaku nyulu binalman yindumuny nyulu babajinka, yamba nyubun-nyubun nyunya mumbu-manin, yinya yamba nyulu yindu-bungalmuny yambada yamba nyulu nganga nyulu-nyulu yindu-bungal karrbanka, jambul wawu-mumbu wubulku kadan yindu-bungalka yamba nyulu kari yindu-bungalmuny, muyar, ngadiku, bama nyubun nyungu wawu, yindu jambul kari yindu-bungalmuny yamba nyulu yindu-bungalmuny, wawu-yukil, nyulu balkan, nyulu buban-buban manin binal, jambul yinya yindu-yindu nyajilmuny.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard there.


<translate> That mujarr fig tree is here.


<translate> The kookaburras call out to one another across the valley at the first light of day.

Kururrungka wubul muru yirrka-wa-l bubu-ngu, wungar kada-nya.


<translate> He saw the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> The night was cold and the dogs slept close to the fire.

Kunarangkal kiway-kiway, kaya-kaya warngku wunan bayanga ngundu.


<translate> The road there is not steep.


<translate> The young man washed himself in the cold water to wake himself up.

Warru julurri-ji bana ngiki-nga, wandi-nka.


<translate> The two of them see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> The child went with a friend.


<translate> Fruit from that tree is good to eat.

Mayi yinya-muny juku-muny ngulkurr nuka-ji.


<translate> You see the boxwood tree here.


<translate> You all see the ground here.


<translate> We see the marril ti tree here.


<translate> The young man washed his neck.


<translate> The child ate too much sweet fruit and his belly ached in the night.

Karrkayangka mayi jiba-wula-wula wubul-baja nukan, nyungu jibar bambay wujurr-ba.


<translate> You all see the dabway bird there.


<translate> I see the jinjay tree there.


<translate> You all saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<glossary> yala-yala ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> During the thunderstorm, he hid

Yala-yalaku jarramali kadan, nyulu ngakijin


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


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


<translate> The old woman asked the boy sharply: "Why did you take the dog into the camp and not leave it outside?"

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay babajin junkurr: Wanyurringku yundu kaya bayan-ka wundin, ngalkal-ba kari nanda?


<translate> They saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<translate> You and I saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> You see the kunjarri palm here.


<translate> Mother put the hook and line in the bag.


<translate> The men repaired the old canoe together before the fishing season: they turned it over and found the split down one side, they cut out the rotten wood, they shaped a new piece to fit exactly, they bound it in with cord and sealed it with wax and resin, they let it dry two days in the shade, they tested it in the shallows for leaks, and then took it out loaded for the first real fishing of the year.

Dingkar-dingkar marrakan mukul murni-manin nyubun-nyubunji kuyu-wungar ngadiku: jana muku-mundu murni-manin kaka nyubun janka nyajin, jana juku kilba-manda dakan, jana juku jirakal murni-manin yukilku kajanka, jana karra-bu kajan jila kanunjul-bu karra, jana wabarrba jambul wungar wunanka bawan, jana bana buban-ba bana-walu nyajin, yalada buwan badan kuyu ngadiku yukil wungarmu.


<translate> They saw the jayju kangaroo rat here.


<translate> You all see the murrabal barramundi there.


<translate> You two saw the ground there.


<translate> You all saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> The little girl is minding the chickens.


<translate> The old man wore a belt of human hair twisted into a long, strong cord around his waist.

Mukul-dingkar-angka wayarri kalbay junkurr nyungu bada-nga kajan.


<translate> The two sisters wove their dilly-bags as one, sitting close together, and both bags came out the very same in the end.

Jinburr jambul-angka yinkar kaja nyubun-bu, janka bundan muru, yinkar jambul badanga yala-rrku warmban.


<translate> In the dry scrub the women dug for echidna, following the fresh diggings in the dry ground.

Madjanga jalbu-jalbungku ngangkin bakan, jina jirakal wukurrin bubu marralba.


<translate> The horse drank at the river.


<translate> Feed the camp dogs before dark, or sing with them all night — your choice.

Murramu-murramu mayi-daya wujurr ngadiku, yambada wulngku badi jananji wujurr wubulku: yundu mana.


<translate> It smelled good — everyone came quickly.


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


<translate> What are you ill with, old man? I am ill in the head and my chest is sore; I cannot hunt, so my sons bring the meat to me.

Yundu wanyurrinji bambay, mukul-dingkar? Ngayu dukul-bu bambay, ngayku damu kaka; ngayu kari balbil, ngayku kangkal minya ngaykunku wundil.


<translate> You see the spear point here.


<translate> I saw the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> You all see the black bream here.


<translate> I see the scrub wallaby here.


<translate> At the sea camp the old woman began to teach the little children how to swim in the calm water.

Jalun bayanba wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay buban binalbungal marijinka bana ngulkurrbu.


<translate> When the old woman's sister died, she sat alone and did not eat or speak for three days, and her face was walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, the deep sadness that has no words.

Wulbumanmu yaba wulanda, wulbuman nganga bundan, kari nukan, kari balkan, wungar kulur, nyungu walu walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, jiba-badi bada kuku-kari.


<translate> A newborn is only a mouth and a stomach, the old woman laughed with the girls: the breast is its country, the mother's two arms its two rivers, and everything of it already lies folded close in that small body: the walker in the little legs, the talker in the little mouth, the carrier in the little back, and only time uncovers them.

Ngawa nyulu ngandal jibar nganga, wulbumanangka jalbu-bubananji yajarr-man: bibi nyulu bubu nyungu, ngamu wakuy-jambul wawubaja nyungu jambul, yamba wubulku nyungu wunay murrba bangkarrba bubanba: jilba-bama jandalba bubanba, balkal-bama ngandalba bubanba, karrbal-bama mukungu bubanba, wungarbu nganga jana warmba-bungal.


