<translate> Granny poured tea for everyone and we sat by the fire.

Babingka diyi nyangarrin jananka, ngana bayanga bundarinda.


<translate> You and I will hunt together tomorrow; you will track, I will spear; we will carry the meat back to our two camps; and our families will eat well.

Ngaliny wunkun muru balbi dungay; yundu jina wukurril, ngayu daman; ngaliny minya ngalinyanga bayan jambul-mundu wundil; ngalinyanga mula-mula jani nukal.


<translate> The old man said a fire is a living thing like a dog: feed it and tend it and it will serve you faithfully, warming you and cooking your food and keeping the dark animals away, but neglect it or treat it carelessly and it will either die on you or turn and burn everything you have.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya yamba-mabi yala kaya: daya kuji nyulu yundunka kirraji yukil, wumbul-manil nyungu mayi wajul minya wujurr kala-kalbay karrbal, yambada bawa binal-karibu nyulu yundunka wula bawa yindu nyulu murni yundu yamba wubulku wajul.


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


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


<lexeme> {'english': "He doesn't do bad things (but) does good things", 'translation': 'Nyulu kari buyun-damal; nyulu ngulkurrku bunday'}


<translate> The young man left the axe in the shade.


<translate> You all saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<translate> I want to see the cassowary.


<glossary> marra-warril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The kids went down river (when a floor was running)


<glossary> bawaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> they all went home but I stayed


<translate> They ground ripe yams and made damper.

Jana wukay kulbul nyurrban, damba bungan.


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


<translate> Keep the fire burning — the night is cold.

Baya wajulwaju — kunarangkal kiway-kiway!


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


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


<translate> He speaks about us as if we cannot hear — but the ears of the talked-about grow long.

Nyulu nganamuny balkal yala ngana milka-kari, yambada milka bamamuny balkanmuny kalbay-mal.


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

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


<translate> In the cold morning a thick white fog lies over the still water of the creek.

Wunkuwingku kiway ngurrbal yalbay bana-nga bada wuna-l, wawubaja janka-nga.


<translate> The grass seeds are gathered and ground into food when the yams are gone.

Jumul-jumul bangka, nyurrba mayi-ma-nka, bambayal kari-nya.


<translate> The death adder is small, but it is very dangerous and bites you on the foot.

Kundurr buban, yamba junkurr-baja, nyulu yununy jina-nga bayka-l.


<glossary> walngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Open the gate


<translate> I am running because of the vicious dog.


<translate> He sees the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> They saw the kinga caterpillar here.


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


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the lightning struck the tree


<translate> You saw the mackerel sky there.


<translate> The two of them saw the karrkil jumper ant here.


<translate> You saw the jimalili lizard here.


<translate> You saw the diwalngku bird there.


<translate> The old woman went to visit her daughter-in-law and the new baby.

Wulbuman kujiway-mbal-undu dungan, ngawa buban nyaji-nka.


<translate> They saw the freshwater eel in the water.


<translate> Do not touch the snake lest it bite you.

Kari jarba karrba, jarba-bu yununy bayka-nyji.


<translate> The two women dug the earth oven, put the food inside, sealed it with earth, and then it cooked well.

Jalbu jambul kurrma bakan, mayi dukurrbu yijarrin, bububu nandan, jani-manda.


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


<translate> The old man is sitting quietly by the fire, and the little children are sleeping in the warm camp.

Mukul-dingkar janka bundan baya ngundu, karrkay-karrkay buban warngku wuna bayan wumbul-ba.


<translate> The two of them see the red bream there.


<translate> You all see the fire stick here.


<translate> The burnt patch of grass is here.


<translate> You two see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> Uncle speared it straight and true.


<translate> Keep the little children close by the camp, the old woman told the mothers, just in case the crocodile is moving quietly in the muddy creek nearby.

Karrkay-karrkay buban bayan ngundu-ba karrba, mukul-jalbu-ngku ngamu-ngamu-nka balkan, nganganjirrka bilngkumu bana-jandu kambal-kambal-ba janka mara-warri-nya.


<translate> The strong young man carried two bags at once.

Warrungku junkurrjingku balji jambul jarra-kulban.


<translate> The old people came from the south, following the coast up to this river mouth.

Mukul-bama naka-muny kadan, jalun karangkal wangkar-a wawubaja-ka.


<translate> I went for a long walk in the morning while he stayed back at home in the camp.

Ngayu wunkuwingku jilba-dungan, nyulu bayan-ba bundandan.


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


<translate> The two of them see the black bream here.


<translate> The white crane is standing in the scrub.


<translate> The young man made a spear from hard wood.

Warru-ngku kalka bungan juku junkurr-muny.


<translate> That proud young man walks about like a boss, the old man said, but his hands are soft and he has hunted nothing.

Yinya warru yalbay-baka jilba yala maja, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba nyungu mara ngulban, nyulu minya yamba-kari balbin.


<translate> The two of them saw the warkal bailer shell here.


<translate> The boy forgot to tie the fishing-net tight to the mangrove root, the old woman said, and the strong tide pulled it loose and carried it out to sea.

Karrkay milka-wula makarr junkurr kajul ngara-ka kaja-nka, mukul-jalbu balkan, yira junkurr-bu kulba jalun-ka jarra-kulba.


<translate> That kalburiji bee is there.


<translate> If the thunderstorm comes, we will run to the camp quickly.

Kaki jarramali kaday, ngana bayan-ka warri bila.


<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> He sees the smouldering log here.


<translate> The old woman said a community is not a place but a practice: it is the daily choice, made by everyone at once, to carry a little of each other's weight, and it dies the day people stop making that choice.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama nyubun kari bubu, yambada kirraji: wungar wubulku manil, bama wubulku nyubunku, nyubun-nyubunmu dandi buban jarrakulbanka, nyulu wula wungar bama nyulu yinya manil bawalnya.


<translate> We two, not you, see the kambar white clay here.


<translate> When the curlew calls out in the night, the old people know that someone has died.

Kuyir wujurr-ba yirrka-nya, mukul-bama binal, bama nyubun wulan.


<translate> They saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> I saw the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<glossary> yirmbal ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> The taboo (thing) grabs you and holds you


<translate> Grandmother saw the freshwater turtle in the water.


<translate> The turtles came up onto the beach that night to lay their eggs in the warm sand.

Ngawiya-ngawiya jukara kadan yinya kunarangkal, diburr yijarrinka jukara wumbulba.


<translate> I thought I broke the spear, but the dog broke the spear.

Balu ngayu kalka dumbarrin, kari kaya-ngka kalka dumbarrin.


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

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


<glossary> wanjarrku ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> How did you come?


<translate> The trees have no flowers in the cold, dry season, and the little birds fly away to the north.

Juku-juku nganka-kari ngiki marral-wungar-a, buyi buban kungkarr marra-warri.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bububay blacktip shark here.


<translate> The children found a tree heavy with figs and ate until their bellies were round, and carried the rest home to the old people in the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay juku dukal-jirr warmban, nuka jibar murru-murru kariku, mayi kanbal bayan-ka jarra-kulba mukul-bama-nka.


<translate> The old woman saw the snake crawling through the long grass toward the camp, the old man said, and she called out a warning to the children at once.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku jarba nyaji-n, mara-warri-nya jikan kalbay-mba bayan-ka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu karrkay-karrkay-nka yirrka nyiku-nyiku.


<translate> We two, not you, see the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


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


<translate> The little child tried and tried to make fire, the old man said, but the wood was too wet and no smoke would come.

Karrkay buban babal-babal buri bunga-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba juku duna bajaku, kubu kari ngalkal-ma-l.


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


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


<translate> Which one is stronger, the sun or the wind? the children argued, and the old woman settled it in the old way: the wind pulled at the traveller's blanket and he held it tighter, the sun stood quietly high and he took the blanket off his own body, so she said: big noise moves nothing, warm patience moves everything.

Wanjaku junkurr-baja, wungar yambada muyar? karrkay-karrkay balka-wan, wulbumanangka yinya murnin yalabu mukulbu: muyarbu kararr kulban jilba-bamamuny, nyulu karrban murrba-baja, wungar janan wunbu wangkara, nyulu-nyulu kararr manin bangkarrmuny, yalada nyulu balkan: kuku yalbay kariku yamba murnil, wawu-karrba wumbul yamba wubulku murnil.


<translate> The child is afraid of crabs.


<translate> They saw the waddy club there.


<translate> The person there is truthful.


<translate> Wash the blood from your hands.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the boomerang here.


<translate> The clear morning sky is bright and blue, with not one small cloud anywhere.

Jiri wunkuwingku balbal ngulkurr, kaba-jiri nyubun kari wanja.


<glossary> wulman ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> the old horse


<translate> The old woman said if the old teach only what is easy and pleasant, they betray the young, for life will bring hard things whether we speak of them or not, and a child prepared for grief and loss and their own death meets these as an old friend expected, while the unprepared child meets them as an ambush.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki mukul milbil nyubun nyulu buban-buban wawu-mini, jana warru warmbil, wawu dandi yamba kadal ngana balka jananmu kariku, karrkay nyulu walu-jirrbu-jirrbunka kilbanka nyungu wulanka baja nyaji-wan yala jawun mukul milka-dandi, karrkay kilba-kari nyaji-wan yala kuni-jananmu.


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


<translate> They see the marsupial native cat there.


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


<translate> The stinging tree is standing there.


<translate> With whom did you go hunting in the thick scrub yesterday? — I went with my two brothers.

Wanyanji yundu balbi-ka madja-ka dungan yilayku? Ngayu yaba jambul-ji dungan.


<translate> The child without a mother cries alone in the dark, and nobody comes to hold her by the fire.

Karrkay ngamu-kari nyubun-nyubun badi ngungul-ba, bama kari kaday nyungu karrba-nka baya ngundu.


<translate> We see the running water there.


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


<translate> The old man laughed at the child.


<translate> The wet season is the time of thunder and lightning, and the people fear the great storms in the sky.

Kaba wungar-iji jarramali balbay-jirr, bama yararri muyar yalbay jiri-ba.


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


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


<translate> The boy watched the old man fish with a spear from the rocks, then tried it himself: he stood too noisily and the fish scattered, he learned to freeze and wait, he misjudged the water's bending of the light and missed three times, the old man showed him to aim low, he speared his first fish on the fourth try, and then grinned so wide that the old man laughed out loud.

