<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> He killed the wallaby thoroughly.


<translate> The singing voice is breath that has learned the corroboree, the old woman said before the dance: the chest is its ground, the throat its narrow road, the tongue and the lips its two dancers, so warm the song slowly at dusk, and it will carry through the whole night and never break.

Wulngku nyulu wawu malkarri binalmanmuny, wulbumanangka balkan malkarri ngadiku: damu nyulu bubu nyungu, manu baral buban nyungu, nyabil yimbi baja malkarri-bama jambul nyungu, yalada wulngku wumbul-bunga buban-buban miyil-wujurr-wujurrba, nyulu wulngku karrbal wujurrburr wubulku, kariku dumbarriji.


<translate> Tomorrow we'll go up the mountain.


<translate> The baby is tooth-with now! Two little white ones.

Ngawa dirra-ji nyiku! Jambul buban kambar.


<translate> You and I see the shin there.


<translate> Did you go with your brother? No, I stayed in the camp; I should have gone with him.

Yundu yaba-ji dungan? Kari, ngayu bayanba bundan; ngayu yaba-ji dunga-nyaku.


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


<translate> The green leaves of the tea tree make a good healing drink for a very sick person.

Bijin birra jikan-jikan bana ngulkurr bunga-l, bama bambay-ka.


<translate> You two saw the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> Mother saw the Moreton Bay ash tree in the scrub.


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


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


<translate> The men took firesticks and went into the dark scrub, calling the boy's name and searching for his tracks.

Dingkar-dingkarangka baya manin, madjanga walan wujurrbu, karrkaymu burri yirrkan, jina nyajil-nyajin.


<translate> The child broke the billycan.


<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.


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

Jana school children nakamun kadarin, bamangka wubulduku jananin yulmbarrin


<translate> The sand goanna is good hunting, the old man said, for it is fat and easy on the open ground, and the dogs run it down and hold it at a hollow log.

Jadi ngulkurr balbi-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu wandul bubu ngalkal-ba, kaya-kaya warri mani walmba janku-ba karrba.


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


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


<translate> You and I see the board there.


<translate> He cried out before he died.


<translate> The dukul-mukul lizard is here.


<translate> I saw a man with a spear and a woman with a dillybag going north.

Ngayu nyajin dingkar kalka-ji jalbu balji-ji, jana dungan kungkarrku.


<translate> They stayed at the camp for a long time. The next day they went.

Ngadi-ngka jana bayan-ba bundan. Wunkuny jana dungan.


<translate> That person there is careful.


<translate> The boy asked the old man: "What kind of bird called?"

Karrkay mukul-dingkar-anda babajin: "Wanyu-nguy buyi yirrkan?"


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


<translate> You and I see the lizard there.


<translate> You and I see the dilly bag here.


<translate> We will climb the tree there.


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


<translate> The plum tree grows beside the creek where the ground is always wet.

Kurruy juku wawubaja karangkal wunay, wanja bubu bana-baja.


<translate> The freshwater turtle is big.


<translate> The dog bit the old woman's foot.


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


<translate> That ground there is not flat.


<translate> He sees the dakaldakal trochus shell here.


<glossary> binju ; type=noun ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> tea that is too strong


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


<translate> They see the scorpion there.


<translate> The old man said the measure of a people is how they treat those who can no longer contribute: a people that discards its old and weak has already lost its soul, whatever else it may have gained, and a people that carries them has kept the one thing that matters.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyubunmu dandi yala jana ngaral bama jana kari dajil: bama nyulu mukul junkurr-kari kudamundu yilbal nyungu wawu ngadiku kilban, nyulu yamba yindu manin baja, bama nyulu jana jarrakulbal yamba nyubun dandi karrbal.


<translate> What is that bird calling out from the very top of the tall tree, the child asked, and the grandfather told him its name at once.

Wanyu buyi yinya juku kalbay wangkar-a yirrka-nya? karrkay nyajin, kami-ngku nyunguny nyungu burri nyiku-nyiku balkan.


<translate> They went on again through the scrub.


<translate> I saw the biru-biru rainbow bird there.


<translate> You and I see the dingo there.


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


<glossary> nganjar ; type=adverb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The child come to have some icecream (he didn't ask for it, just stayed to see if he would get some)

Nyulu karrkay nganjar kadan ice cream nukanka


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


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

Yundu jikan yanday-bunga ngayu juma yilbal


<translate> Mother sees the wild plum here.


<translate> You saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> He sees the diri-diri sandfly there.


<translate> You see the black kangaroo here.


<translate> I saw the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> Mother put the flower in the bag.


<translate> Far out in the dark and the rain, one of the young men saw the small light of the fire on the shore.

Kalakalbay wujurrbu kabanga, warru nyubungku baya buban nyajin jalun ngundu.


<translate> The old man said the country holds its old stories like a deep pool holds the fish: unseen, but there, and waiting.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: bubu kuku ngadiku karrba yala bana dajali kuyu karrbal — kari nyaji, yamba yinya-ba, bunda-nya.


<translate> You see the native cat here.


<translate> Where has the wounded wallaby run off to now, the hunter said quietly, reading the small dark drops of blood along the ground.

Kadar dama-nya wanjabu wanarrin niji? balbi-bama janka balkan, mula ngumbu buban jina-bu bubu-ba nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> In the long hot season the sun is fierce, and the people look for shade and water.

Wangariji-nga wungar wumbul-baja, bama wabarr, bana baja warrmba-bunga-l.


<translate> You all see the sandfly here.


<translate> You hear the sharp sound there.


<glossary> milka-wulay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I forgot about the dog


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


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


<translate> The old woman's last teaching about the plants was this: you did not make the country and you cannot own it, you were made by it and you belong to it, as the tree belongs to the ground it grows in, so live as the good tree lives, taking only what you need, giving shade and fruit and shelter freely, harming nothing you do not have to, and going back gently into the ground that made you when your season ends.