<translate> My little brother can swim across the big river now.


<translate> You see the marubu species of oyster there.


<translate> They saw the mawar vine here.


<translate> Grandfather sees the deep water there.


<translate> Grandmother's shoulder is good.


<glossary> nyumba-buyun ; type=noun ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I crab crab meat


<translate> The umbrella palm stands by the river.


<translate> You see the black palm here.


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


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


<translate> Grandfather is not angry at the new net; he is angry that he needs it.

Kami kari dukul-wuri makarrka jirakalka: nyulu dukul-wuri, nyulu wawu-manilnya yinya.


<translate> The cherry-like tree is here.


<translate> The mother-in-law sent food across to her daughter's husband only through the little children, the old man said, for the two of them could never speak a word to each other.

Biwul-angka mayi nyungu jalbu-kangkal-mu dunyu-nka karrkay-karrkay-bu nyubun yunga, mukul-dingkar balkan, jambulu kari nyubun-bu balka.


<translate> We see the bamboo spear stick here.


<glossary> maru-maru ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I came with nothing, having nothing


<translate> You all saw the kurruba freshwater fish there.


<translate> What did the old man say to the frightened children sitting around the warm fire?

Wanyu mukul-dingkar-angka karrkay-karrkay yinil-ka balkan, baya karangkal bunda-nya?


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


<translate> He saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> The white people put the thinking in the brains in the head, the old man told the young men, and the old people put it in the ear, and the feeling in the liver, and he laughed: both speak true, but watch which words stand longest, for ear-hard and liver-soft still show a person truer than any word built out of brains.

Waybalangka baykal-yamba bungal kirungu dukulba, mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin, bama mukulungku bungal yinya milkanga, wawu-yamba jibanga, nyulu yajarr-man: jambul yukil balkal, yambada nyaji wanyu kuku janay kalbay, milka-dandi jiba-kima nyulu bama milbil yukil-baja, kuku kirumuny nyulu buban milbil.


<translate> The young man went to the river to spear fish.

Warru dungan wawubaja-nga kuyu dama-nka.


<translate> A new baby was born in the camp when the first rains came, and everyone came to see the little one.

Ngawa jirakal bayanba daran kaba kadanyjiku, jana wubulku kadan ngawa nyajinka.


<translate> They saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The bats hung upside down in the fig tree all day, and at dusk they flew off toward the river.

Mali binanjinga walngkan wungar-wungar, wungar bada-nya jana wubul dungan wawubaja-mundu.


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


<translate> We (my family, not you) live on this side of the river; they live on the other side; the two groups meet at the ford; and we trade meat with them.

Nganjin nyiku wawubaja-nga wunan; jana yindu-ngu wunan; jambul bama muru nyaji-way bana-ngundu; nganjin jananji minya daji-way.


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


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> The possum comes out at night and eats the ripe fruit high in the tree.

Yawa wujurr-ba kada-l, mayi kulbul nukal juku wangkar-a.


<translate> The shield lay in the shade.


<translate> Do not swim in the deep water at dusk, the old woman ordered the children, and do not wash fish close to the water, lest the crocodile learn that this camp feeds it, for the crocodile holds in its ear every heedless camp on the river.

Kari maraji bana dukurrba miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay balkan, kari kuyu julurrika bana ngundu, bilngkumu binal-manyji yinya bayanda nyulu mayi-dayal, bilngkumungku karrbal milkanga bayan milka-kari nyubun-nyubun wawubajanga.


<translate> We see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> So the old man taught, and so the children learned, and so the country's weather passed from mind to mind down all the long years.

Yalaku mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, yalaku karrkay-karrkay binalman, yalaku bubumu wungar milkamuny milkaka dungan wungar kalbay wubulku.


<translate> You all saw the lightning here.


<translate> Give one good spear to each of the two young men, for they always hunt together as a pair.

Kalka ngulkurr nyubun warru jambul-ka nyubun-nyubun daji, bula wungar wubulku muru balbi.


<translate> Auntie showed the girls how to strip the bark, soak it in water, and tie it into a strong little water carrier.

Bimayngka maral-maral milbin: dubal yurril, bananga yijarril, buyku kajal banaka junkurrji.


<translate> The old woman said if you must correct someone older than you, do it as if you were reminding them of something they already know and had only briefly forgotten, never as if you were teaching them, for people can hear a reminder without shame but a lesson from the young cuts the old to the bone.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu bama mukul-baja yundumuny murni-bunga, bunga yala yundu nyulu yamba nyulu ngadiku binal buban milka-wulanmu milka-binal-bunga, kari yala yundu nyulu milbil, bama ngara milka-binal kari milka-murrujimuny yambada milbil warrumuny mukul kunkuji kaka-manil.


<translate> You two see the stomach there.


<translate> You two see the ridge pole here.


<translate> She keeps her own counsel: her fire, her words, and her silence too — she guards what is her own.

Nyulubu kuku nyungu-nyungu karrbal: baya nyungu, kuku nyungu, wunbu nyungu baja, nyungu-nyungu kuji.


<translate> You two see the kakarr grass here.


<translate> You and I see the spear point there.


<glossary> ngumanji ; type=adjective ; domain=body-part <usage_example> That man has teeth missing


<translate> We saw the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> The man put the axe on the ground.


<translate> They saw the kunjarri palm here.


<glossary> babarr ; type=noun ; domain=kinship <usage_example> The younger brothers went to their older sister for food


<translate> They saw the oak tree there.


<translate> You two see the bush fire here.


<translate> The old man speared two big fish in the cool clear water with his long, sharp spear.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kuyu yalbay jambul daman bana ngiki-ba, kalka kalbay-bu.