Buban mukulungku dingkar kalkabu kuyu daman kuljimuny nyajin, yalada nyulu-nyulu murni-nyajin: nyulu kaya-kayabu janan kuyu kala-kalbay warrin, nyulu binalman karra bundanka, nyulu bana miyil murninya kari binal kulur bawan, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin bada damanka, nyulu kuyu ngadiku jambul-jambul yilba-manin daman, yalada yajarrin yalbay-baja mukul yajarrin junkurr-bu.


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


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


<translate> It is hard work, said the old woman, but good flour makes good damper, and everyone eats well.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yanyu dandi, yambada bulawu ngulkurr damba ngulkurr, jana wubulku ngulkurr nukan.


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

Juyuy, yinya kari manubaja. Yinya jurril.


<translate> You and I saw the rainbow here.


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


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> You saw the bujarr-bujarr bird here.


<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 young woman asked grandmother: "Did the fire go out?" Grandmother said: "Yes."

Warru-jalbu babi-nda babajin: "Baya wulan?" Babi-ngka balkan: "Yuwu."


<translate> The road went straight up like this.


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


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


<translate> The eagle reads the whole country in one turning; we read it track by track — both roads end at the same dinner.

Yalngkurrbu bubu wubulku nyajil murninya nyubunbu, ngana nyajil jina-jinabu: baral jambul kunbay-mal mayi nyubunba.


<translate> The catfish has sharp spines that poison the hand, the old woman warned, so kill it first with a stick before you take it from the net.

Kanyaji jarran junkurr-jirr mara ngunyanji-mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, juku-bu kuni nyubun-bu, makarr-muny mani kariku.


<translate> We turned back because the river was too big.


<translate> You two saw the kungkun snake there.


<translate> The two of them saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko there.


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


<translate> He speared the big fish, pulled it up onto the sand, and cut it into many pieces.

Nyulu kuyu yalbay daman, jukar-a wandi-manin, yaka-l-yaka-n.


<translate> The men pulled the big log out of the river.

Dingkar-dingkarangka juku yalbay kulban wawubajamuny.


<translate> Speak to the angry man tomorrow, not tonight, the old woman advised her grandson, lest two hot words build a fight that many cold words cannot pull down, for anger is a fire in dry grass: do not feed it tonight, cover it with sand, and tomorrow you will walk on warm quiet ash.

Balka dingkar kuli-jirranda wunkuny, kari wujurrba, wulbumanangka kaminjarranda milbin, kuku wumbul jambulbu kuniway bunganyji, kuku kiway-kiway wubulbu nyulu kariku bada-bungal, kuli nyulu baya jikanba bana-kari: kari nyulu mayi-daya wujurrba, jukarbu nanda, wunkuny yundu jilbal jukara wumbul wunbu.


<translate> The fire is rather small now, so put more wood on it before the cold night comes.

Baya jarra-buban nyiku, juku baja bungan wujurr ngiki kada ngadiku.


<translate> I see the dakaldakal trochus shell here.


<translate> We see the kuralbi tree here.


<translate> Did you see me at the ceremony? Yes, I saw you, but you did not speak to me; why did you leave before me?

Yundu nganya nyajin bubu-ngu? Yuwu, ngayu yununy nyajin, yambada yundu nganya kari balkan; wanyurrinku yundu ngadiku dungan?


<translate> The children were cold and shivering from swimming far too long in the deep water, the old woman said, so the mother built the fire up big and warm.

Karrkay-karrkay ngiki yararri, maraji-maraji-nya wumbul bajaku bana dajali-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngamu-ngku buri yalbay wumbul bunga.


<translate> She went for a long walk along the beach after she had fed all the chickens.

Nyulu jilba-dungan kalbay-baja jukar-a, wawu-jukijuki-muny mayi dajin.


<translate> The honey has gone all over his body! Wash the little one in the creek before it dries hard.

Wunba dungan bangkarrburr! Buban julurrika wawubajanga, wunba marral-manyjiku.


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

Babi-ngka kulji daray-manin karrkay-anda jina-nga.


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


<translate> Before the wet season came the family began to move to the higher ground: they took down the old shelters, packed the tools and the stored food, put out the fire and carried a coal, walked two days up into the ranges, chose a dry place above the flood line, and then built the wet-season camp that would hold them for months.

Bana-wungar ngadiku jawun-karra murni-mandanka wangkar bubu-mundu wandin: bayan mukul bada-manin, kalka mayi-karrban baja buwan, baya wulan ngunjil jarrakulban, jambul wungar yumal-mundu wangkar jilban, bubu kiway-kiway bana-yalbay wangkara nyubun manin, yalada bana-wungar bayan bungan nyulu jana karrbal wungar wubulku.


<translate> I saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> The child saw the Leichhardt tree in the scrub.


<translate> This spear is rather heavy for the little boy; give him the light one over there instead.

Kalka yinya jarra-kulngkul warru buban-ka; nyungu kalka buban yindu yinyay daji.


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


<translate> All of us belong to this country; the old ones taught us; the country feeds us; and we will keep it for our children.

Ngana wubul nyiku bubu-mu; mukul-mukulungku nganangan binal-bungan; bubu ngananka mayi dayal; ngana bubu ngananga karrkay-karrkayka karrbal.


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


<glossary> walu karimal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> There aren't many crocodiles any more

Nyiku-nyiku bilngkumu walu karimanijinkuda


<translate> I saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher here.


<translate> We see the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> The old woman said a child learns the world by asking what is that over and over, but a person becomes wise by learning to ask a deeper question of themselves: not what is that, but what am I not seeing, what am I assuming, what would change my mind, for the questions we turn outward make us clever and the questions we turn inward make us wise.

Wulbumanangka balkan karrkay bubu binalman babajilbu wanyu yinya jambulku wubulku, yambada bama binal-manda binalman babajinka kuku bada nyulu-nyulumuny: kari wanyu yinya, yambada wanyu ngayu kari nyaji, wanyu ngayu kuku-junkurr karrbal, wanyu ngayku milka yindu-manil, kuku ngana ngalanga wandiman ngana binal-manil kuku ngana dukurr-bu wandiman ngana wawu-yukil-manil.


<translate> The old woman said there are three kinds of travellers: the one who walks to get somewhere, the one who walks to get away from somewhere, and the one who walks because walking is what they are, and only the third ever truly rests, because for them the walking and the resting are the same thing.

Wulbumanangka balkan: jilba-bama kulur yala: nyubun nyulu jilbay bubungu kadanka, nyubun nyulu jilbay bubumuny dunganka, nyubun nyulu jilbay nyulu jilbal nyungu bangkarr yala, kulurmu nyubun yabarrka yukil mara-kunbay, jananka jilbal mara-kunbay baja nyubun yamba.


<translate> We, not you, saw the julaji freshwater catfish here.


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


<translate> They saw the kira-kira black ant here.


<translate> The new baby is very small and very cute, and the whole family loves her very much indeed.

Ngawa buban-baja-ku kingkin-baja-ku, jawun-karra wubulku nyunguny wawu jirray.


<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> The pair of hunting dogs, brothers from the very same mother, always ran side by side.

Kaya-bulal balbi-nka, yaba nyubun ngamu-mu, wungar wubulku muru warri.


<translate> The old woman told the same story over and over, until at last the children fell asleep.

Mukul-jalbu kuku nyubun balka-l-balka-n, karrkay-karrkay warngku wuna-nyjiku baja.


<translate> The woman walked through the scrub.


<translate> The man made the child bleed.


<translate> First we will gather the dry firewood, and then we will make a big fire for the cold night.

Nyubun-baja ngana baya-juku marral bangka-l, yalada baya yalbay bunga-l wujurr ngiki-ka.


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

Marrkin wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kadanyamunku


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


<translate> When the cold dew lies heavy at dawn, the old woman knows the cold season has truly come at last.

Bulur kulngkul wunkuwingku wuna-nya, mukul-jalbu binal bulur-iji yala kaday nguymal.


<translate> They see the bush fire here.


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


<translate> The old woman came from the scrub with a stick.


<translate> They saw the loya cane here.


<translate> The horse drank at the river.


<translate> You two see the scorpion here.


<translate> The old man walked slowly along the sandy beach, leaning on his long, strong wooden walking stick.

Mukul-dingkar jilban buban-buban jukar-burr, nyungu juku kalbay junkurr-bu karrba-l.


<translate> The old man said the highest form of exchange is not goods for goods but gift for gift, where each gives freely without keeping count, trusting that over a lifetime the giving will balance, and it always does, and more.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: daji-way wangkar bajaku kari yamba yambaku, yambada dajil dajilku, wubulku ngulkurr-bu daji kari wubul nyajil, manu-baja-bungal wawu wubulmuny daji-way yukil-manyjiku, yabarrka yukil-manil, wubul-baja baja.


<translate> The man saw grandmother's shoulder.


<glossary> dalkil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I gave her the name Carol


<translate> We took the fire stick from the ground.


<translate> The old man was sent as a young boy far to the south, the old woman said, to learn the deep songs from the great old singers of that country.

Mukul-dingkar warru buban-nya kala-kalbay jarba-warra yunga-n, mukul-jalbu balkan, wulngku dajali binal-ma-nka mukul-bama yalbay bubu yinya-mu-muny.


<translate> She sang the song through twice, then the girls sang it too, and then they sang it alone.

Nyulu wulngku badin jambulku, yalada jalbu-buban badin baja, yalada nyubunji jana badin.


<translate> You see the mud oyster here.


<translate> You and I see the oyster there.


<translate> We see the kurrun tree here.


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


<glossary> ngakil ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> I hid the spear in the grass


<glossary> yirmbal ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> The taboo (thing) grabs you and holds you


<translate> When the wet season came the women went to the yam grounds with their digging sticks and big dilly bags.

Buluriji kadanya, jalbu-jalbu kawu bubuka dungan, jaba jarra-kulban, ngunyin yalbay wundin.


<translate> The children asked where the song had come from, and the old woman said it came from far away.

Karrkay-karrkay babajin, wulngku wanjamuny kadan, mukul-jalbu-ngku balkan, kalakalbay-mundu.


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child went into the scrub and then got lost

Nyulu karrkay madjanga dungan, nubijinkuda


<translate> The two men saw each other across the wide river and called out together.