Wulbumanangka nyungu milbil bada mayimuny yinya: yundu kari bubu bungan yundu kariku karrbal, bubu-bu yundu bunganmuny yundu bubu-mundu karra, juku yala bubu-mundu karra nyulu ngundu jarralmuny, wuna juku yukil yala wunay, nganga wanya yundu wawu-manil manil, wabarr mayi bayan baja dayal, yamba nyubun kari mumbu-bungal yundu kari murni-manda, bubu-mundu kima nyunba yundu bunganmuny yundu wungar dumban.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


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


<translate> The little dilly bag is for the small things, but the big one carries the heavy load of yams.

Ngunyin buban minya buban-mu, yamba yalbay wukay kulngkul wundi.


<translate> That bukunjarra tree is there.


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


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


<translate> You and I see the blanket here.


<translate> Speak properly — I'm learning.


<translate> The old man took the spear to camp.

Mukul-dingkar-angka kalka bayan-ka wundin.


<translate> The bird is standing at camp.


<translate> In the morning grandmother cooked food.


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


<translate> He saw the spear point here.


<translate> The scorpion hides under the flat stone, and its sting hurts a person badly.

Biringal kulji bada-bada ngakiji, nyulu bama bambay-baja-bungal.


<translate> The old woman sat inside the bark shelter out of the heavy rain, weaving her strong dilly bag.

Mukul-jalbu kana bayan-ba bundan kaba kulngkul-muny, ngunyin junkurr bungal kaku-muny.


<translate> The father teaches his son to hunt and to make the spear, the old man said, while the mother teaches the daughter to weave the dilly-bag and to dig the yams.

Nganjan-ngku warru-kangkal binal-bungal balbi-nka kalka bunga-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngamu-ngku jalbu-kangkal binal-bungal ngunyin jaba-nka bambayal baka-nka.


<translate> Ahead of the walker walks his thinking; behind him walks his story — the man himself is just the join.

Jakalba jilba-bamamuny jilbal milkabu-baykal nyungu: kudamundu jilbal kuku-jangkar nyungu: bama nyulu-nyulu nyulu kaja nganga.


<translate> A man with no words and no truth is a man that the people will not follow or listen to.

Dingkar kuku-kari, manubaja-kari, yinya dingkar bama kari wukurri, kari nyaji-l.


<translate> The woman laughed at the girl.


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


<translate> I went before the wind came.


<translate> Where did you leave the dilly bag with the honey in it? I left it hanging in the paperbark tree by the crossing; no one will find it there but us.

Wanjabu yundu balji kawar-ji bawan? Ngayu buyku-ngu wawubaja-jalbu ngundu karrban; bama nyubun kari yinyabu mabil, ngana-nyubun.


<translate> We would have crossed in the morning, the old man admitted at the fire, but we slept long, and the river came up while we lay there, so we sat on the wrong bank for three days, and he told the young men: the river does not wait for a person while he sleeps, cross when the water says cross.

Ngana bana-baral dunganyaku muduwajuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bayanga, yambada ngana wunan kalbay, wawubaja wangkar kadan ngana wunanya, yalada ngana bundan jalkara mumbuba wungar kulurku, nyulu warru-warru milbin: wawubaja kariku janay bamanka wunanya, dungay bana balkanya dungay.


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


<translate> The young man came with a stick from the house.


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

Yala-yalaku jarramali kadan, nyulu ngakijin


<translate> Two old words name a person's ear, the old woman taught: ear-hard is the one who holds every story and every name, his ear like a stone that keeps its marks, and ear-less is the other one, in whose ear words never stand, they go like wind, so become ear-hard, my grandchildren!

Kuku mukul jambulbu bama milka kunjal, wulbumanangka milbin: milka-dandi nyulu bama kuku-jangkar wubulku kuku wubulku karrbal, milka nyungu yala kulji jina karrbalmuny, milka-kari nyulu bama yindu, kuku milkanga nyungu kariku janay, jana dungay yala muyar, yalada milka-dandi-maka, jija-karra.


<translate> The lawyer-cane top lay on the ground.


<translate> You fit well staying in the house.


<translate> Your country and my country drink from the same cloud — cousin-words, cousin-lands.

Bubu yunu bubu ngayku bana nukal ngurrbanmuny nyubunmuny: kuku-jawun, bubu-jawun.


<translate> Those old men always sit together in the shade and keep telling the young ones the old stories.

Wulman-wulman wabarr-ba muru bundanday, warru-nka kuku mukul balka-l-balka-l.


<translate> The man got fish at the sea.


<translate> When the eel was cooked, granny shared it out, giving the best pieces to the children.

Kubarr ngulkurrmanda, babingka dajin wubulku, ngulkurr bajaku karrkay-karrkaynka dajin.


<translate> The old woman said when a person comes to you in trouble the first question is never what did you do wrong but what do you need right now, for the time for the hard questions of blame and cause comes later, and a person bleeding or starving or terrified needs help first and questions after, so she fed and warmed and calmed the troubled one before she ever asked them a single thing.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama yundunka mumbu-mundu kadanya kuku ngadiku nyulu kari wanyu yundu mumbu murni yambada wanyu yundu wawu-manil ngadiku-baja, wungar kuku dandi mumbu-daji kadalmuny ngadiku-mundu, bama mula-badanya dakwuy yinil-ji baja kalbal ngadiku babaji ngadiku-mundu, nyulu dayan wumbul-manin kajan mumbu-bama ngadiku nyulu jananka kuku nyubun babajinmuny.


<translate> To whom did you give the biggest piece of the meat?


<translate> They see the yurrunji tree there.


<translate> Do not go down to the water now — desist! — the big crocodile is hunting there in the dark.

Balu! Yundu bana-ka bada kari dungay niji, bilngkumu yalbay yinyay balbi ngungul-ba.


<translate> You and I saw the kundurr-kundurr crescent perch there.


<translate> When they caught a bandicoot, the children brought it proudly to the old woman, who cooked it in the coals and shared the good meat among them all.

Jana kulngu maninda, karrkay-karrkayangka wawu-yalbay wulbumanka wundin, nyulu ngunjilba wayjun, minya ngulkurr daji-wan jana wubulku.