<translate> The grandmother is the one who keeps all the old stories, the old woman said, and tells them to the grandchildren one by one by the evening fire.

Babi-ngku kuku kalbay-muny-mu wubulku karrba, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu jija-karra-nka balka nyubun-nyubun buri-ngka wujurr-ma-nya.


<translate> Mother saw the hook and line in the bag.


<translate> Uncle cut his hand on the shells.


<translate> I see the grass wallaby there.


<translate> The old man said there was no such thing as an empty bush to the person with eyes to see, only a table always set, if you came to it with respect and thanks.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: madja yamba-kari kari janay bama nyulu miyilji nyajil, mayi-bubu yabarrka janay, kaki yundu ngulkurr-bu kaday, ngulkurr balkanya.


<translate> You and I see the diburr-miyil eyeball there.


<translate> You all saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> In the big flood the deep brown water carried away the trees and the old camp.

Jalungkarr-ba bana yalbay-angka juku, bayan mali baja wundin bada-mundu.


<translate> The little child walked behind its mother all the way along the narrow track to the water.

Karrkay buban ngamu kudamundu jilban jina-burr wubulku bana-ka.


<translate> We gathered plenty of firewood before the cold rain came in the evening.

Ngana baya-juku wubul bangkan, kaba ngiki kada-nyjiku wungar bada-nya.


<translate> The two of them saw the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> They saw the father's sister.


<translate> The boy asked the old man the oldest question of all, the one every child asks: where do we go when we die? And the old man did not pretend to certainty but spoke honestly of what the old people believed and what he himself hoped and what no one can truly know, and he said the honest answer to the deepest question is worth more than a comfortable lie, even to a frightened child.

Buban mukulungku dingkar babajin kuku ngadiku bajaku wubulmuny, nyubun karrkay wubulku babajilmuny: wanjabu ngana dungay ngana wulanya? Mukulungku dingkarangka kari kuku-junkurr-manin yambada balkan yukil bama mukul wawu-karrbanmuny nyulu-nyulu wawu-manilmuny yamba nyubun kari bajaku binalmuny, nyulu balkan kuku-yukil kuku bada bajakumuny ngulkurr-baja kuku-mumbu kima-muny, karrkay yinil-jinka baja.


<translate> You saw the mawal bee there.


<translate> You see the fighting stick here.


<translate> They saw the dibirr-dibirr rainbow bird there.


<translate> I hear the trade wind there.


<translate> I see the jalnji tree there.


<translate> You see the corkwood tree here.


<translate> Grandmother washed the baby's navel.


<translate> You all saw the junbirr lizard there.


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


<translate> Little hands make bad spears, and bad spears make good hands — let him work the wood.

Mara bubanbu kalka mumbu bungal, kalka mumbubu mara yukil bungal, bawa nyulu murninka.


<translate> Mother went to the sea with clothes.


<translate> The old man did not shout; he simply said, a lie is a heavy thing to carry, heavier than any true word.

Mukul dingkar kari yirrkan; nyulu nganga balkan: jurril dandi wundinka, yukil kukumuny dandi bajaku.


<translate> You all saw the binju snake there.


<translate> The plate is there in the house.


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


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> The two of them see the nikar oyster there.


<translate> You see the mackerel sky here.


<translate> You and I see the karrandal tree there.


<translate> "How do you cook the freshwater eel and the big fish in the hot coals of the fire?"

Yurra wanjarr-ku minya kubarr kuyu yalbay waju-l ngunjil wumbul-ba?


<translate> The old woman brought paperbark from the house.


<translate> What will you do when the old man dies? We will sing his songs, keep his fire, and teach his name to the children; a man does not die while his people remember him.

Wanyu yurra bungay mukul-dingkar wula-ny-muny? Ngana nyungu burri yirrka, nyungu baya karrba, nyungu buri karrkay-karrkayka binal-bunga; dingkar kari wulay, nyungu bama nyunguny milka-nga karrbal.


<translate> They kept spearing fish in the river.


<glossary> yalanguwimburr ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> Before the store closes, go immediately

Store nandajinjiku, yalanguwimburr dunday


<translate> The dogs are fighting over a bone again.


<translate> You two saw the kundurr-kundurr crescent perch here.


<translate> They see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> The children played, ate food, and then lay down.

Karrkay-karrkay kinkan, mayi nukan, wunan-da.


<translate> You and I see the sugar glider here.


<translate> And that, said the old man, is the last and deepest precaution of all: to look clearly, before you act, at who you will have become when the acting is done — for of all the things you must prepare for, the hardest to face is yourself.

Yinya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyaji-ngarr ngadiku bada bajaku wubulmuny: yaral nyaji, ngaranyjiku ngadiku, wanya yundu kambanya ngaran dunganyjiku, yamba wubulmuny yundu ngaranka, dandi bajaku nyajinka yundu nyulu-nyulu.


<translate> The old woman caught the little bandicoot in the long grass and carried it back to the camp.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku kulngu buban manin jikan kalbay-mba, bayan-ka wundin.


<translate> They see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> One young man stood very still, spear raised, watching the shadow of a big stingray move over the sand.

Warru nyubun janan wunbu bajaku, kalka wangkar, yawu yalbaymu wabarr nyajinya jukar wuyar jalamanya.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The two of them saw the mirrku kidney bird there.


<translate> The two of them saw the yarrkay-yarrka group of children here.


<glossary> dudu ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The knife is blunt, you should sharpen it


<translate> The children lined up from the oldest to the youngest, and there were seven of them, more than the fingers of one hand, and the old woman named them all in order.

Karrkay-karrkay jarran warru bajakumuny buban bajakuka, jana wubul, mara nyubunmu wubul-baja, wulbumanangka jana wubulku kunjan yalanga.


<translate> The old people said the kin must look after each other when times are hard.