Dingkar jambul nyaji-way wawubaja yalbay-mba, kunja-way.


<translate> You two see the black-tip shark there.


<translate> That's granny's dilly bag — put it back!


<glossary> karangal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man sneaked around to see if there was any meat


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


<glossary> nyandal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He chopped firewood for me


<translate> We saw the running water there.


<translate> The young man went to the sea with father.


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


<translate> The old woman held the sick child's hot little body close all through the cold, cold night.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka karrkay bambay bangkarr wumbul buban ngundu-baja karrban, wujurr ngiki wubulku.


<translate> They saw the small sticks here.


<glossary> nyinyi ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That is child is crying for nothing, he's a sook


<translate> When the eye closes, the body does not stop, the old man told the children at night: the breath walks all the time, the stomach cooks all the time, the ear stands all the time in the dark, and that is why a big sound wakes a person, so sleep is not a going-away, it is the body's quiet work-time.

Kaki miyil nandaji, bangkarr nyulu kari janay, mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay milbin wujurrba: wawu yabarrka jilbal, jibar yabarrka wajul, milka yabarrka janay wujurrba, yinya wanyurrinku kuku yalbaybu bama wandi-bungal, warngku nyulu kari dungaymuny, nyulu bangkarrmuny murni-wungar wunbu.


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


<translate> The whole animal was used and nothing was thrown away: the meat was eaten, everything was put to good use, and nothing at all was wasted.

Minya wubulku kirrajin: minya nukan, yamba wubulku ngulkurr-bungan, nyubun kari yilban baja.


<glossary> wadil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=sky-weather <usage_example> They hung a blanket up because the cold might come in

Jana blanket walngkan-daman buluruku wadinji


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


<translate> The child saw the white crane outside.


<translate> The black bean tree is here.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the spear barb there.


<translate> You all saw the barrbal black bream here.


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


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


<translate> At the end of the warning nights the old woman tied all the teachings into one short rope: look first, act early, want one thing, answer tomorrow, and leave every camp so that you can walk back into it, for the person who lives by those words is never rich in things and never big in name, only alive, old, and welcomed at every camp, and that is taking everything.

Badanga wujurrmuny milbilmuny wulbumanangka milbil wubulku kajan karraka nyubunku bubanku: nyaji ngadiku, murni ngadiku, wawu-mana yamba nyubun, balka wunkuny, bawa bayan nyubun-nyubun yundu kadanka baja, bama nyulu kuku yinyabu juran, nyulu kariku yamba-ji wubul, kariku kuku-yalbay-ji, nganga juran, mukul, yulmbarrinmuny bayanba nyubun-nyubunba, yinya nyulu yamba wubulku maninmuny.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the milkul soup there.


<translate> The old woman did not hear the child calling in the loud wind.

Wulbumanangka karrkay kunja-nya kari ngaran, muyar yalbay-mba.


<translate> You and I saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> They had finished the food before their father woke up.

Jana mayi kunbay-manin, nganjan wandi-nyjiku.


<translate> The children asked the old man if he had mastered his own heart, and he laughed his big laugh and said: No, but after so many seasons I have finally learned its weather well enough to keep the rain off.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mukul dingkar babajin nyulu nyungu wawu yukil kujin, nyulu yajarrin yalbay, balkan: Kari, yambada wungar wubul kudamundu ngayu nyungu wungar binalman ngulkurr, kaba nandanka binal.


<translate> The dog licked father's mouth.


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

ngayu mayi wayjul-wayjul, babal saltmunku


<translate> Mother saw the black crow at camp.


<glossary> nubiji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child went into the scrub and then got lost


<translate> We, not you, saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> When the man is angry, his face goes dark, and his chest and his heart burn hot inside him.

Dingkar kuli-ma-nya, nyungu walu ngungul-ma-l, damu wubul wumbul-ma-l dukurr-ba.


<translate> A canoe is a promise between wood and water, the old woman spoke over the new hull: the wood promises to hold, the water promises to carry, the paddler promises to respect them both — and when one promise breaks, all three swim.

Marrakan nyulu kuku-dandi jukumuny bananka, wulbumanangka balkan marrakan jirakalba: jukubu kuku-dandi dayal karrbanka, banabu kuku-dandi dayal wundinka, bamabu kuku-dandi dayal jambul kujinka, kaki kuku-dandi nyubun dumbarril, kulur wubulku maraji.


<translate> You and I saw the bikarrakul ti tree there.


<translate> You all see the barramundi there.


<translate> The old woman said that looking after yourself was not selfishness but wisdom, for you are the one tool you can never put down or replace.

Wulbumanangka balkan: nyulu-nyulu nyajil kari wawu-nyubun, yambada binal, yundu nyubun yamba yundu murruji bawal, yindumanil.


<translate> Sweat ran down the hunter's back and chest as he carried the heavy pig up the steep hill.

Jila-warri balbi-bama muku damu-ngu bada warri, nyulu bikibiki kulngkul manjal wangkar-a wundin.


<translate> You and I see the posterior here.


<translate> The old woman said a person's kin obligations followed them everywhere and could be called upon at any time, so that a distant cousin arriving unexpectedly, hungry and in need, had a real claim that could not be refused, and though this could be a burden it was also the deepest security a person could have, for the same web that could call on you at any moment was the web you yourself could always call upon in your own hour of need.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama nyungu karra-yamba wukurrin nyungunji wubulku nyulu kunjan wungar wubulku, bangunji bayan-kiway kadanya kanban-kari, dakwuy wawu-mundu, karrbal kuku-junkurr yukil nyulu kari bawalmuny, yinya nyulu junkurr-yamba yambada nyulu baja wumbul dukurr bajaku bama karrbalmuny, jawun-karra nyubun nyulu yundunka kunjan wungar nyubun-nyubun nyulu karra yundu nyulu-nyulu nganga kunjalmuny nyungu wawu-wungara.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash tree is standing outside.


<translate> If you see a snake on the road, leave the road.

Kaki yundu jarba nyajil baral-ba, baral bawa.


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


<translate> Grandad is scraping the spear smooth.


<translate> What would you have done differently? the girls asked the old woman, and she thought a long time by the fire and said: I would have asked my grandmother more questions, everything else found its own road, but her words went under the ground with her, and that is the one hunger that no wet season ever ends.

Wanyu yundu murninyaku yindubu? jalbu-bubanangka wulbuman babajin, wulbuman milkabu baykan kalbay bayanga, yalada balkan: ngayu babi ngayku babajinyaku kuku wubulku-baja, yamba yindu wubulku baral nyungu-nyungu manin, yambada kuku nyungu dungan badabada bubungu baja, yinya dakwuy nyubun bana-wungarbu kariku kunbay-manil.


<translate> You all see the julbal tree there.


<translate> I see the bamboo stick here.


<translate> Grandmother lit the fire at the camp.


<translate> The flathead lies flat and still on the sandy bottom, the colour of the sand itself, and only its two small eyes give it away.

Dukul-barangkal jukar-a bada wuna balbal-kari, jukar yala nyubun, nyungu miyil buban jambul-bu nyulu balka.


<translate> The leaves on that tree are big.


<translate> We see the frill necked lizard here.


<glossary> mala bajaku ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> He's the one (who are the lollies)


<translate> The meat is roasting on the fire.


<translate> The men built a new shelter before the wet season.

Dingkar-dingkarangka bayan jirakal ngaran.


<translate> You saw the jalbil lizard here.


<translate> The shoulder blade is there.


<translate> Their camp was down beside the river, but my camp was up on the high bank.

Jana bayan wawubaja karangkal bada, yamba ngayku bayan jalkar wangkar-a.


<translate> The hunter's ankle was hurt on the loose stones, and he could not walk fast.

Balbi-bama-mu wulu bambay-man kulji-nga, nyulu kari bila jilbal.


<translate> He saw the wurrbu hornet there.


<translate> The women dug the fat white witchetty grubs out from under the roots of the old tree.

Jalbu-ngka mujurr jamba wubul juku mali bada-muny bakan.


<translate> The clever old man could read the whole sky: he said a red dawn looks just like fire, and warns of a big wind coming.

Mukul-dingkar binal jiri narmba nyajin: nyulu balkan, wunkuwingku kulbul yala walu-walu yala baya, muyar yalbay kada-nya balka.


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


<translate> You all saw the river there.


<glossary> bijjaril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I dream about a carpet snake


<translate> You all see the possum here.


<translate> The grandmother divided the fish among all her grandchildren, gave the best part to the smallest, and kept the head for herself.

Babingka kuyu jija-karra-nka daji-way, bada ngulkurr buban-baja-nka dayan, dukul nyungu-nka ngakin.


<translate> They saw the karrandal tree here.


<translate> You all see the mulawajarr star there.


<translate> You see the murrkul tree here.


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


<translate> They run to the food-cooking woman.

Jana warri jalbu-ndu mayi waju-nyu-mun-bu.


<translate> That straw-necked ibis is there.


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> the fish wouldn't bite so I quit fishing

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


<translate> I am going down to the water. What about you — are you coming too? Yes, I am coming; and my brother, what about him? He is staying to mind the fire.

Ngayu bana-nka dungay. Yundu yala — yundu kada? Yuwu, ngayu kaday; ngayku yaba, nyulu yala? Nyulu baya karrba wunay.


<translate> You saw the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> The women scraped the yams and put them in the oven.

Jalbu-jalbungku wukay yurrin, kurrmanga mumbanda.


<translate> They carried the animal back to the camp together, and the boy told his mother the whole story and asked if he could go again the next day.

Jana minya bayanka wundin baja nyubun, karrkayangka ngamunka kuku wubulku balkan, babajin nyulu baja dungay yindu wungara.


<translate> Their camp is meat-rich and water-poor this season; ours is the other way around.

Bayan janamuny minya-ji bajaku bana-kari buban, bayan nganamuny muku-jinabu.


<translate> Careful — that one is words-with but work-without.

Miyil-ji! Bama yinya kuku-ji yambada murni-kari.


<translate> You all see the charcoal here.


<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> The little one fell asleep before the food was cooked.


<translate> The girls bathe in the water.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> We hear the chewing sound here.


<translate> The man left the shield in the shade.


<translate> Grandmother got the bag from the house.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> We hit the ball a long way


<translate> The child had a good feed of fish and then sat quietly.