<glossary> yirri-damal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> My tank is leaking


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


<translate> He sees the red bream there.


<translate> The young man disapproves of fighting.


<translate> They saw the black bean tree there.


<translate> The old man tasted the fruit, then told the children it was good to eat.

Mukul-dingkarangka jidu nukan, niji karrkay-karrkay-nda balkan ngulkurr nuka-nka.


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


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


<translate> The old man said the happiest people he had ever known were not the ones with the most, but the ones who wanted the least and gave the most away.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama wawu-mini bajaku nyulu binalmuny kari bama yamba wubul bajakuji, yambada bama nyulu wawu buban bajaku, dajil wubul bajaku baja.


<translate> The old woman said a woman and the earth are one and the same: both give life, both are used hard, both go on giving.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: jalbu bubu-jirr nyubun yala-rrku — jambul-angka wawu dajil, jambul karrba-l bajaku, jambul dajil-baja.


<translate> You all see the scorpion there.


<translate> The old man knew all the country from the northern river down to the far sandy beach.

Mukul-dingkar bubu narmba binal, wawubaja kungkarr-muny bada jukar kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> After that, we go along the road.

Wawu-yinya-muny, ngana baral-darr dungay.


<translate> The children asked their mother when the men would come back home from the hunt.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka ngamu babajin, wanjawanja dingkar balbi-muny kada-y-baja.


<translate> When the flood came it covered the whole valley in brown water, and the trees stood like drowning people up to their necks.

Jalungkarr kadanya, bubu wubulku bana nandan, juku janay yala bama bana wulaynya jakay ngundu.


<translate> The old woman said envy was the sickness of comparing, and the cure was gratitude, for the person who counts their own blessings never counts another's.

Wulbumanangka balkan: ngujan bambay milbijimu, nyungu kakawarri wawu-mini, bama nyulu nyungu yamba ngulkurr binalku kari bama yindumu binalku.


<translate> The children ran ahead on the path, looking for tracks and calling out the names of the birds they saw.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin maku jinanga, jina nyajil-nyajin, buyimu burri yirrkan jana nyajinya.


<translate> The two of them see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> The old man did not speak, but sat quietly by the fire all night.

Mukul-dingkar kari balkan, yambada baya karangkal janka bundan wujurr wubulku.


<translate> The father and the mother and all the little children walked down to the sea together.

Nganjan, ngamu baja, karrkay-karrkay buban wubul, muru jalun-ka jilba-dungan.


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


<glossary> kinbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You got his attention to show him


<translate> I am going to the creek; you stay here and look after the fire.

Ngayu wawubaja-ka dunga-y; yundu yaluy bunda, baya kuji.


<translate> He sees the domestic turkey there.


<translate> I saw the jila beeswax there.


<translate> The pig is on the open ground.


<translate> The young man was bitten by a shark.


<translate> The young man was taken by a groper.


<translate> I see the seashell headband here.


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

Yundu jikan yanday-bunga ngayu juma yilbal


<translate> Uncle showed the young men the good fishing places.

Kalngangka bubu ngulkurr milbin warru-warrunda, kuyuku.


<translate> They saw the crescent perch here.


<glossary> ngunya-ngunya ; type=noun ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I imagined I got a knife


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


<translate> I see the wurarr-wurarr dragonfly there.


<translate> The queenfish is fast and strong and fights hard on the spear, the old man said, so hold the shaft tight or it will break away.

Balarri bila junkurr, kalka-ba kuli-ma-l bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan, kalka junkurr karrba, kari nyulu dumbarri wanarri.


<translate> The woman took the fire stick from the ground.


<translate> I see the giant herring here.


<translate> They saw the corkwood pine there.


<translate> The two women whispered quietly about the young man, but the old woman heard every word they said.

Jalbu jambul yayngkar janka warru-mu, yamba mukul-jalbu kuku narmba nyajin jana balka-nya.


<translate> We see the waddy club there.


<translate> Little sister found bird's eggs in the tree.


<translate> When the family moved to a new camp, they carried fire with them in a slow-burning firestick wrapped in bark.

Jawunkarra bayan jirakalka jurrkijinya, jana baya wundin jidinga buban-buban wajunya, dumbulbu nandan.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> The old woman showed the young woman how to carry: the baby sits high on the back, tied with soft cloth, its cheek at the mother's neck, so the two hands stay free for the work and the fire, and the child learns its mother's walk before it learns any word.

Wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin karrbanka: ngawa bundal wangkar mukungu, kajan kambibu kimabu, kangkul nyungu ngamu-mu jakaymba, yalada mara jambul janay ngalkal murninka bayaka baja, karrkay binal-mal jilba ngamumuny kuku wubulku ngadiku.


<translate> We saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> I thought the child would sleep, but he wants to play.

Balu karrkay warngku-wunay, kari nyulu wawu kinka-n-kinka-nka.


<translate> Branches fell from the tree.


<translate> You two see the cheek there.


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


<translate> You all see the goose there.


<translate> The white wattle is standing outside.


<translate> He sees the grass wallaby here.


<translate> The child saw the knife in the bag.


<glossary> ngujungu ; type=noun ; domain=manner <usage_example> I pretend/play I'm a horse


<translate> You two saw the spear thrower here.


<translate> Mother put the lawyer-cane top in the shade.


<translate> You all saw the spring here.


<translate> The old man said in-laws made a whole new web of relations at a marriage, for when a man married he gained a father-in-law and a mother-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and to each of these he owed a particular manner, respect to some, avoidance to others, easy help to the brothers-in-law who became like brothers, so that a marriage did not just join two people but stitched two families together with a hundred small threads of duty.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan dunyu-karra bungan jawun-karra jani-mabi dunyu-manilba, dingkar dunyu-mandanya nyulu manin ngalayin biwul, banji warrin, nyubun-nyubunji nyulu dayal yala yindu-yindu, yulmbarril nyubun-nyubunka, jibarr-jibarr yindu-yindunka, wawu-junkurr banji-nka nyulu yaba-mabi janan, dunyu-manil nyulu kari jambul bama nyubun kajal yambada jawun-karra jambul nyubunji karra wubulbu kajan yamba-yukilmuny.