Bama mukul balkan jawun kuji-way ngiki-wungar-a.


<translate> The girls are looking at themselves in the water.


<translate> You see the wangay vine there.


<translate> They see the tree kangaroo here.


<translate> They saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


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


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


<translate> You two see the wulku fig here.


<translate> You all see the love handles here.


<translate> You all see the death adder there.


<translate> You two saw the kabuljaka snake here.


<translate> You see the jinjay tree here.


<translate> And above them all, the sun rose and the moon turned and the stars wheeled, the same today as on the world's first morning long ago.

Jana wubulku wuyar, wungar wandin, kija murnin, dawar jalaman, yala nyiku yala wunkuwingku bubumu ngadiku.


<translate> The children ate their fill and lay down to sleep before the old people came back from the meeting in the dark.

Karrkay-karrkay narmba nuka, wuna warngku-wuna, mukul-bama balka-muny kada-nyjiku wujurr-ba.


<translate> The freshwater turtle is good.


<translate> You see the sucker fish there.


<translate> They see the morning star there.


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


<translate> The fish is small, but it is good.


<translate> If a stranger comes to the camp, the old man said, then give him food and water first, and ask his business only after he has eaten.

Kaki bama yindu bayanka kaday, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyungunka mayi bana dayangarr, nyungu kirraji babaji nukanyjiku.


<translate> His father laughed and said: Yes, you did very well, and if you keep learning like this, you will be a fine hunter, better than me one day.

Nyungu dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: Yuwu, yundu ngulkurr bajaku ngaran, kaki yundu yala binalmal, yundu balbibama ngulkurr janay, ngayamuny baja nyubun wungara.


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


<translate> The duck is standing at camp.


<translate> You all see the stomach there.


<translate> The hungry children ate everything.


<glossary> yiringkurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> You're talking this way and that (can't understand)


<translate> You see the shell back snail there.


<translate> You all see the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> Cook the fish well, lest the little ones get sick.

Kuyu ngulkurr-baja waju, karrkay buban bambay-ma-nyji!


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The children climbed the branches of the big tree to look out over the country.

Karrkay juku yalbay-mu dakil-ba dakan, bubu nyaji-nka wubulku.


<lexeme> {'english': 'Yabaju kari diday-mana ngaykundu. Ngayu babarr', 'translation': "Don't say bad something bad about my younger brother to me. I'm his older sister."}


<translate> I will go with you to your mother's camp in the morning.

Ngayu yununji dunga-y yunu ngamu-mu bayan-ka wunkuwingku.


<translate> You all see the lightning here.


<glossary> baru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The child is spoiled - always wanting to be held


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> the child cried for food


<translate> The old people sent word to the other camps.

Kamba-kambangka kuku yungan bayanba yindu-yinduymba.


<translate> The old woman brought paperbark from the house.


<translate> The frill-necked lizard spreads its great collar wide and rises up on its back legs and hisses to look big and fierce, but it is all show and cannot hurt you, and the old man laughed and said it was just like a certain kind of man he had known, all frill and noise and running away the moment you stand your ground and do not blink.

Binanjal nyungu jarrba yalbay naka-naka kajal dakan muku-jina-nga janan kuku junkurr balkan yalbay yinil nyaji-manilka, yambada nganga janka nyulu yundu kari mumbu-bungal, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin balkan nyulu dingkar nyubun yala nyulu binalmuny, jarrba kuku-yalbay baja warri dungay yundu bubu karra miyil kari wujurr-mandanya.


<translate> He saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> We named her for the rain that ended the hungry year, and the name kept its promise: wherever she sits, things grow.

Ngana nyulu burri dayan kabamuny wungar dakwuy kunbay-maninmuny, burribu kuku-dandi karrban: wanja nyulu bundal, yamba yalbay-mal.


<translate> This woman taught me about zamia nuts.

Yalu-ngku jalbu-ngku nganya binal-bungan marra-ka.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> Father saw the spear-thrower on the ground.


<glossary> wurrmay ; type=noun ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Don't steal


<translate> I saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> You and I saw the jungka wild cherry tree there.


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


<translate> She came to the camp with her mother-in-law in the evening.

Nyulu kadan bayan-ka biwul-jil-unji wungar bada dunga-nya.


<translate> They see the flathead there.


<translate> You all see the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The old woman said a woman with milk and a woman without it were bound together in the old camps, for when one mother's milk failed or she died, another nursing mother would feed the child alongside her own, and no baby was ever left to starve for want of milk while a single nursing woman lived in the whole camp, for this was the deepest sharing of all.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu ngamu-bibi-ji jalbu ngamu-bibi-kari nyubunji kajan bayan mukulba, ngamu nyubun nyungu ngamu-bibi bawanya yambada nyulu wulanya, ngamu yindu bibi-ji karrkay dayal nyungu buban baja, ngawa nyubun kariku bawal wulanka ngamu-bibi-karinka kaki jalbu nyubun bibi-ji bayan wubulku wunay.


<translate> You and I saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


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


<translate> Will the rain come tonight, or not?


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> They hit the snake again and again with stones

jana kuljubu jarba kunin baja, kunin baja


<glossary> bibi ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The baby is crying, he wants to feed


<translate> You two see the fighting spear here.


<translate> You saw the bamboo spear stick there.


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


<translate> A hunter without a spear and a hunter with one walk the same forest very differently.

Balbi-bama kalka-kari balbi-bama kalka-ji yindu-yindu madja nyubun jilba-dunga-y.


<translate> The grass tree grows on the dry ground, and its flower is tall.

Nganjirr marral bubungu janay; nyungu nganka kalbay.


<translate> The old woman took the children out at the right season with their digging sticks and showed them how to read the dry vine on the surface that tells where a yam sleeps below, and how to dig around it carefully and lift it whole, for a yam broken in the digging cannot be stored and half of it is lost.

Wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay wangan wungar yukilba jana jaba baja milbin yala nganja jarra bubu ngalanga nyajil nyulu juwal wanja bada wunay, yala nyulu ngundu buban-buban bakal wangkar-manilka wubulku, juwal kaka-manda bakalba murruji karrbal buban kilba-baja.


<glossary> jungkarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Danny rolled the stones down the hill


<translate> You all see the death adder there.


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


<translate> The children searched around for the dog in the grass.

Karrkay-karrkay kaya-nda nubi-nubi-ji jikan-ba.


<translate> They see the scorpion there.


<translate> One person said: "Shall we two climb?"


<translate> The leaves from the tree are very big.


<translate> The old woman said the strongest man is not the one who fights, but the one who keeps the peace.

Wulbumanangka balkan dingkar jarra-yaykarr wubul-ku kari nyulu kuli-mal, yambada nyulu bubu janka karrbal.


<glossary> juwa ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We are ready to go walkabout, you are taking too long a time

Nganjin ready jilba dunganka, yundu juwaku bundanday


<translate> The old man said the young trees are the camp's true wealth, worth more than any store of food, for a food-store is eaten and gone while a stand of young trees becomes a hundred years of food, medicine, and tools for children not yet born, so he made the boys plant and protect the seedlings of the good trees wherever they camped, as a gift forward to the unborn.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku buban nyulu bayan yamba-yukil ngadiku, ngulkurr-baja mayi-karrban wubulmuny, mayi-karrban nukal bada janji juku buban-wubul nyulu kulur wungar mayi kalbal kalka baja karrkay kariku warru-mandanmunynka, nyulu warru-warru bungal karrbal juku-buban yukil wubulku wanja jana bayan bungan, daji ngadiku-mundu kari-warru-mandanmunynka.


<translate> You saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> The old man taught the boys to ask themselves before every hunt the questions that separate the taker from the true hunter: do I truly need this animal or merely want it, will my taking it here harm the future, is this the right season, will I use every part, so that the hunt began not with the spear but with the questions, and a young man who could not answer them well was not yet ready to hunt alone.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin nyulu-nyulu babajinka balbil ngadiku kuku manil-bama balbi-bama yukilmuny yindu-manilmuny: ngayu bajaku minya yinya wawu-manil yambada nganga wawu-manil, ngayu manilnya yinya bubungu wungar-kadal buyun-manda, yinya wungar yukil, ngayu yamba wubulku manil, balbil ngadiku kari kalka yambada kuku-mundu, warru nyulu kari yukil kuku-yukil-manin nyulu kariku ngadiku nyulu-nyulu balbinka.


<translate> I saw the binjurr-binjurr honeyeater there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kurriyala snake here.


<translate> Her long black hair fell down over her shoulders and covered her whole thin back.

Nyungu mungka ngungul-ngungul kalbay binda-nga bada wunay, nyungu muku wubulku nandan.


<translate> When the old grandmother died, the whole camp mourned for many days, the old woman said, for she had held all the old knowledge of the women within her.

Babi mukul wula-nya-muny, bayan narmba badi wungar wubul, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu jalbu-mu binal kalbay-muny wubulku karrba-nya.


<translate> They saw the pumice stone here.


<translate> You and I saw the jandu starch here.


<translate> They saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> The man saw the snake on the ground.


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


<translate> "Where did you put my good digging stick and my little dilly bag full of ripe yams?"

Yundu ngayku juwal ngulkurr ngunyin buban wukay-jirr wanjabu nanda?


<translate> The old man followed the wild bees to their nest and took the sweet honey from the tree.

Mukul-dingkar-angka dabu nyaji-l-nyajin bayan-ka, wunba jiba-wulay juku-muny manin.


<translate> The families helped each other dig yams in the hard cold season.

Jawun-karra mara-daji-way, bambayal baka-nka ngiki-wungar-a.


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

Jalbu-ngku bilngkumu wawubaja-nga nyajin.


<translate> You two see the marril ti tree there.


<translate> You sit first, and then the children eat.

Yundu-ngurr bunda-y, karrkay-karrkay mayi nuka-l-da.


<translate> I did not really sleep; I only sat quietly by the fire.

Ngayu karirrku warngku-wunan, janka bundan baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> The old man said the black palm gives the hardest, heaviest, finest spear-wood of all, but it grows slowly and is not common, so it was never cut wastefully, and a spear of black palm was a treasure passed from father to son, and he showed the boy the one old palm in their country and told him to guard it, for it had already given spears to four generations of their line.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan duwar nyulu kalka-juku junkurr dandi yukil bajaku wubulmuny, yambada nyulu buban-buban jarral kari wubul, kariku kudamundu dakan, kalka duwarmu nyulu yamba-yukil nganjan-mundu jijamundu dayal, nyulu buban milbin duwar mukul nyubun nyungu bubungu balkan karrbanka, nyulu ngadiku kalka dayan jujumu kulur wungar-kadalmuny nyungu jinamuny.


<translate> They saw the binjurr-binjurr honeyeater there.


<translate> The old man showed the boys where the best yams grow near the swamp.

Mukul-dingkarangka warru-karra binal-bungan wanja bambayal ngulkurr-baja daburri karangkal wunay.


<translate> Why did you take the dog into the house? You should have left it outside in the yard.

Wanyurringku yundu kaya bayan-ba wundin? Yundu ngalkal-ba bawa-nka.


<translate> They two saw the bamboo stick there.


<translate> You see the wangay vine there.


<glossary> karrul ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> He is drooling


<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> The track is rather long by the river but very long over the range, the old man said, so we will walk the long way and sleep one night on the road.