Karrkay kuyu-ngu nuka-jin, janka bundan.


<translate> The parrot is standing there.


<translate> You all see the fingernail there.


<translate> Mother saw the dog in the scrub.


<translate> The two of them saw the jalkay salmon there.


<translate> You and I see the blanket here.


<translate> The old grandfather's forehead and cheeks are deeply lined, for he has seen very many cold seasons.

Mukul kami munju kangkul dajali-dajali, nyulu ngiki-wungar wubul bajaku nyajin.


<translate> Grandfather says the dugong grazes the sea-grass like a quiet old bullock of the saltwater — and that its name is old in this country.

Kamibu balkal biwuy nukal jalun-jikan yala minya wunbu mukul jalunmuny, burri nyungu mukul bububa yanyaba.


<translate> Get water from the top spring — it's clean.


<translate> My hands hurt from weaving all day.

Ngayu mara kaka, balji wukurrilwukurrinya.


<glossary> kalbariji ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> If you eat the finger cherry, you'll get blind when you get to be an old woman

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


<translate> They saw the murrkul tree here.


<translate> The lady apple tree is here.


<translate> We saw the kurrubal freshwater cod here.


<translate> He saw the kungkun snake there.


<translate> The mother's older sister is here.


<translate> Try to walk very quietly on the soft sand, the hunter whispered to the boy, or the sharp-eared wallaby will hear us and be gone.

Babal janka bajaku jilba-nka jukar kima-ba, balbi-bama karrkay-nka janka balkan, kadar milka-junkurr ngana milka-janay wanarri-nyji.


<translate> We two, not you, see the dukul-barangkal flathead fish here.


<translate> She lit the fire, put the water on, and then sat down to wait for us.

Nyulu baya wajun, bana yijarrin bayanga, bundanda ngananka janayka.


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


<translate> The woman asked grandfather about news.


<translate> After the meal they have a rest.


<translate> The snake fell from the tree.


<translate> You see the smooth rock there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


<translate> You two see the julbal tree here.


<translate> The ground was really slippery.


<translate> At first light she put dry grass and small sticks on the coals, and the flame rose up bright.

Muduwajunyjiku nyulu jikan marral juku buban ngunjilba yijarrin, baya wandin yalbay.


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

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


<lexeme> {'english': 'The doctor man knows that woman will die'}


<translate> She would have married the loud one, the old woman told her granddaughters about her own young days, he shone like the wet-season lightning, but my grandmother made me carry water beside the quiet man for one whole season, and lightning is good to look at for one night, she said, but the slow rain fills the root grounds.

Ngayu dingkar kuku-yalbay dunyu-maninyaku, wulbumanangka kaminjarr-karranda balkan wungar warrumuny nyungu-nyungumuny, nyulu jilu-jilu yala balbay bana-wungarmuny, yambada babingka ngayu bana wundi-bungan ngundu dingkaranda wunbu bana-wungar nyubunku, balbay nyulu yukil nyajinka wujurr nyubunku, nyulu balkan, yambada bana buban-buban jakal-bungal bubu bangkanmuny.


<translate> You see the hickory tree there.


<translate> The light-coloured hair is here.


<translate> The scrub turkey is standing at camp.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<translate> He saw the marril ti tree here.


<translate> The old woman said to truly know a creature you must watch it in every season and every hour, not just when you are hunting it: watch where it sleeps and where it drinks, what it fears and what it eats, how it raises its young and how it dies, for only then do you hold the whole creature in your mind, and only then are you fit to take its life with respect.

Wulbumanangka balkan minya nyubun binalka bajaku yundu nyaji wungar wubulku wungar wubulku, kari nganga yundu balbilnya: nyaji wanja nyulu wunay wanja janga, wanya nyulu yinilman wanya nukal, yala nyulu buban warru-manil yala nyulu wulal, yaladaku yundu minya wubulku karrbal milkanga, yaladaku yundu yukil nyungu wawu maninka yukil-bungalbu.


<translate> He sees the karraway snail here.


<translate> They see the mountain there.


<translate> A camp without water is no good, and a country without food cannot hold the people for long.

Bayan bana-kari kari ngulkurr, bubu mayi-kari bama kari karrbal wubulku-ku.


<translate> The old man kept turning and turning the fire-stick between his palms until the smoke came, and then the first small flame.

Mukul-dingkarangka jidi murni-murni mara jambul-ba, kubu kaday kariku, yinyamun baya buban nyubun.


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

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


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


<glossary> mungkil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> They speared lots of different kinds of fish

Bula minya wali-yindu walu-yindu kalkabu mungkin


<translate> You two saw the mudcrab here.


<translate> You two see the smooth rock there.


<glossary> dalngarri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> I have to go to the toilet


<translate> Are you coming hunting with us in the morning, or will you stay in the camp?

Yundu ngananji balbi-ka kaday wunkuwingku, bayan-ba bundal-baja?


<translate> Nothing is wasted in the scrub, said the old man; the country feeds those who know how to look.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: madjanga yamba kari bawal, bububu jana nukamanil, jana nyajil binal.


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


<translate> When the tide went far out, the whole camp walked onto the reef to gather shellfish among the rocks.

Yira kalakalbay dunganda, bayan wubulku dulngkungu dungan, milbar bangkanka kulji ngundu.


<translate> The stingray is dangerous even in death, the old man warned, so always cut the tail off before you carry it.

Yawu yinil wulanya baja, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, banda yaka yabarrka wundinyjiku ngadiku.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The full moon is big and round and low tonight, hanging over the dark trees by the wide river.

Kija yalbay murru-murru bada niji, juku ngumbu wangkar wuna wawubaja yalbay ngundu.


<translate> The old man could tell direction by many signs: the moss on the southern side of the trees, the way the ridges ran toward the sea, the flight of the birds at evening, and the taste of the wind, and he never once was lost.

Mukulungku dingkarangka bubu binal wubulku wari-bu: juku naka-nakamu miyil, yumal yala jalun-mundu warrinya, jujubala kunarangkalba wandina, wangkarmu jandal, nyulu kariku nyubun bubu-kari janay.


<translate> The two dogs bit each other over the one piece of meat.


<translate> My younger sister married into the Bloomfield people and lives there now.

Ngayku jinkurr wujalwujal-arra-nga manyarr-man, yinya-nga wunay niji.


<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."}


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


<translate> We see the small lizard there.


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


<translate> You see the mud oyster here.


<translate> The old people knew the one tree whose hard wood never rots in the wet dark ground.

Mukul-bama-ngka juku nyubun binal, nyungu juku junkurr bubu kima-ba kariku buyun-ma-l.


<translate> Grandfather washed the child's foot.


<translate> I see the exposed place here.


<translate> Who left the fish where the flying foxes could reach? — The same someone who is climbing for new ones right now.

Wanyabu kuyu bawan wanja kambibu manil? Bama nyubunbu, nyulu dakal nyiku kuyunka yindunka.


<translate> The grandmother said: the mussels bury themselves in the sand where the fresh water meets the salt, so dig there with your hands and you will always find food.

Babingka balkan: mukirr jukara ngakiji bana jalun muru, yundu mara-bu bakal yinyabu, yundu mayi manil.


<translate> The old woman saw the bone in the bag.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku bajibay balji-nga nyajin.


<translate> Deep inside the dark rainforest it is cool and quiet even at the hottest midday.

Madja dukurr-ba wujurr-baja ngiki janka, wungar wumbul dindarra-nga baja.


<translate> This is my country, and there beyond the mountain is my mother's people's country.

Yanyu ngayku bubu, yinyay manjal-kudamundu ngayku ngamu-mu bama-mu bubu.


<translate> I should have taught my son the country while my legs were still strong, the old man said, but I always thought there would be more time, and then the sickness took my walking, and now I can only point at the hills and name them, and a name without a walk is only half a teaching.

Ngayu ngayku kangkal bubu milbi-nyaku ngayku jadal junkurr janay-mba, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yambada ngayu yabarrka milkabu baykan wungar wubul-baja janayka, yalada buyun ngayku jilbal manin, nyiku ngayu nganga yumal milbal burri balkal, burri jilbal-kari nyulu nganga milbil buban.


<translate> I saw the mackerel sky here.


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


<translate> I saw the ngumbi bandicoot here.


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


<translate> You saw the warkal bailer shell here.


<translate> The old woman washed her foot.


<translate> Pass the water bag along before the meat — talking is thirsty work.

Bana-balji daya baralburr minya ngadiku, kuku-balkal nyulu murni bana-dakwuy-ji.


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


<translate> I saw the jila beeswax there.


<translate> The willie wagtail is there.


<translate> The woman got food for the child.


<translate> That snake is far more to be feared than this one, so the children must never go near the long grass.

Yinya jarba jarra-yinil-baja nyiku-ka, karrkay kariku bilanji-kalbay ngundu dunganka.


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


<translate> So the children came to see the whole country as one great living thing that fed them and taught them and held them, and they loved it as they loved their own mother.

Yalaku karrkay-karrkay bubu wubulku nyajin yala yamba nyubun wawuji yalbay, nyulu jana nukamanil, milbin, kujin, jana wawu-jirray yala jana nyungu ngamu wawu-jirray.


<translate> The widow cut herself again and again with a sharp stone when her husband died.

Bunjil kulji jalngkun-bu yaka-n-yaka-jin, dunyu nyungu wula-nya.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The old people followed the children to the water.

Mukul-bama-ngka karrkay-karrkay bana-ka wukurrin.


<translate> You two saw the spear point here.


<translate> I saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> Grandfather saw the freshwater eel in the water.


<translate> The young man went by a shortcut.


<translate> We see the mulumu dove here.


<translate> The children all went to sleep after they had eaten the sweet turtle meat.

Karrkay-karrkay wubul wunan, wawu-nuka-nya-muny yalnga minya jiba-wula-wula.


<translate> When someone was leaving on a long and dangerous journey, the old man said, the family cooked them a special meal the night before, all their favorite foods, and everyone ate together and told the good old stories, for whatever happened out on the road, the traveller would carry the warmth of that fire and that meal inside them, and it would be a light in dark places.