<translate> My mother's father died, and we cried for him for many days.

Ngayku ngaji wulan, ngana nyunguny-mu wungar wubul badil.


<translate> You saw the marril ti tree there.


<translate> He sees the archerfish here.


<glossary> jinbal ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> Karrkay jinbal-kanga, ngana dungankada


<translate> We see the water gum tree there.


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


<translate> The lorikeets fill the flowering tree, eating and calling all at once, and the noise carries far across the country.

Birrbirr juku-nganka-nga wubul, nukan yirrkan wubul muru, kuku-yalbay bubu kalbay-mba dungan.


<translate> The two of them saw the kurrmaja larvae here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


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


<translate> He saw the jayju kangaroo rat here.


<translate> I saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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


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


<translate> We see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> He sees the kurubarr mangrove there.


<translate> The grass lay on the ground.


<glossary> walngkurril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You ask your grandmother for food


<translate> They saw the scrub tree here.


<translate> The mosquitoes were bad by the swamp. We lit a fire.

Kamu-kamu buyun walngkanga. Ngana baya wajunda.


<translate> Do not go into deep water; that is deep water.

Kari-ku dunga-y dajali-mun-bu, yinya dajali.


<translate> I see the shell back snail here.


<glossary> kana-baykal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm angry at you


<translate> My elder sister wove the dilly bag and gave it to me by the fire.

Ngayku babarr ngunyin bungan, nganya dajin baya karangkal.


<translate> You all saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


<translate> They saw the balmbalka tree here.


<glossary> manu ; type=noun ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> You buy only sugar, no lollies

Yundu manu sugar buyim-bunga, lolly kari


<translate> The old man said the most dangerous changes are the slow ones a person does not notice, for a fast change frightens you into action but a slow one lulls you, and so a creek slowly silting, a skill slowly forgotten, a young person slowly drifting into bad company, a custom slowly falling into disuse, can each go too far before anyone acts, and he taught the young to watch especially for the slow quiet changes that no single day makes visible.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu yinil bajaku nyulu yindu buban-buban bama nyulu kari nyajilmuny, yindu warri nyulu yundu yinil-bungal murninka yambada buban-buban nyulu yundu warngku-bungal, wawubaja buban-buban jukar-mal, binal buban-buban milka-wula, warru buban-buban jilbal bama-mumbu-nku, yala mukul buban-buban bada-mal murni-kariku, nyulu nyubun-nyubun jilbal dukurr bajaku ngadiku wanya murninya, nyulu warru milbin nyajinka bajaku yindu buban-buban wunbu wungar nyubun kari nyaji-bungalmuny.


<translate> Help each other carry the load, share the water between you, and do not leave anyone behind on the long walk!

Wubul mara-daji-way, bana daji-way, kari bama nyubun bawa jilbay yalbay-mba!


<translate> The grandmother said that is why the greatest work a person ever does is not out in the world at all, but at home, in the raising of children, for a person who raises one good child has done more for the world than one who builds a hundred houses.

Babingka balkan: yinyamu kirraji yalbay bajaku bama yabarrka ngaran kari bubungu yalbay, yambada bayanba, karrkay kamba-manilka, bama nyulu karrkay nyubun ngulkurr kamba-manilmuny wubul-baja bubuka ngaran bama nyulu bayan wubul bunganmuny.


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


<translate> After entering, the man sat down.


<translate> If you hit that dog with a stick, it will bite you.

Kaki yundu yinya kaya juku-bu kunil, nyulu yununy baykal.


<translate> The man came from there and came back to camp.

Dingkar yinya-muny kadan, bayan-ba kadan-baja.


<translate> They gathered mussels and threw them.


<translate> The old woman chased the dog from camp.


<translate> The child saw the fish in the shade.


<translate> He saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The child is not yet strong enough to carry the heavy water back to camp.

Karrkay kariku junkurr bana kulngkul bayan-ka wundi-nka.


<translate> The young hunter threw his spear with the spear-thrower and struck the big kangaroo out on the plain.

Warru balbi-bama kalka daman balur-ubu, mayarriji yalbay kunin bubu ngalkal-ba.


<translate> A boy watched his cousin get a fine new spear and felt ngujan, jealousy, a fat grub turning in his belly, and it made him cross with his cousin for no reason at all.

Karrkay nyungu yaba kalka jirakal ngulkurr manin nyajin, ngujan janay, kurran wandul jibara murninya, yinya nyulu dukul-wuri-manin nyungu yabaka nganga.


<translate> The marrabal ti tree is here.


<translate> You and I saw the deep water here.


<translate> The child ate the dog's food.


<translate> In the morning the men went to chop wood and split a big log for a new fishing raft.

Wunkuwingku dingkar-dingkar juku nyandanka dungan, juku yalbay yika-daman marrakan jirakalka.


<translate> If we have coughs, we break green ants and eat them.

Kaki ngana ngiki-ji, ngana yangka dumbarril, nukal.


<glossary> kalkandil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He jammed his finger in the door


<translate> They saw the bloodwood tree there.


<translate> You two saw the jandu starch there.


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


<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.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> Uncle hooked a big fish with the hook spear.


<translate> You all see the waral stomach there.


<translate> Whose tracks are these on the sand?


<glossary> yirrnga ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> When you have your labour pains, go to the hospital


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


<translate> They heard the rattling sound there.


<translate> The frightened kangaroo ran down the steep hill to the river and hid in the long grass.

Mayarriji yini-yini bada wanarrin jamba junkurr-muny wawubaja-ka, jikan kalbay-mba janka wunay.


<translate> You two saw the jangkan swift there.


<translate> My wife and I have three children, and they are all strong.

Ngayu manyarr-nji kangkal kulur, jana wubul junkurr.


<translate> You and I saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


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


<translate> The duck swims on the still water of the swamp with its little ones behind it, and goes under when a shadow passes.