Jina jarra-kalbay wawubaja ngundu, yamba kalbay-baja-ku jamba-burr, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngali jina kalbay jilba wujurr nyubun wuna jina-ba.


<translate> The old woman brought bark from the house.

Wulbuman-angka dumbul bayan-muny wundin.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kajimarra food there.


<translate> Grandmother took the paperbark from the ground.


<glossary> babal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I want to go fishing to try the place out

ngayu baduriji dungaka, yinya bubu babanka


<translate> The two of them see the wurrul shellfish there.


<translate> He told the men to mend the shelters and gather firewood before the weather turned.

Nyulu dingkar-dingkar balkan: bayan ngulkurr-bunga, juku bangka, wungar yindumanyjiku.


<translate> You saw the nyumbirr beeswax here.


<translate> Homesickness backwards is love — you only ache for what once fed you.

Bilamal muku-jinabu nyulu wawu: yundu kaka manil nganga yambamuny yununy mayi-dayanmuny.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karrkurr frog there.


<translate> The boy learned that his own body was his first home and his oldest friend, and he looked after it well for the rest of his long life.

Karrkayangka binalman nyungu bangkarr nyungu bayan, nyungu yaba ngadiku bajaku, nyulu ngulkurr nyajin nyungu wawu kalbay wubulku.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the yalnga turtle there.


<translate> You all see the deep water here.


<translate> The old woman said the old ones are people with memory and the young are people without it yet, and this is the whole reason the two must stay close, for the young have the strong legs and the sharp eyes the old have lost, and the old have the long memory the young have not yet made, and only together are they a whole and complete people.

Wulbumanangka balkan mukul jana bama milka-ji warru jana bama milka-kari ngadiku, yinya kuku wubulku jambul junkurr janjilka, warru jina junkurr miyil jalngkun mukul bawanmuny, mukul milka kalbay warru kari ngadiku bunganmuny, nyubunji nganga jana bama nyubun wubulku dumban.


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Don't wake up the baby


<translate> Nonsense, that is not true. That is a lie.

Juyuy, yinya kari manubaja. Yinya jurril.


<translate> If you hunt well and share the meat, the whole camp eats well, the old man said, and no one goes to sleep hungry.

Kaki yundu ngulkurr balbi minya daji, bayan narmba ngulkurr nuka, mukul-dingkar balkan, kari bama dakuy wuna.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karrandal tree there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<translate> You and I saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper there.


<glossary> dandi ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> I took the medicine and am better now


<translate> The child pestered elder brother for food.


<translate> We see the older brother there.


<translate> The old woman gathered the sweet resin from the grass tree to give to the sick child.

Wulbumangka kanunjul nganjirr-muny bangkan, karrkay bambay-nda daji-nka.


<translate> You see the mawar vine here.


<translate> You two see the karranda tree here.


<translate> The woman ground the black bean seeds on the flat stone and then cooked them.

Jalbungku baway diburr kuljinga nyurrban, wajun baja.


<translate> Take the spear lest a pig come.


<translate> The deep river water is much colder than the still water in the swamp near the camp.

Bana wawubaja dajali jarra-ngiki bana daburri-nka, bayan ngundu.


<translate> I gave my brother my spear, but he lost it in the river, so now I hunt with his old one.

Ngayu ngayku yaba-nda ngayku kalka dayan, yambada nyulu wawubajanga bawan, ngayu nyungu kalka mukul-ji balbil.


<glossary> wawurr-wawurrmal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I decided to go now


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


<translate> Remember well the words of the old people, for they know all the law of this country.

Binalku ngulkurr mukul-bama-mu kuku, jana binal bubu yinya-mu kuku narmba baja.


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


<translate> The child hurt itself on the sharp rock while it was playing by the water.

Karrkay kulji jalngkun-bu buyun-dama-jin, bana karangkal kinka-nya.


<translate> Count the hooks before we leave the water — the river keeps what we forget.

Badur kunja bana bawanka ngadiku: wawubajabu karrbal yamba ngana milka-wulalmuny.


<translate> The old man climbed the fig tree to get the ripe fruit at the very top.

Mukul-dingkar dukal-juku-ngu dakan, mayi kulbul mani-nka wangkar-a.


<translate> The lily flowers also told the season, coming when the wet arrived and going when the dry returned.

Ngankabu yala wungar milbin, nganka kadan buluriji kadanya, dungan marral baja kadanya.


<translate> I saw the julurr-julurr moomoo bird there.


<translate> The ghost frightened the girl.


<glossary> manubu-wundil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The boss deceived him


<glossary> kuku yaral ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You go straighten him out / tell him straight


<translate> The echidna sat curled up in a ball on the hard ground when the dingo came sniffing near it.

Ngangkin murru bundan bubu-ngu junkurr-ba, murramu ngundu kada-nya nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<translate> I see the ground lizard here.


<translate> The two of them saw the julaji freshwater catfish here.


<translate> You two see the black snake here.


<translate> Grandmother happened to smash the yam to tiny pieces while she was digging carelessly.

Babi-nda wukay dirka-bunga-jin, bubu baka-l-baka-nya.


<translate> I saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> When the birds fly to the west, he said, the big rains are not far behind.

Nyulu balkan: buyi-buyi kuwaka marra-warrinya, kaba yalbay ngundu kudamundu.


<translate> This is a good camping ground with fresh water nearby and plenty of dry firewood.

Yinya bubu ngulkurr bunda-nka, bana ngulkurr ngundu baya-juku marral wubul.


<translate> I see the mungka-mungka tree here.


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


<translate> I see the burnt patch of grass.


<translate> The old woman taught the plant medicines through the whole of a girl's growing up, for there was a leaf for a fever, a bark for a wound, a root for a bad belly, a sap for a sting, a smoke for the biting flies, and she was strict that each be learned exactly, for the same plant that heals in the right dose can harm in the wrong one, and a healer who guesses is a danger.