Bama jilbanka kalbay dandinga baja dunganya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jawun-karra jananka mayi yukil wajun kunarangkal ngadiku, nyungu mayi wawu-mini wubulku, bama wubulku nyubunji nukan jangkar ngadiku yukil balkan, yamba wanya baral yaralba bungal, jilba-bama baya yinya mayi yinya wumbul dukurr-bu jarrakulbal, nyulu wula janayka bubu wujurrbu.


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


<translate> She carried the water home from the river in a big bark container held in both her hands.

Nyulu bana wawubaja-muny wundin bayan-ka dakil yalbay-mba, mara jambul-bu karrba-l.


<translate> The bloodwood tree is standing outside.


<translate> Do not chase the frightened bird about, the old woman told the children, let it be and sit quiet, and soon it will settle and come down close.

Buyi yararri baluda kanga, mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, balu bunda, janka bunda, nyiku-nyiku nyulu bunda-baja ngundu kaday.


<translate> The little child is like a small shadow of the old woman, always close by her wherever she walks in the camp.

Karrkay buban yala ngungul buban mukul-jalbu-mu, yinya ngundu wubulku nyulu jilba bayan-ba.


<translate> In the dry time the women gathered grass seeds in the open country and carried them home in big dilly bags.

Marralba jalbu-jalbungku jumul-jumul bangkan ngunnganga, balji yalbaymba wundin bayanba.


<translate> We see the little wallaby there.


<translate> I sat quietly on the rock above the pool with my line ready, watched the shadow of the big fish move below, waited until it came under me, dropped the baited hook right in front of its mouth, felt the strong pull, brought it up onto the rock, and then carried it straight home to my old grandmother.

Ngayu janka kulji wangkara bana dukurr-bu bundan ngayku wukurr yukil, kuyu yalbay wujurr bada murninya nyajin, bundan dukul nyulu ngayku badanga kadanya, minya-diburr nyungu ngandal ngadiku bada yijarrin, junkurr janka-manin nganjin, kulji-mundu wangkar-manin, yalada murni ngayku babi mukulnka jarrakulbanda.


<translate> The old woman's hands know the weaving, her eyes know the plants, and her ears know the old songs.

Mukul-jalbu mara ngunyin-mu binal, miyil mayi-mu binal, milka wulngku mukul-mu binal.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the wawukuna long wild yam there.


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

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


<translate> You saw the smouldering log here.


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


<translate> The child hears a song from far away.

Karrkay-ngku wulngku kalakalbay-mundu nyajil.


<translate> The kestrel hovers in one place beating its wings fast, the old woman said, its sharp eyes fixed on the ground, watching for a grasshopper or a small lizard.

Kalin-kalin bubu nyubun-ka nangki bila-bu jurrki-jurrki, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyungu miyil jarran bubu-ba wandi, jimu bajuy buban-jirr nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> The child has no cold; the child got well.


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


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


<translate> The old man shouted loudly across the wide river to call the two hunters home before the dark.

Mukul-dingkar yirrkan yalbay-bu wawubaja kalbay-burr, balbi-bama jambul bayan-ka yirrka-nka wujurr kariku.


<translate> The old woman without teeth cannot eat the hard, dry meat, so she eats only the soft sweet fruit.

Mukul-jalbu dirra-kari minya junkurr marral kari nukal, nyulu mayi jiba-wulay balbal nuka.


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


<translate> Learning has four steps and they are all walked, the old man counted for the impatient boy: watch first of all, then help, then do it with the old hands close by, then do it alone, and last of all teach it, for the knowledge is truly yours only while you are handing it to another.

Binal-mal nyulu jina jambul-jambul, wubulku jilbanmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka buban wawu-karrba-karinka milbin: nyaji-ngurr, yalada mara-daji, yalada murni mara mukul ngundu, yalada murni nyubunji, badaku milbi, binal nyulu yundumuny nganga yundu milbinya bamanka yindunka.


<translate> The elder sister carried the little child on her back.

Babarr-angka karrkay buban muku-ba jarrakulban.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> I planted the seeds in the garden


<translate> He saw the karrkurr frog here.


<translate> Do not cook the fish lest you spoil it.


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


<glossary> minji ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> The fire has a lot of flames shooting up


<translate> He saw the kurranday seagull here.


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


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


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


<translate> They saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> They see the barramundi here.


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


<translate> My bag broke. I have to make a new bag.

Ngayku balji kadaban. Ngayu balji jirakal balka-nka.


<translate> Grandad is happy — his grandchildren came to visit.


<translate> Grandmother sees the deep water.


<translate> Don't put the axe down in the grass, don't give your spear to a man you do not know, and don't sharpen anything at dusk while the eye tells soft lies, the old man said, for the laws of the axe and the spear are short, and every short law was cut on somebody's hand.

Kari warrbi yijarrika jikanba, kari kalka daya dingkaranda yundu kari binal, kari yamba junkurr-bunga miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, miyilbu kuku kima balkanya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, kuku warrbimuny kalkamuny nyulu buban, kuku buban nyubun-nyubun yakanmuny maranga bamamuny.


<translate> They saw the scarlet robin here.


<translate> You two saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> The old man said that the country gives everything the people need, if they take only what they need and always give thanks.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bububu dajil yambayamba jananda, kaki jana kanbal nganga manil, ngulkurr balkal yabarrka.


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


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


<translate> You all saw the dukunjulu golden whistler here.


<translate> You saw the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> Sing out if you see the storm coming.


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


<translate> We see the black bean tree there.


<translate> They see the kalburiji bee there.


<translate> You saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> The old woman said forgiveness within a family is not weakness but strength, for it takes a strong person to swallow their pride for the sake of the whole, and a family that cannot forgive itself will not survive to its grandchildren.

Wulbumanangka balkan: milka-wulay jawun-karranga kari junkurr-kari, yambada junkurr, bama junkurr nyungu wawu-yalbay nukanka jawun-karra wubulmu, jawun-karra nyulu murruji milka-wula-ji kari janay kangkalmu kangkalka.


<glossary> wawumal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> If you agree, we'll go


<translate> The old people made two kinds of dilly bag: a small one for seeds and a big one for fish; the small bag hangs on the shoulder, the big one on the back.

Mukul-mukulungku ngunyin jambul bungan: buban diburr-nka, yalbay kuyu-nka; ngunyin buban binda-nga wunan, yalbay ngunyin mudu-ngu.


<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> The old man who was sitting there by the fire told us the story of the great flood.

Mukul-dingkar yinyay baya karangkal bundanda-nya nganangan kuku balkan bana-yalbay-mu.


<translate> It takes many years to learn to read the country, the old man said, and the reading never ends, for the country is always speaking.

Bubu nyajilmanka wungar wubulku manil, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyajil kari dungay yabarrka, bubu balkal yabarrka.


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


<translate> You all saw the mayfly here.


<translate> Tall trees grew thick along the winding river, and the many green leaves shone in the sun.

Juku-juku kalbay wawubaja karangkal junkurr janay, birra jikan-jikan wubul balbal wungar-a.


<glossary> dikarr ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> Someone made mcdea sick with magic. The doctor took it out.

Bamangka nganya bambay-bungun, dikarrda. Doctorangka dikarr manin


<translate> The two of them see the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> The freshwater turtle is in the water.


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


<translate> The bad-tempered, angry man shouted at the frightened little children by the evening fire.

Dingkar buyun-ji, kuli-ji, yirrkan karrkay-karrkay buban yini-yini-nka baya ngundu wujurr-ba.


<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> The Moreton Bay ash tree is standing in the scrub.


<translate> They see the jalan sea urchin here.


<translate> Head, eye, ear, mouth, hand, and foot — the old man named every part for the listening children.

Dukul, miyil, milka, ngandal, mara, jina — mukul-dingkar-angka narmba kuku dajin karrkay-karrkay milka-janay-nya.


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He forced the child to go to school

Nyulu karrkay mambarrin schoolbu dunganka


<translate> You all saw the jimu grasshopper there.


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

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


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

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


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


<translate> The frog sang all night in the water of the swamp, and its song was everywhere in the dark camp.

Karrkurr wulngku badi wujurr wubulku daburri-nga, nyungu wulngku bayan ngungul-ba wubulku.


<translate> The black bean tree is standing there.


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


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


<translate> That man's moiety is walarr.


<translate> You two see the blanket here.


<translate> The child who is surprised by everything is rich; protect that fortune from tired uncles.

Karrkay ngangkay-ji yamba wubulkumuny nyulu yamba-ji: kuji daji yinya kalngamuny baja-burraymuny.


<translate> The willie wagtail is there.


<translate> At last the old man banked the fire, wrapped himself in his blanket, and lay down to sleep beside the warm coals.

Ngadiku mukulungku dingkarangka baya nandan ngunjilbu, nyulu kararrbu nandajin, wunan ngunjil wumbul ngundu.


<translate> Give the spear to him, and he will hunt for all of us.

Kalka nyungunku daji, nyulu balbi-l ngana wubul-ka.


<translate> Mother sees the rainbow here.


<glossary> yala ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's like his father.


<translate> You and I belong to this country; our two names are known here.

Ngaliny yanyu bubu-mu; ngalinyanga burri jambul yaluy binal.


<translate> There are a lot of clouds today.


<translate> Mother laughed at the child.


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


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


<translate> The two women were fighting, and they stirred each other up with a dance.

Jalbu-jalbu kuni-way, jana kuli-kanga-way jurbu-bu.


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


<translate> In the late afternoon the children hid and looked for each other among the trees and rocks near the camp.

Yilay-yilay karrkay-karrkay ngakijin madjanga, nyajilwan juku kulji ngundu bayanba.


<translate> The old woman knows which snakes are good to eat and which ones to leave alone.

Wulbuman binal wanya jarba ngulkurr nuka-nka, wanya bawa-nka.


<translate> That man is climbing the mountain.


<translate> We saw the jiljay grub here.


<translate> The children made too much noise by the fire, and the old woman scolded them and told them to sit quietly.

Karrkay-karrkay nyurra-baka baya-nga, mukul-jalbu-ngku jana murru-kangan, janka bunda-nka balkan.


<translate> You all saw the lightning here.


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


<translate> The children helped carry the stones and fetch the water, and everyone worked together in the shade.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mara-dajin kulji wundinka, bana maninka, jana wubulku kirrajin wabarrba.


<translate> You two see the tongs there.


<translate> Worry is grinding with no seeds, the old man laughed: plenty of motion, no flour, and your arms are tired at dark.