Nili-nili daburri bana-nga maraji, karrkay buban nyungu banda-nga, bana bada-bada dungan ngurrban dunganya.


<translate> The hunter speared the big grey kangaroo at the edge of the scrub at dawn.

Balbi-bama julmbanu yalbay daman madja-ngandal-ba wunkuwingku.


<translate> You two see the large mud clam there.


<translate> The spider mended its net before dawn, without one complaint about the storm.

Malalbu makarr nyungu murnin muduwaju ngadiku, kuku-kuli-kari jarramalimuny.


<translate> He tied the sharp barbed point firmly onto the top end of the long spear shaft.

Nyulu biyul jinil-ji kalka dara wangkar-a junkurr kajan.


<translate> They both told the story a little differently, but the deep meaning was the very same, and both were true, the old man said.

Jana jambul-angka kuku-jangkar buban yindu-yindu balkan, yamba kuku dajali yala-rrku, jambul nguymal, mukul-dingkar balkan.


<glossary> dingkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> You knead the damper


<glossary> nganjar-nganjar ; type=adverb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He came to find out where they got the grog from (didn't ask, just hinted to find out)

Nyulu nganjar-nganjar kadan, jana wanjamun kamukamu manin


<glossary> wukal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He scared me, fooled me (told me there was a snake)


<translate> They see the jumper ant there.


<translate> You and I see the stingray there.


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

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


<translate> The children came home loud and hungry.


<translate> You and I saw the sand here.


<translate> You and I see the toadfish there.


<translate> Grandad took the children to the river. They swam and played in the water. Nobody wanted to come home.

Kamingka karrkay-karrkay wundin wawubajanga. Jana marijin, bananga kinkan. Jana wawu-kari kadanka baja.


<translate> The thunderstorm struck the cow.


<translate> The old man taught the young fellows to make spears.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru binal-bungan, kalka balkanka.


<translate> The old man said: do not let anger grow between kin; if a quarrel starts, the old people talk to both sides until they see each other as brothers again.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kuli kari yalbay-mal mula-mula-nya; kaki kuku kuli-man, mukul-mukul jambulka balkal, jana yaba-yaba nyaji-way baja.


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


<translate> We saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> You and I see the mungka-dirka fur there.


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


<translate> We would have gone hunting for wallaby at dawn, the old man said, but the heavy rain came down all day and did not stop until dark.

Ngana kadar-ka balbi-nka dunga-nyaku wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba kaba yalbay wungar wubulku daray, kari kunbayn wujurr-muny.


<translate> The old man said courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it, and the person who says they have never been afraid is either a liar or a fool, and probably both.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: wawu-junkurr kari yinil-kari, yambada yinil kujil, bama nyulu balkal nyulu kari yinil yabarrka janan, nyulu warmbijibama binal-kari, jambulku baja nguba.


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


<glossary> nbuyun-birrku ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I'll deliver it only once


<translate> The young man is now as strong as his father, and the two hunt the big animals together.

Warru nyiku yaykarr nyungu nganjan yala, jana jambul minya yalbay muru balbil.


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


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


<translate> The old man knew the kangaroo would come down to the water at dark, so he waited by the track.

Mukul-dingkar binal, mayarriji bada kada-nyaku bana-ka wujurr-ba, nyulu jina ngundu kuji-l.


<translate> The mother called you, but you did not hear her because a loud rustling came in the grass.

Ngamu-ngku yununy kunjan, yundu kari nyajin, jikan-ba yanja yalbay kadan.


<translate> The children washed the mud from their feet and toes at the creek.

Karrkayangka jina durru julurrin wawubaja-nga.


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


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


<translate> You two see the dulmbi umbrella palm here.


<translate> They saw us all at the camp and came to sit with us.

Jana nganangan nyajin bayan-ba, kadan bunda-nka ngananji.


<translate> The grandmother said: the pigeons come to the same waterhole every evening, so if you sit quietly in the grass before sunset, you can catch many with one throw of the net.

Babingka balkan: wabul bana nyubunbu kadan wungar-wungar, kaki yundu jikanba bundan wungar bada-nyjiku, yundu wubul karrbal nyubun makarr-bu.


<translate> He sees the murrkul tree here.


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


<translate> The young man practised throwing the boomerang until it came back to his hand each time.

Warru-ngku wangal mumal-mumal, nyulu mara-ka kada-ny-baja wungar wubulku.


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


<translate> The old woman knew every kind of ground by its comitative name: the sandy ground, the stony ground, the grassy flat, the muddy edge, the ground with vines and the ground with open woodland, and she taught the children that to name a country truly is already to half-know it, for the name holds what the place has and what it gives.

Wulbumanangka bubu wubulku binal nyungu kuku-ji: bubu jukar-iji, bubu kulji-ji, jikan-ji yaral, bada-ji, bubu kalal-ji bubu ngalkal-ji baja, nyulu karrkay-karrkay milbin bubu nyubun kuku bajaku balkanka yinya buban-binal ngadiku, kuku karrbal wanya bubu karrbal wanya nyulu dayal.


<translate> You all saw the jandu starch here.


<translate> The old man said each plant has its own time and place, and the wise person does not fight the country but eats what it gives, when it gives it.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: mayi-juku wubulku nyungu wungar bubu-jirr, bama binal kari bubu-nka kuli-ma-l, nyulu nuka mayi bubu dajin-nya.


<translate> The bones of the old kangaroo lie white and dry on the ground where the dingoes ate it long ago.

Mayarriji mukul bajibay balbal marral wuna bubu-ngu, murramu-ngka yinyay nukan-muny.


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


<translate> The old man said a quiet child learns more than a noisy one, for it listens instead of talking.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan karrkay janka jarra-binal karrkay kuku-yalbay-ka, nyulu nganay kari balkal.


<translate> The child keeps scratching his hand.


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


<translate> The girl laughed at grandmother.


<translate> You two saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> Come here to the fire and sit down, and I will tell you the old story of the great flood.

Kada-y yala baya-ka bundal, ngayu yundu-nka kuku mukul bana yalbay-mu balka-nka.