Wulbumanangka mayi-kalbal milbin jalbu-buban warru-mandanga wubulku, birra nyubun wumbul-buyunka, warrur nyubun buyunka, bangkan nyubun jiba-buyunka, jurrbu nyubun baykal-buyunka, kubu nyubun minya-baykalka, nyulu junkurr nyubun-nyubun yukil binalka, mayi nyubun kalbal yukilba nyulu buyun-manda mumbungu, kalbal-bama nyulu binal-kari nyulu yinil.


<translate> The children went out into the cold grey morning without their warm sleeping blankets.

Karrkay-karrkay wunkuwingku ngiki-ka ngalkal-ka dungan bilangkurr wumbul-mundu.


<translate> I see the black-tip shark there.


<translate> You two saw the rainbow there.


<translate> I saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


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


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


<translate> We see the newly cleared scrub here.


<translate> The old woman was very happy when all her grandchildren came back to the camp.

Mukul-jalbu wawu-mini bajaku, karrkay narmba nyungu bayan-ka kada-nya.


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


<translate> The children caught the little frogs at the edge of the swamp, the old woman said, but the old people told them to put every one back, for the frogs feed the snakes and the birds.

Karrkay-karrkay yirku-yirku buban daburr ngandal-ba mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba mukul-bama-ngku jana-nka balkan nyubun-nyubun wandi-baja, yirku-yirku jarba buyi-jirr mayi daji.


<translate> The tree kangaroo climbs high into the fig tree and sleeps in the fork of the branches.

Jarrabina dukal-juku-ngu wangkar daka-l, dakil-jambul-ba warngku-wunay.


<translate> You and I see the marrka calm sea there.


<translate> You all see the mawal bee there.


<translate> We saw the spear barb there.


<translate> You saw the jadi goanna there.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<glossary> yamba-kari ; type=particle ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I don't have any food


<translate> The girl looked at herself in the still water of the rock pool.

Jalbu-buban nyaji-ji bana janka-nga kulji-bana-nga.


<translate> We see the mud oyster there.


<translate> You two see the parrot here.


<translate> I climbed the tall tree to cut out the honey, and I filled the coolamon with sweet honey for the children.

Ngayu juku kalbay dakan, wunba yakanka; ngayu dubal wunbabu yajin-bungan karrkay-karrkayka.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> When this tree flowers, the old people know the fish are good in the river.

Juku nyubun nganka-mal-nya, bama mukul binal kuyu ngulkurr wawubaja-nga.


<translate> You saw the kungkun snake here.


<translate> You two saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> At dawn the dog followed the track.


<translate> The husband and the wife grew old together side by side, the old woman said, and their many grandchildren filled the whole camp with noise and laughter.

Dunyu biwar-jirr muru mukul-ma-l muru-ma-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, jana-mu jija-karra wubul bayan narmba warmba yirrka yajarri-jirr.


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


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


<glossary> nganga ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I came for just a little bit, have to get back to cook

Ngayu nganga kadan. Ngayu dungay baja mayika wayjul


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher here.


<translate> The old man said a boy with a teacher and a boy without one both grow up, but they grow up into very different men, for the taught boy inherits a thousand generations of hard-won knowledge in a few short years while the teacherless boy must reinvent everything from nothing and mostly fails, so the old people counted a good teacher among the greatest gifts a child could be given.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan buban milbil-bama-ji buban milbil-bama-kari jambul warru-manda, yindu-yindu dingkar-manda, milbil-ji buban manil ngadiku-bama wubul-yalbay binal dandibu-maninmuny wungar buban baja, yambada milbil-bama-kari buban nyulu yamba wubulku jambul-bungal nganga-muny nyulu wubul-baja bawal, bama mukul milbil-bama yukil karrban yamba daji yalbay wubulmuny karrkay dayanmuny.


<translate> The shield lay in the shade.


<translate> Father laughed at the child.


<translate> The children asked how long grief lasted, and the old woman said: It never fully ends, but it changes; sharp pain becomes a soft ache, and the soft ache becomes a warm remembering, and that you keep forever.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin jiba-badi yala kalbay janay, wulbumanangka balkan: Kari yukil dungay yabarrka, yambada murnil; kaka junkurr kaka bubanmanda, kaka buban wumbul binalku-manda, yinya yundu kujil yabarrka.


<translate> Yesterday it rained all day, but today the sky is clear and the warm sun shines on the still water.

Yilayku kaba wungar wubulku, yamba niji jiri balbal, wungar wumbul bana-ba balbal-mani.


<translate> At the river they saw fresh wallaby tracks.

Wawubajanga jana kadaramu jina jirakal nyajin.


<translate> We saw the karranda tree there.


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


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


<translate> They saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> You all see the wurrbal fog there.


<translate> Mother did not wake the baby.


<translate> The old woman said: hold your kin close, for family is the country that walks.

Kamba-ngka balkan: yunu jawun karrba ngundu, jawun-karra nyulu bubu jilba-nya.


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


<translate> There are many stars in the sky.


<translate> The children watched the ibis flock rise all at once from the swamp when the hawk came over, the old woman said, a great white cloud of beating wings.

Karrkay-karrkay birmba wubul daburr-muny nyubun-bu wandi jinabiju kada-nya-ba nyajin, mukul-jalbu balkan, nangki balbal wubul jiri-ba yala ngurrban.


<translate> The children watched her fingers move and asked if they could learn to make a bag too.

Karrkay-karrkayangka nyungu mara nyajin jalamanya, babajin: ngana binalmal ngunyin ngaranka baja?


<translate> The waves are the sea's breath, the old woman said to the frightened child: small breath, small wave, storm breath, big wave, and like all breathing it never stops, so do not pick a fight with the wave, go under the white one, follow the smooth one, and keep one eye on the big third one, for the sea takes its breath in threes.