Wawu-buyun nyulu nyurrbal diburr-kari, mukulungku dingkarangka yajarr-man: murni wubul, mayi-kari, wakuy baja-burray wujurrba.


<translate> You all saw the jirabay lizard here.


<translate> The old man said the boomerang and the shield and the club each demand a different tree, and part of a maker's whole art is knowing that this heavy dense wood takes an edge, that this springy wood returns a throw, that this light wood floats and will not split, so before a single cut is made the true maker has already walked the country in his mind and chosen the exact tree for the exact tool.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan wangal kunjuri durray baja nyubun-nyubun juku yindu-yindu wawu-manil, murni-bama nyungu janka-yukil wubulku nyulu binal juku yinya junkurr dandi nyulu miyil manil, juku yinya badamal nyulu yilbay nyunbal, juku yinya buban nyulu marijil kari kakan, kalka nyubun murninya ngadiku murni-bama yukil nyulu bubu milkanga jilbanmuny manin juku nyubun kalka nyubunku.


<glossary> wubaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My feet are swollen


<translate> We, not you, saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> That small conical shellfish is there.


<translate> The children climbed up onto the big rock and looked down at the water.

Karrkay-karrkay wangkar kulji yalbay-mba dakan, bada bana-ka nyajin.


<translate> You see the baldy gum tree there.


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


<translate> You two see the nyamun natural debris here.


<translate> The seaside people ate the fish and the turtle, but the hinterland people ate kangaroo and yam.

Jalun-warra bama kuyu ngawiya nukal, yamba jibarr-warra bama mayarriji wukay nukal.


<translate> I saw the milbarkal tree here.


<translate> The boy set out alone for the first time to check his own small fish trap, walked the creek carefully reading the tracks, found the trap sprung and a fish inside, took it out proudly, reset the trap the way his father had shown him, cleaned the fish at the water, and then carried his very first solo catch home to be cooked for everyone.

Buban nyulu-nyulu ngadiku badan nyungu kuyu-jina buban nyajinka, bana buban-buban jilban jina nyajil, kuyu-jina kajanmanda kuyu dukurr-bu nyajin, wawu-minibu wangkar-manin, kuyu-jina yijarrin nyungu nganjan yala nyulu milbinmu, kuyu bananga karra, yalada nyungu kuyu ngadiku nyulu-nyulu maninmu bayan-mundu jarrakulbanda wubulkunka wajunka.


<translate> Uncle speared it as it jumped.


<translate> The children carried the fish back to the camp on a string of bark.

Karrkay-karrkay kuyu bayan-ka wundin dumbul-wukurr-bu.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Ngayu diburr manin Sisterandamun


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


<translate> He saw the barrbal black bream here.


<translate> They dried the fish in the sun.

Jana kuyu yijarrin wungara, marralmanka.


<translate> The dingo took the wallaby meat we had left by the fire, and ran off into the dark scrub with it.

Murramu minya kadar bama-ngku baya ngundu nanda-nya manin, madja ngungul-ka wanarrin.


<translate> They saw the kira baby girl there.


<translate> I do not know where my own digging-stick is, the old woman said crossly, for I set it down somewhere and cannot find it again now.

Ngayu kari binal ngayku baka-juku wanjabu, mukul-jalbu balkan kuli-bu, ngayu wanjabu bawan, kari-baja mani-nka.


<translate> We see the forest kingfisher here.


<translate> You see the small lizard here.


<translate> We followed the wallaby's tracks to the water.


<translate> The child saw the black bean tree.


<translate> The child put the stone in grandmother's hand.

Karrkay-ngku kulji yijarrin babi-nda mara-nga.


<translate> You saw the jimu grasshopper there.


<translate> How do you make the fire come right out of the two dry rubbing-sticks, the child asked, and the old man showed him the way very slowly.

Wanjarr yundu buri juku duna-kari jambul-muny ngalkal-ma-l? karrkay nyajin, mukul-dingkar-angka nyunguny jina binal-bungal janka bajaku.


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


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


<translate> The clothing there is not baggy.


<translate> The woman asked father about news.


<lexeme> {'english': "He doesn't do bad things (but) does good things", 'translation': 'Nyulu kari buyun-damal; nyulu ngulkurrku bunday'}


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


<translate> The little fish are rather many in the shallow water, the old man said, but very many in the deep pool, so set the net where the water is dark.

Kuyu buban jarra-wubul bana buban-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba wubul-baja-ku bana dajali-ba, makarr kaja bana ngumbu-ba.


<translate> The fruit on that tree is good.


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


<translate> That kalburiji bee is there.


<translate> Those bright stars there are two brothers who hunt across the sky forever, chasing a great emu of dark and stars.

Yinya dawar balbajinya jambul yaba, jiri wubulku balbil yabarrka, kurranji yalbay wujurr dawarji jirrkumanya.


<translate> The two sisters married two brothers from the other camp across the river, the old woman said, so that the two families were joined together twice over.

Babarr-jarra jambul yaba-jarra jambul bayan yindu-mu bana-jandu-muny dunyu-mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, bama-jarra jambul muru-ma-l jambulu.


<translate> That old man does not know the way to the far country; he has never walked there in his whole life.

Yinya mukul-dingkar jina bubu kala-kalbay-mu kari binal; nyulu yinyay kari jilban wungar wubulku-mu.


<translate> You see the daughter's child here.


<translate> When the black cockatoos fly north the old people know the cold weather is coming to the country.

Kadanji kuwa-nka marra-warri-manda, bama mukul binal ngiki-wungar bubu-ngu kada.


<translate> Grandmother came from the house.


<translate> The mother's brother is here.


<translate> You should have left the dog outside — the old man quoted the oldest growl in the language when the camp dog stole the meat, and everybody laughed, for people have said that sentence in this country for as long as dogs have followed people home, and they will say it tomorrow too.

Yundu kaya bawanyaku ngalkalba, mukulungku dingkarangka kuku mukul bajaku balkan, kayangka minya manin bayanmuny, bama wubulku yajarr-man, kuku yinya bamangka balkal bubungu yabarrka, kaya ngadiku bama wukurrinmuny bayanka, jana nyulu balkal wunkuny baja.


<translate> They heard the whistle sound there.


<translate> The women were afraid to walk in the dark scrub at night, for the wild pigs lived there.

Jalbu-jalbu yinil jilba-nka madja ngungul-ba wujurr-ba, bikibiki kuli yinya wunan.


<translate> They see the marril ti tree here.


<translate> The child wants to eat food.


<glossary> walngkan-damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The woman hung the clothes up on the line


<translate> Grandmother left the dog's food at camp.


<translate> You see the large bat there.


<translate> The children ran between the legs of the grownups, and no one minded, for at a gathering every adult is an uncle or an aunt to every child, and every child belongs to everyone.

Karrkay-karrkay jilbay bama yalbay jinanga, kari bama dukul-wuri, bangkanmuny bama yalbay wubulku karrkay wubulmu kalnga bimay, karrkay wubulku bama wubulkunka.


<translate> The man mended his fishing net all through the wet afternoon: he spread it out and found the holes, cut away the rotten sections, twisted new cord from the fibre, wove the cord back through row by row, tested each mend with a strong pull, rolled the net up dry, and then hung it under the shelter ready for the first clear morning.

Dingkar nyungu makarr murni-manin bana wungar dukurr-bu: nyulu naka-naka bawan miyil nyajin, kilba-manda dakan kudamundu, karra jirakal murni-manin, karra nganja-mundu wukurrin nyubun nyubun, murni wubulku junkurr-bu yilbal, makarr yaru murnin, yalada bayan-wawun bada walngkan-manin muduwaju jirakal ngadikunka.


<translate> He saw the baringkan small bird there.


<glossary> wunay ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=kinship <usage_example> The young man married the girl


<translate> The person here is experienced.


<translate> The men shared the dugong meat among all the families in the camp.

Dingkar-angka biwuy minya daji-wa-y jawun-karra wubul-ka bayan-ba.


<translate> He sees the kurubarr mangrove there.


<translate> You and I saw the birinjil centipede there.


<translate> You two see the deep water here.


<translate> I saw the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<glossary> kanyil ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> to sing a curse song


<translate> The young man went without a spear.


<translate> The dead person remembered his wife.


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


<translate> The old woman's last teaching about change was that a person should make peace with it, for a life is nothing but change from the first breath to the last, and the one who fights every change, clinging to each passing state as though it could be kept, suffers doubly, first losing the thing and then breaking against its loss, while the one who has learned to hold each state lightly, knowing it will change, and to meet each new change as it comes, walks through a whole life of ceaseless changing as through a country of endless and unfolding beauty.

Wulbumanangka nyungu milbil bada yindumuny nyulu bama yinduku kaka-kari-mal, wawu nyulu nganga yindu, wawu ngadikumuny wawu bada bajakumuny, bama nyulu yindu wubulku kuli-mal, karrbal nyubun-nyubun yamba jilba yala nyulu karrbanmuny, wawu-mumbu jambulbu, ngadiku yinya bada-manil yalada nyulu-nyulu dumbarri-ji bada-muny, yambada bama nyulu binalman karrbanka nyubun-nyubun yamba kima-bu, binal nyulu yindu-manmuny, nyaji-wayka yindu jirakal nyubun-nyubun kadanya, jilban wawu wubulku yindu bada-kari yala bubu jirakal bada-kari warmba-malmuny.


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


<translate> You all saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> You see the love handles there.


<translate> Listen! The old people are talking.


<translate> You and I saw the darrba grass wallaby there.


<glossary> wawu-daki ; type=adverb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He wants to live alone


<translate> We, not you, saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> The grandmother said: A person who does not know their kin is like a tree that does not know its own ground — it may stand for a while, but the first big wind will take it down.

Babingka balkan: bama nyulu nyungu jawun-karra murruji binal yala juku nyulu nyungu bubu murruji binal, nyulu janay kanbalka, yambada muyar yalbay ngadiku nyulu badaka manil.


<translate> They saw the kandal maggot here.


<translate> The child watched the old man while he cut up the big kangaroo by the fire.

Karrkay-angka mukul-dingkar nyajin, mayarriji yalbay yaka-l-yaka-nya baya karangkal.


<translate> That ground there is not lumpy.