<translate> The heavy fighting spears are longer than the light spears the men use for fish.

Murrangkal kalbay-baja kulngkul-baja, kalka kuyu-nka buban-muny yindu.


<translate> The oyster answers every wave the same way: it holds on. Some knowledge is one word long.

Jululbu mulngku nyubun-nyubun balkal jina nyubunbu: nyulu karrbal dandi. Binal nyubun-nyubun nyulu kuku nyubun nganga.


<translate> The diwalngku migratory bird is there.


<translate> When the visitors left, granny gave them food for the journey and told them to come back in the cold season.

Jawunkarra dunganya, babingka mayi dajin jilbaka, balkan: kaday baja buluriji.


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


<translate> As the sun rose higher the fog thinned and lifted and burned away, and the green wet country appeared underneath, shining.

Wungar wangkar wandinya, ngurrbal bubanmanda, wandin, dungan, bubu yaru ngulkurr badil badabada, balbajinya.


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


<translate> I do not know where the digging stick is.


<translate> He called to the others and they paddled hard toward the light, following the fire through the wind and the waves.

Nyulu yindu-yindu yirrkan, jana birungubaybu junkurrku dungan baya maku, wukurrin baya muyarmuny mulngkumuny.


<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 jimalili lizard here.


<translate> We saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> We two, not you, see the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish here.


<glossary> yurru-janjil ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The mud sucked the legs down


<translate> The cassowary eats the fallen rainforest fruit and carries the big seeds far through the scrub, the old man said, so it plants the forest as it walks.

Kurranji mayi madja-mu bubu-ba dara-nya nuka, diburr yalbay madja junkurr-burr jarra-kulba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu juku madja jilba-nya-ba wandi.


<translate> I saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard there.


<translate> The man brought the shield from the house.

Dingkar-angka kunjuri bayan-muny wundin.


<translate> On the cold mornings the river wears the fog like a blanket pulled up to the chin, the old woman said, and the birds talk inside it unseen, so the fishers sit and wait at the edge, for the sun will fold that blanket back before the food fires ask for them, and a fish caught in the clearing fog carries the smell of two seasons.

Muduwajuny kiway-kiwaymba wawubaja kararr-ji ngurrbal-ji yala bama kararr kulbal bariku, wulbumanangka balkan, jarruka-jarruka balkal dukurrba nyungu nyajil-kari, yalada kuyu-bama bundal janay ngundu, wungarbu kararr yinya murnil baja mayi-baya babajinyjiku, kuyu maninmuny ngurrbal dunganya nyulu jila-ji wungar-jina jambulmuny.


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


<translate> The old man went for a walk.


<translate> The candlenut tree is standing outside.


<translate> I heard grandmother's words.


<translate> You all see the snail there.


<translate> The dog dug up granny's yams — she growled at it!

Kayangka babimu wukay bakan — babi yirrkan kayanda!


<translate> They saw the wangay vine there.


<translate> The frightened bird flew up into the tall tree and sat there calling in the cold dawn.

Buyi yini-yini juku kalbay wangkar marra-warrin, yinyay bundan yirrka-l wunkuwingku ngiki-ba.


<translate> That stinging vine is there.


<translate> You two saw the kalngkan small mullet here.


<translate> The children ate the ripe red fruit of the fig tree until their little bellies were full.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka baril-baril mayi kulbul nukan, nyungu jibar yalbay-baja.


<translate> We saw the deep water there.


<translate> This bandicoot meat is soft and good.


<translate> He sleeps when his body is tired.

Nyulu warngku-wunay, kaki nyulu bangkarr bajaburray.


<translate> The old woman said the mangrove is the nursery of the sea, where the little fish and the young crabs hide and grow among the tangled roots.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: kajul jalun-mu karrkay-bubu, wanja kuyu buban kiju buban-jirr ngara jarra-jarra-ba wawan yalbay-ma-l.


<translate> The fire burned all night; nobody was cold.


<translate> The person there is beautiful.


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


<translate> In the wet season the women went to the swamp to gather water lily roots and seeds for food.

Buluriji jalbu-jalbu walngkanga dungan, kababinamu ngara diburr bangkanka mayika.


<translate> You saw the ngurrkul fig tree there.


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


<translate> Bring firewood before you sit down to eat — that is the family's oldest exchange.

Baya-juku mana bundanka nukanka ngadiku, yinya daji-way mukul bajaku jawun-karramuny.


<translate> They saw the spiderlily here.


<translate> The old woman did not want to walk in the rain, so she stayed in the warm humpy.

Mukul-jalbu kari wawu kaba-nga jilba-dunga-nka, nyulu wurun wumbul-ba bundan.


<translate> The little bird that follows the honey-hunter and calls to lead him to the wild bees is treated with great respect, the old man said, for it keeps the ancient bargain: it shows the person the nest, the person opens it and takes the honey, and always leaves a good share of the comb for the bird, and a hunter who cheats the bird is never led to honey by it again.

Buyi buban nyulu wunba-balbi-bama wukurril balkan nyulu dabu-majaji-mundu jilbamanka nyulu yukil-bungal karrban, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyulu kuku ngadiku karrbal: nyulu bama janku milbil, bama kajal wunba manil, yabarrka mandi-mandi yukil buyinka bawal, balbi-bama nyulu buyi kulun-manil nyulu kariku wunba-mundu jilbaman jambulku.


<translate> At daybreak the child got up.


<translate> Where is your mother — has she gone down to the creek for water?

Yunu ngamu wanjabu — nyulu wawubaja-ka bana-ka dungan?


<translate> The old woman knew the cassowary was near when she found its huge three-toed track and the piles of dark seed it leaves behind on the forest floor.

Mukul-jalbu binalman kurranji ngundu-nya, nyulu jina yalbay kulur-jina-jirr nyajin madja bada-ba, diburr ngumbu nyulu wuna-nya-ba.


<translate> The children helped granny carry the bags up from the river.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babi mara-dajin, balji jarra-kulbanya wangkar.


<translate> Grandmother cooked food at camp.


<translate> That mujarr fig tree is there.