Mulngku nyulu wawu jalunmuny, wulbumanangka karrkaynka yinil-jinka balkan: wawu buban, mulngku buban, wawu jarramalimuny, mulngku yalbay, yala wawu wubulku nyulu kariku janay, yalada kari kuniway-maka mulngkuka, dungay badabada mulngku kambarmuny, wukurrika mulngku kima, miyil nyubun karrba mulngku kulurka yalbayka, jalun nyulu wawu manil kulurbu.


<translate> Mother cooked boneless meat.


<translate> The fish spear is on the open ground.


<translate> Settled then, the house is small but clean.


<translate> The little child cried and cried in the dark night, and the old woman sat close by her and sang until at last she slept.

Karrkay buban banbadi wujurr ngumbu-ba, mukul-jalbu bundan nyungu ngundu, wulngku murrun nyulu warngku wuna kariku.


<glossary> kalkandiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> You hang on to (your) work, don't pull out

yundu workmunbu kalkandijika, kari kulbajika


<translate> The old man sharpened the spear well before he went hunting for the big kangaroo.

Mukul-dingkarangka kalka jalngkun-bungan ngulkurr, mayarriji balbi-ka dunga-nyjiku.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> They got lots of scrub hen eggs


<translate> He sees the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree here.


<translate> Mother went into the water with clothes.


<translate> You two saw the morning star there.


<translate> The women wove the strong dilly bags from the lawyer cane by the fire in the cool evening.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngku ngunyin junkurr bungal kaku-muny baya ngundu wujurr-ma-nya ngiki-ba.


<translate> Carry two firesticks when you walk at night, the old man taught, one burning and one sleeping, lest the wind kill the first and you stand in the whole dark, for the traveller with eyes is his own dawn, and the careless one stands very still until the true dawn comes.

Baya-juku jambul wundi jilbanka wujurrba, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, nyubun wajunya nyubun wunanya, muyarbu nyubun ngadiku kuninyji, yundu janay wujurrba wubulba, jilba-bama miyil-ji nyulu muduwaju nyungu-nyungu, jilba-bama milka-kari nyulu janay warri-kari bajaku muduwaju yukil kadanyjiku.


<translate> That person there is selfish.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jirabay lizard there.


<translate> The child tried to lift the big spear but it was too heavy, so his father held his hands and they threw it.

Karrkayangka kalka yalbay kulban, yambada yalbay bajaku; nganjanangka nyungu mara karrban, jana daman.


<translate> The old man divided all the creatures for the boy into those you take for food, those you never touch, and those you only watch and learn from: the wallaby and the fish and the turtle feed the camp, certain birds and the small quiet ones are left alone, and the dingo and the eagle and the python are teachers, hunters to study, never rivals to kill.

Mukulungku dingkarangka minya wubulku buban buban-manin jananka nukal-minyanka, jananka kariku karrbal, jananka nyaji binalman nganga: darrba kuyu ngawuya baja bayan dayal, buyi nyubun-nyubun minya buban dandi baja bawal, murramu yalngkurr bajalji baja milbi-bama, balbi-bama binalka, kariku kunin.


<translate> You and I see the perch here.


<translate> The moon grows big, then small, then big once more — that is how the old people reckon the passing months.

Kija yalbay-ma-l, buban-ma-l, yalbay-ma-l-baja — yala mukul-bama-ngka kija-kija nyaji-l.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kaya-kaya dogs here.


<translate> The men talked for a long time about the water places.


<translate> I brought the stone from the house.


<translate> They saw the carpet snake here.


<translate> You all see the spear point there.


<translate> They heard the hiccoughs there.


<translate> The child is getting quite sick.


<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 young man's wife wove a fine dilly bag from the split lawyer cane.

Warru-mu manyarr ngunyin ngulkurr bungan, kaku kulba-nya-muny.


<translate> I saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird here.


<translate> The children played and then slept. In the morning they drank water.

Karrkay-karrkay kinkan, warngku wunan-da. Wunkuwingku jana bana nukan.


<translate> Mother went to camp after washing clothes.

Ngamu bayan-ka dungan, wawu-kambi-muny julurrin.


<glossary> ngaluri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> The flames leap up from the fire


<translate> That old horse sleeps standing up under the big shady tree by the creek.

Yinya yarraman ngadiku janjana-nya warngku-wunay juku wabarr-ba wawubaja karangkal.


<translate> By midday the bags were full of long fat yams, and the girls carried them home proud of their first good digging.

Wungar wangkar janan, ngunyin mumbay kawu kalbay wandulji, maral-maral wundin bayanba wawu-mini jana bakanmuny.


<translate> The old man watched the ants carrying their eggs to higher ground and knew the big rains were near.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kawa nyajin, jana diburr wundinya wangkar bubuka, binal kaba yalbay ngundu.


<translate> I see the kurubarr mangrove there.


<translate> They saw the boundary there.


<translate> They saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> You and I see the charcoal there.


<translate> You all see the smouldering log here.


<translate> I took mother's clothes to camp.


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


<translate> Hate is heavy luggage for a walking people — set it down when each new season comes.

Wawu-kari-bajaku nyulu yamba dandi bajaku bama jilbalmunyka: yijarri nyulu bubungu, bana-wungar kadanya.


<translate> You and I see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> The girls carried water from the river.

Maral-maralangka bana wundin wawubajamuny.


<translate> He saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jalkay salmon here.


<translate> I saw the bamboo stick here.


<glossary> babaji ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I asked him, Who is he?


<translate> You saw the jalkay salmon there.


<translate> Give to the birds and the birds tell you things, she said.

Nyulu balkan: buyinda daya, buyingku yununda balkal.