<translate> You two saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> That dog is fast, but the wild one from the ranges is faster still, and no man in the camp can catch it at all.

Yinya kaya bila, yamba kaya kuli-baka jamba-muny bila bajaku, dingkar nyubun bayan-ba kari mani-l bajaku.


<translate> The children went up the tall tree to look for the sweet honey of the wild bees.

Karrkay-karrkay juku kalbay wangkar dungan, wunba jiba-wulay dabu-mu nyaji-nka.


<translate> They saw the warkal bailer shell there.


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


<translate> They saw the jila beeswax there.


<translate> That native companion is here.


<translate> They saw that marngkil ti tree.


<translate> Brothers and sisters do not marry one another, the old man said, nor do cousins of the same moiety — that is the very first law of all the people.

Yaba babarr-jirr kari dunyu-mani, mukul-dingkar balkan, bangunji mandi nyubun-mu kari-baja — yinya yalaku nyubun-nya bama-mu wubulku.


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

Ngamungku diyi nyangarrin kamba-kambanka.


<translate> The azure kingfisher is here.


<translate> I keep some food for later today.


<lexeme> {'english': 'The doctor man knows that woman will die'}


<glossary> balu ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I thought he came but he didn't


<translate> He sees the kookaburra here.


<translate> The mother shouted to the children from the camp, but she did not leave the fire she sat by.

Ngamu karrkay-karrkay-nka yirrkan bayan-mundu, kari baya-muny dungan.


<translate> The child saw the duck outside.

Karrkay-ngku nili-nili ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> You two see the running water there.


<glossary> yuku ; type=adjective ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> Bring all the meat home (don't cut it up and leave some)


<lexeme> {'english': "He doesn't do bad things (but) does good things", 'translation': 'Nyulu kari buyun-damal; nyulu ngulkurrku bunday'}


<translate> You and I saw the fish there.


<translate> They saw the biwul snake there.


<translate> In the good years the yams are many and fat, but in the dry years they are few and thin, and the people move on to the sea.

Wungar ngulkurr-ba bambayal wubul wandul, yamba wungar marral-ba bambayal buban kanbal, bama jalun-ka dunga-y.


<translate> On the island the men found many turtle eggs, filled their bags, and came home singing before the sun was high.

Burrira dingkar-dingkarangka diburr wubul nyajin, balji mumban, bayanba kadan wulngku badinya wungar wangkar jananyjiku.


<translate> "Alright," mother said, "you go."

"Yalada," ngamu-ngku balkan, "yundu dunga-y."


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


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


<translate> I saw you two at the low tide — both bags full!

Ngayu yubaliny nyajin ngajalba, balji jambul jakal-ji!


<translate> You two saw the bujabay tree here.


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


<translate> What are you sick with, old man? You look very tired and weak today.

Yundu wanyurrinji bambay, mukul-dingkar? Yundu bajaburray-baja niji.


<translate> You and I see the jellyfish there.


<translate> You see the mud oyster there.


<translate> The baby slept near the fire.


<glossary> kalbariji ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> If you eat the finger cherry, you'll get blind when you get to be an old woman

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


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


<translate> When the cassowary ran past, the hidden hunter threw his spear and struck it in the neck.

Kurranji warrinya ngundu, balbibama ngakijinmuny kalka yilban, jakay daman.


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


<translate> Do not touch the vicious dog, lest it bite the child.

Kari kaya kuli-ji karrba, karrkay bayka-nyji.


<translate> She washed the wound with clean water, and pressed soft leaves against it, and bound it up with a strip of paperbark.

Nyulu muja julurril bana dayirrbu, birra buban yijarrin mujanga, kajan buyku kalalbu.


<translate> You saw the kakaji mangrove tree there.


<translate> They heard the thunder here.


<translate> The big fish broke the line and got away.

Kuyungku yalbayngku badur dumbarrin, warrinda.


<translate> Grandad is weaving a bag from loya cane.


<translate> You saw the waterfall there.


<translate> You should have left the dog outside in the yard, not brought it into the house.

Yundu kaya ngalkal-ba bawa-nyaku, kari bayan-ba wundi-nyaku.


<translate> The old man came from my place with me; he stayed in my camp; I gave him my own spear; and he taught me the songs of the country.

Mukul-dingkar ngaykundumuny ngaykunji kadan; nyulu ngayku bayanba bundan; ngayu nyulu ngayku kalka dayan; nyulu nganya burri bubu-mu binal-bungan.


<translate> The old woman knows the season by the birds, the old man said: when the black cockatoo calls the wet is coming, and when the bower bird displays the cold time is near.

Mukul-jalbu wungar-jarra buyi-bu binal, mukul-dingkar balkan: kadanji yirrka-nya kaba kada-nya, jurriyan yanyul-nya bulur-iji ngundu-nya.


<translate> The old woman said the inner life must be tended like a garden: pull the weeds of envy and anger while they are small, water the flowers of love and gratitude, and be patient, for nothing good grows overnight.

Wulbumanangka balkan: wawu bubu nyajinka yala mayi-bubu: ngujan dukul-wuri yala jikan buban jananya wandi, wawu jirray wawu-mini yala nganka banabu daji, wunbu janay, yamba ngulkurr kari kunarangkal nyubunba kambal.


<translate> The old woman said the difference between a life with meaning and a life without it is not in what a person owns but in what a person gives, for she had seen rich people die empty and poor people die full, and she taught that the person with much to give and no wish to keep it is the richest of all, while the hoarder with everything is the truly poor one.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-ji-janay wawu-kari-janay yindu-yindu kari yamba bama karrbalmuny yambada yamba bama dayalmuny, nyulu nyajin yamba-ji-bama wulal jiba-kari yamba-kari-bama wulal jiba-ji, nyulu milbin bama daji wubul-ji karrba-wawu-kari nyulu yamba-ji bajaku wubulmuny, mara-kulun-bama yamba wubulku-ji nyulu yamba-kari bajaku.


<translate> The children never went hungry, for even when the hunting was poor there was always something to gather — a root, a fruit, a grub, a handful of nuts.

Karrkay-karrkay kari dakwuy yabarrka, balbil buban jananya baja yamba yabarrka bangkanka janay: bangkan, mayi, jambun, barka mara nyubun.


<translate> The policeman shot at the man while he himself was running fast, not the other man.

Buliman-angka dingkar kunin, wanarri-nya-mun-du jinbal-baja.


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


<translate> We hear the whistle sound there.


<translate> The boy practiced every day, throwing at a fruit hanging from a tree until his arm grew straight and strong.

Karrkay yabarrka kirrajin, mayi bubanka yilbanya jukungu, nyungu mara junkurrmanda yaral.


<glossary> kayal ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They eat raw meat


<translate> The man's mother's house is big.


<translate> The two of them saw the yirku-yirku frog there.


<translate> I saw the karrandal tree here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the dawa-dawa magpie here.


<translate> The old man said one good tree can be a whole camp's provider: its fruit and seeds are food, its inner bark makes string, its wood makes spears and digging sticks, its leaves make medicine, its dead branches make fire, and its shade and its hollow give shelter, so to know a single tree completely is already to know a large part of how to live.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan juku nyubun yukil nyulu bayan wubulku dayal: nyungu mayi diburr baja mayi, nyungu warrur dukurr karra bungal, nyungu juku kalka kunku-jina bungal, nyungu birra kalbal bungal, nyungu dakil wula-mabi baya bungal, nyungu wabarr dimbirr baja bayan dayal, juku nyubun bajaku binalka ngadiku wunay yala yalbay binalka.


<translate> You see the reflection there.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> They see the wankar tree here.


<translate> The dingo and the camp dog are cousins who chose different fires.

Murramu kaya-bayan jawun jambul: jana baya yindu-yindu manin.


<translate> The old woman said there is a question you should ask a very old person before it is too late, and most people forget until the chance is gone: not how are you feeling or do you need anything, but tell me about your life, what do you want me to remember, what did you learn that I should know, for the old carry a whole world that dies with them unasked, and one good question can save a piece of it forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku nyubun yundu babajil mukul bajaku ngadiku nyulu bada bajaku-mandanya, bama wubulku milka-wulan dukul wungar bawanya: kari wanjarr yundu wawu-manil yambada yundu yamba wawu-manil, yambada balka ngaya yundu nyungu wawu-kalbaymuny, wanyu yundu wawu-manil ngayu milkalmuny, wanyu yundu binalman ngayu binalmuny, mukul karrbal bubu nyubun nyulu jananji wulan babaji-kari, kuku nyubun yukil nyulu buban wula-manil bada bajaku.


<translate> You see the small ant bed 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> If the snake comes near, stand still lest it bite you, and call out so the men come with spears!

Kaki jarba ngundu kada, jana dandi, nyulu bayka-nyji; yirrka, dingkar kalka-ji kadanka!


<translate> The child could not sleep all night; her eyes stayed hard and open until the cold dawn came at last.

Karrkay miyil-dandi wujurr wubulku, nyungu miyil ngalkal janay wunkuwingku ngiki kada-nya.


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


<translate> The black scrub goanna is on the ground.


<glossary> wulman ; type=noun ; domain=weapon <usage_example> Where is your husband?


<translate> The old man found a honey tree by watching a small creature fly straight back to the tree.

Mukulungku dingkarangka wunba juku nyajin, minya buban nyajinya maku jukungu wandinya.


<glossary> mujal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> Ngayu baya mujan


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


<translate> The fire is there in the camp.


<translate> The father carried the tired child home on his shoulders through the dark scrub.

Nganjanangka karrkay baja-burray bayan-ka binda-nga wundin madja-nga wujurr-ba.


<translate> You see the waddy club here.


<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> The two of them saw the dakwurr-dakwun hammer bird here.


<translate> You saw the kira baby girl here.


<translate> The mother thanked the old people and said: the old ways still hold good, even now.

Ngamungka kamba-kamba ngulkurr balkan: yala ngadiku ngulkurr yabarrka, nyikuda.


<translate> Don't go with that drunkard; he only makes trouble for everyone in the whole camp.

Kari dunga-y yinya-nji kamu-baka-nji! Nyulu bama wubul-ka yamba buban-manil.


<translate> That old man is their grandfather; he taught them all the kin names.

Yinya mukul-dingkar jananga ngaji; nyulu janangan binal-bungan kuku-jawun wubul.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> he speared a fish with a spear


<translate> You two saw the junbirr lizard there.