<translate> The wind hit the camp first, bending the trees flat and tearing at the humpies and throwing dust and leaves everywhere.

Muyar bayan damanyarr, juku bada kulban, wurun kunin, jukar birra yilban yiringkurr.


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


<translate> The man put the stick on grandfather's back.

Dingkar-angka juku yijarrin kami-nda muku-ngu.


<translate> The woman walked through the scrub.


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters got the house ready to build (leveled the foundations measured to see where the walls wouuld be etc)

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngurangurangan


<translate> They saw the black beetle here.


<translate> He saw the jadi goanna here.


<translate> The old woman cut up the big fish with a sharp knife chipped from grey stone.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka kuyu yalbay naybu kulji-mu jinbal-ji yakan.


<translate> They saw the biwul snake here.


<translate> You all see the creek there.


<translate> You all see the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> You all saw the jumper ant there.


<translate> The old woman saw the jealousy in the boy's face and said: Ngujan is a thief who robs you of what you have by making you stare at what you do not have.

Wulbumanangka ngujan nyajin karrkaymu walungu, balkan: Ngujan bama nyulu manil, yundu nyungu yamba kilbamanil, yundu yamba-karika nyajinya nganga.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He won't let me go


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

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


<translate> The old man said: the eagle sits high on the tree and watches the whole country; it sees the small animals far off, so it never goes hungry.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: yalngkurr juku wangkara bundan, bubu wubul nyajil; nyulu minya buban kala-kalbay nyajil, nyulu kariku dakwuy.


<translate> He saw the yarrka bee there.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> she washed clothes in the creek


<translate> You and I saw the bajarr fern leaves there.


<translate> The boomerang flew fast and straight through the air, and it came back to the young man's hand.

Wangal warri bajaku jinbal wangkar-wangkar, warru-mu mara-ka nyunban.


<translate> That person there is experienced.


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


<translate> You saw the wankar tree there.


<translate> The wet season is much hotter and wetter than the long dry season up here in the north.

Kaba-wungar jarra-wumbul jarra-kima marral-wungar-ka, yaluy kungkarr-a.


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


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

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


<translate> You all saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> The women are walking on foot.


<translate> The dog cracked the kangaroo's bone with its teeth beside the fire.

Kayangka mayarriji-mu bajibay dirra-bu dumbarrin baya karangkal.


<translate> The old woman's shin is dry.


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


<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> The girl asked grandmother about news.


<glossary> ngaral ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They spread out a blanket for the children to sleep

Jana blanket ngaran kaykay-kaykay wunanka


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


<translate> Grandfather washed his hand.


<translate> The old man washed the young man's arm.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru wakuy julurrin.


<translate> Grandmother got the bag from the house.


<translate> Grandfather takes a remedy for the road in case he gets sick.

Ngaji-ngka kalbal wundil baral-ka, kunka nyulu bambay-ma-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> By the end the boy hit the mark three times out of three.

Wungar dungan, yabajungku daman kulur nguymal.


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


<translate> Above, the water plans; below, it celebrates.

Wangkar-wangkar bana milkabu baykal: bada-bada nyulu yajarr-mal.


<translate> They saw the mawar vine there.


<translate> When the big tide comes into the mangroves the fish swim in among the roots to feed, and the crocodile waits there.

Yira yalbay kajul-ka kadan, kuyu kajul-jina-nga maraji nukanka, bilngkumu yinya-nga karrban.


<translate> You all saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


<translate> The cassowary is a dangerous bird, taller than a man, killing with its strong leg, so hunters are very careful.

Kurranji buyi yinil, dingkarmuny kalbay bajaku, jina junkurrbu bama yarkin-bungal, yala balbibama wunbu bajaku.


<translate> The old man said fire is the best of servants and the worst of masters, so be its keeper every moment, for the moment you forget it, it stops serving and starts to rule.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya kirrajibama ngulkurr bajaku, kujibama mumbu bajaku, yundu nyungu kujibama yabarrka, yundu milka-wulanya nyulu kirrajil bawal, kujibama-manda.


<translate> You and I saw the spring here.


<translate> He said it with the fire watching, and the fire did not go out — the old people counted that.

Nyulu balkan baya nyajinya, baya kariku wunbu-man: bama mukulbu yinya kunjan.


<translate> The hunter said the animals tell the seasons: when the grubs are fat, the yams are ready.

Balbi-bamangka balkan minya wungar milbil: jambun yalbay-nya, bambayal kulbul.


<translate> Mother left the fire stick in the shade.


<translate> They saw the baldy gum tree here.


<translate> The woman wove the dillybag from loya cane.


<translate> Go up onto the big flat rock and look down at the fish in the cool water below.

Wangkar dunga-y kulji yalbay-ka, bada nyaji-l kuyu bana ngiki bada-bada.


<translate> Never mind, we will go again.


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


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


<translate> Good rope takes patience and strong hands, he said, but it lasts many years and holds a man's weight over deep water.

Karra ngulkurr wunbu manil, mara junkurr, nyulu balkan, yambada wungar wubulku janay, bama dandi kujil bana badanga wuyar.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> The old woman said the same knowledge of plants that feeds a person can heal them, and that heals them can, in the wrong hand or the wrong dose, kill them, so the plant lore was always given with the warnings bound tightly to it, never the food-use without the poison-warning, never the medicine without the dose, for knowledge of plants without knowledge of their dangers is not knowledge but a loaded trap.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi-binal nyubun bama dayal nyulu baja kalbal, nyulu kalbal nyulu baja, mara mumbungu yambada wubul mumbungu, kunil, mayi-kuku yabarrka yinil-kuku junkurr karra-ji dayan, kariku mayi-nukal wula-kuku-kari, kari kalbal wubul-kari, mayi-binal wula-binal-kari nyulu kari binal yambada jina yijarrin-ji.


<translate> You see the didgeridoo here.


<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.


<translate> You all see the smooth rock there.


<translate> They saw the kalkamal locust there.


<translate> Grandfather's upper leg is sore.