<translate> We saw the makaji onion plant here.


<translate> You saw the jabarrangkul ant here.


<translate> The old woman said the country was the mother of all the people, feeding them from her own body every day, and that is why the people called the land their mother.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bubu bama wubulkumu ngamu, jana nukamanil nyungu bangkarrmuny wungar wubulku, yala bama bubu ngamu kunjan.


<translate> The children left figs on the low branches for the birds and the possums, as the old people had taught them.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binanji bawan dakilba badabada buyika yawaka, yala kamba-kambangka jana milbinmuny.


<translate> We saw the jingajalka tree here.


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


<translate> That marsupial native cat is here.


<translate> The man put the stone on the woman's foot.

Dingkar-angka kulji yijarrin jalbu-ndu jina-nga.


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


<translate> This old man is your grandfather, your mother's father, ngaji, and this old woman your grandmother, and from these two the whole of your mother's line flows down to you like water down a hill.

Yinya mukul dingkar yundu ngaji, yundu ngamumu nganjan, yinya wulbuman yundu babi, jambulmuny yundu ngamumu jawun-karra wubulku yundunka badaka bana yala manjalmuny.


<translate> He saw the barrbal black bream there.


<translate> You two see the fire stick here.


<translate> The old people watched the tide and the moon, for the biggest tides come at the full moon and the new.

Bama mukul yira kija baja nyajin, yira yalbay-baja kija yalbay-mba kija maru-maru-ngu baja kadan.


<translate> For several days the boy rested and kept the wound clean, and each morning the old woman looked at it and changed the paperbark binding.

Wungar kanbalka karrkay mara-kunban, muja dayirr kujin, wunkuwingku wubulku wulbumanangka nyajin, buyku kaja jirakalmanin.


<translate> When the big wind came, the old people tied the shelters down with cane and put the little children inside.

Muyar yalbay kadanya, kamba-kambangka bayan kajan yibuynju, karrkay-karrkay bayanba yijarrin.


<translate> The old woman carried the sleeping child on her back down to the water.

Wulbumanangka karrkay wuna-nya muku-ngu wundin bada bana-ka.


<translate> The women cooked the big fish on the hot coals, and then they shared it among all the families.

Jalbu kuyu yalbay dindan baya wumbul-ba, yalada jana daji-way jawun-karra wubulku.


<glossary> jarra-jarra ; type=adjective ; domain=dimension-size <usage_example> They were grown up in the head (mind)


<translate> We see the freshwater crocodile there.


<translate> The men set the big fish net across the creek and waited for the tide to go out.

Dingkar-angka makarr yalbay wawubaja-nga bundan, bana bada dunga-nya maku-janan.


<translate> Mother saw the bloodwood tree.


<glossary> karangal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man sneaked around to see if there was any meat


<translate> She would have carried all the water back to the camp, the old woman said, but she was too tired after the long day of digging yams.

Nyulu bana narmba bayan-ka jarra-kulba-nyaku, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba nyulu baja-burray bajaku bambayal baka-nya marri-muny.


<translate> The two men did not find any fish in the shallow creek, so they walked on down to the sea.

Dingkar jambul-angka kuyu kari manin wawubaja buban-ba, jana bada jilban jalun-ka.


<translate> Put sand on the fire lest it burn the grass.

Baya-nga jukar wuna, baya bilanji waju-nyji!


<translate> The friend laughed at the girl.


<translate> Grandmother taught the child to cook food.

Babi-ngka karrkay binal-bungan mayi waju-nku.


<translate> You all saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> The truth is heavier before you say it, and lighter after — carry it out.

Manubaja dandi-baja balkanka ngadiku, kima-baja badaku: wundi nyulu ngalkalku.


<translate> I saw the jayju kangaroo rat here.


<translate> The children carried these teachings all their lives, and taught them to their own children, so that the knowledge of the animals and the plants was never lost from the country.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kuku wundin wawu wubulku, nyungu karrkay-karrkay milbin, minyamu mayimu binal kari bubumuny kilban yabarrka.


<translate> You two saw the murraja stonefish here.


<translate> The men pulled the dugout canoe on the sand.

Dingkar-dingkar-angka marrakan jukar-a kulban.


<glossary> nyangarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He spilled the sugar on the ground


<glossary> jiray ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I have a craving for a smoke


<translate> Father saw the charcoal on the ground.


<translate> He saw the ngumbi bandicoot here.


<glossary> nganya kayi ; type=interjection ; domain=interjection <usage_example> Ouch! My hand


<translate> You all saw the balja food here.


<translate> He saw the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> The little boy grew up fast and became a strong hunter, and now he brings meat to the old people every day.

Warru buban warri yalbay-man, junkurr balbi-bama-man, nyulu minya mukul-mukulka wundil wungar-wungar.


<translate> The old people listened in the house.


<translate> The two of them saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> The old man said the children learn more at the fireside than anywhere else, watching how the meat is shared and who is served first and how the guest is treated and how the story of a hard day is told without complaint, and by the time they are grown they have learned the whole law of their people without a single lesson ever being named as such.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: karrkay-karrkay binalman baya ngunduka wubul-baja bubu yindu wubulmuny, nyajil yala minya daji-way wanyu ngadiku daya bama-yindu yala ngaral jangkar wungar dandimu yala balkan kari kuku-mumbubu, jana warru-mandanya jana binalman kuku wubulku bamamu nyubun milbil kari nyubun burri-bunganmu.


<translate> They two see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> The old woman heard a song from far away and told the children to sit quietly near the fire.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku wulngku kalakalbay-mundu nyajin, karrkay-karrkay-nka baya ngundu-ba janka bunda-nka balkan.


<glossary> wubaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My feet are swollen


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


<translate> A child lay sick with a hot forehead, and the old woman put her cool hand there and read the heat the way a hunter reads a track, then gave water little by little, kept the small body cool with a water-soaked cloth, and sat unmoving through the dark, for her old law says: when the body becomes a fight, the fight wants a quiet camp.

Karrkay wunan bambay munju wumbul-ji, wulbumanangka mara kiway-kiway nyungu bungan yinyanga, wumbul nyajin yala balbi-bamangka jina nyajil, yalada bana dayan buban-buban, bangkarr buban kiway-bungan kambi bana-jirrbu, nyulu bundan warri-kari wujurrburr, kuku mukul nyungu balkal: kaki bangkarr kuniway-mal, kuniwaynja bayan wunbu wawu-manil.


<translate> Dad is going out with a boomerang.


<translate> They saw the large round oyster here.


<translate> The old man said a fire is never refused to a traveller in the cold, not even to an enemy, for the night and the cold are older enemies than any quarrel between people, and to let a person freeze within sight of your flames when you could have shared them is a wrong so deep that the country itself would remember it against you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya kariku bawal jilba-bamanka kiwaymba, kari bama-kunika baja, wujurr kiway-kiway ngadiku-kuni bama jambulmu kuni-waymuny, bama kiway-wulal nyungu wula nyajilba yundu daji-nyaku yinya mumbu bada bajaku bubu nyulu-nyulu milkal yundumuny.


<translate> You and I see the duck here.


<translate> The girl saw the dog in the house.


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


<translate> The two of them went to the sea, and we two followed them.

Bula jalun-ka dungan, ngali bulangan wukurrin.


<translate> I go for a walk with the childless old woman in the cool evening.

Ngayu jilba dunga-y kangkal-kari-ji wulbuman-ji wungar bada dunga-nya.


<translate> The children learned to share their food without being told, and when one had plenty and another had little, they made it even between them.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mayi daji-way binalman kari balkanyjiku, nyubun wubul, yindu buban, jana jambulku nyubun-bungan.


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


<translate> The old man said the fastest way to lose a friend is to win an argument with them, and the surest way to keep one is to let them keep their pride while you keep the peace.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yala junkurr bajaku yaba kilbanka yundu nyulu kukungu junkurrmanka, yala yukil bajaku yaba kujinka yundu nyungu wawu-yalbay bawal yundu wunbu kujil.


<translate> The baby is sleeping — don't shout!


<translate> I put the paperbark in the shade.


<translate> I saw the yarrkay-yarrka group of children there.


<translate> The salt-water crocodiles lay very still on the muddy bank, watching the fish in the river.

Bilngkumu-bilngkumu daburri jalkar-a janka wunay, kuyu wawubaja-nga nyaji-l.


<translate> They saw the jadi goanna here.


<translate> You all saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


<translate> Turtle eggs tonight — the children danced on the sand!

Ngawiyamu diburr nyiku — karrkay-karrkay wurin jukara!


<translate> You all see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> The little dog went missing in the night and the children cried in the morning.

Kaya buban dungan kunarangkal, karrkay-karrkay badin wunkuwingku.


<translate> "Why did you go to that dark place by the river, and not to the good camp near the sea?"

Wanyurrimbu yundu dungan yinya bubu ngungul-ka wawubaja-nga, bayan ngulkurr jalun ngundu kari?


<translate> That marngkil ti tree is there.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> We see the black snake here.


<translate> The bloodwood tree is standing at camp.


<translate> I saw the maral-maral young girls there.


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


<translate> Keep it for seeds, said granny.


<translate> Stop it now! Don't hit the dog any more.


<translate> We see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> They saw the fighting stick there.


<translate> The children asked the old man if he was the wisest person in the world, and he laughed and said: No, I am only a person who has made more mistakes than you and remembered a few of them.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mukul dingkar babajin nyulu binal bajaku bubu wubulku, nyulu yajarrin, balkan: Kari, ngayu bama nganga, ngayu murnil wubul-baja yurramuny, kanbal binalku baja.


<translate> They saw the black kangaroo there.


<translate> The very strong man lifted the pig.

Dingkar-angka junkurr-ji-baja-ngka-ku bikibiki kulban.


<translate> When will the wet season come this year — the old people are watching the sky?

Wanjawanja bana-wungar kaday, mukul-bama-ngka ngurrban nyajil?


<translate> They see the crocodile here.


<translate> The woman put the fish on the ground.


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


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

Kaykay-kaykay nurra baka; ngayu milka-burray


<translate> You two saw the jandu starch there.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Ngayu diburr manin Sisterandamun


<translate> The woman laughed at grandfather.


<translate> You all see the barracuda there.