<translate> They saw the whirlwind here.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> You see the hickory tree here.


<translate> The children saw the fire over there.

Karrkay-karrkayangka baya nyajin yinyay.


<translate> We see the mungka-dirka fur here.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said the hand that gives is never empty for long.

Wulbumanangka balkan mara daji-nya kariku kalbay-baja junjuy-kari.


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


<translate> How do you say he is blind the soft way? — Eye-without; or better, ear-with.

Wanjarr yundu balkal 'miyil-burra' kimabu? 'Miyil-kari', yambada yukil-baja, 'milka-ji'.


<translate> The old woman boiled the bush medicine leaves in water to heal the sick child.

Wulbuman dukunjaka birra bana-nga wajun, karrkay bambay ngulkurr-bunga-nka.


<translate> Keep the family stories in more than one head — a single fire can take a whole camp of words.

Kuku-jangkar jawun-karramuny karrba dukulba wubulba: bayabu nyubunbu bayan kukumuny wubulku manil.


<translate> You and I saw the flea there.


<translate> Two hunters who often shared their kills learned to read each other so well that they could hunt as a single mind, one driving the game and the other waiting, without a word passing between them.

Balbibama jambul jana yabarrka minya daji-way binalman nyubun-nyubun nyaji-way ngulkurr bajaku, jana balbin yala milka nyubun, nyubun minya wundin nyubun maku-janay, kari kuku nyubun jana ngundu dungan.


<translate> We see the marrka calm sea here.


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

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


<translate> The girl wants to go with her mother to dig the yams in the soft ground by the river, the old woman said.

Jalbu buban wawu ngamu-jirr dunga-nka bambayal baka-nka bubu kima-ba bana-jandu-ngka, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> We see the ground lizard there.


<translate> The children watched the moon each night and learned to tell the days by it, from one full moon to the next.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kija nyajin kunarangkal wubulku, wungar binalman kijabu, kija yalbaymuny kija yalbayka.


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


<translate> You all see the toadfish here.


<translate> The old woman said the shell of the trocus makes a good cup and a bright ornament, so keep the big whole ones and do not break them for the flesh.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: dakaldakal kajarrbi mayi-bana-nka ngulkurr walu-jirrbu balbal-nka, yalbay narmba karrba, kari dumbarri minya-nka.


<translate> The old people say the big grey kangaroo is like the boss of all the plain country.

Mukul-bama balka, julmbanu yalbay yala maja bubu narmba-mu.


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


<translate> The old woman prepared the medicine for the child's fever: she went out at dawn and gathered the right leaves while the dew was still on them, crushed them between two stones, warmed the pulp gently by the fire, laid it on the child's hot forehead and chest, sang the quiet healing over it, and then sat by the child all night until the fever broke near morning.

Wulbumanangka kalbal karrkaynka wumbul-buyunka bungan: nyulu muduwajungu badan birra yukil bangkan jangkarr jananga janay-mba, kulji jambulba dudan, wula ngunduku buban-buban wumbul-manin, karrkay nyungu ngunju wumbul jiba baja daya, kuku-yukil janka nyunga balkan, yalada karrkay ngundu bundan wujurr wubulku dukul wumbul-buyun kakan muduwaju ngundu.


<translate> The old man said the country has no roads of its own; every path was made by the feet of those who walked before, and every time you walk it you make it a little deeper, so that to walk the old paths is to walk with all the ancestors at once.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bubu nyungu baral kari; baral wubulku jina bama jana ngadiku jilbanmu bungan, wungar wubulku yundu jilbanya yundu buban bada-baja bungal, yinyabu baral ngadiku jilbanka bama ngadiku wubulku nyubunji jilbanka.


<translate> That country was once the old people's, before the strangers came and took it away.

Bubu yinya mukul-bama-mu-muny, bama yindu kada-nyjiku manin.


<translate> The child with seeds sat there.


<translate> The child saw grandmother up there.

Karrkay-ngku babi nyajin wangkarwangkar.


<translate> The children did not forget these lessons, for they were not taught in words alone but shown in the daily washing and healing and caring of the whole camp.

Karrkay-karrkay kari milka-wulan yinya kuku, jana kari kukubu nganga milbin, jana milbin julurri-jinga kakawarri-jinga nyajinga bayan wubulkumu wungar wubulku.


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


<translate> The bloodwood tree is standing outside.


<translate> You all see the flat rock here.


<translate> Did you get the lawyer cane? Yes, I cut it in the scrub by the mangroves.

Yundu kaku manin? Yuwu, ngayu madjanga yakan kajulbu.


<translate> The child wants to eat food.


<translate> You two see the spear thrower here.


<translate> Teach the child the ways of the country while you are still strong, the old man said, lest he grow up not knowing them after you are gone.

Karrkay bubu-mu balka yundu junkurr niji-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu binal-kari yalbay-ma-nyji yundu wula-nya-muny.


<translate> The hunter followed the tracks far inland, away from the sea and up into the hills.

Balbi-bama jina wukurri-l jibarr kalbay-ka, jalun-muny wangkar manjal-ka.


<translate> The old woman gave her dead husband's good dilly bag to their eldest young son.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka nyungu dunyu wula-nya-mu ngunyin ngulkurr warru jangkar-ka dajin.


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


<translate> Whose turn to carry the axe? It bites the back after the third climb.

Wanyamuny jinanji warrbi wundinka? Nyulu muku bakal dakal kulurmuny.


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


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


<translate> You all see the barracuda here.


<translate> You see the nikar oyster there.


<translate> The old man knew how to make every weapon: the spear, the boomerang, the club, and the shield.

Mukul-dingkar-angka binal, kalka wangal mirru kunjuri narmba bunga-nka.


<translate> The branches on the tree are hard.


<translate> You all see the kurrburrubun magpie there.


<glossary> nganjar-nganjar ; type=adverb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He came to find out where they got the grog from (didn't ask, just hinted to find out)

Nyulu nganjar-nganjar kadan, jana wanjamun kamukamu manin


<translate> You and I see the grasshopper here.


<translate> You and I see the shin here.


<translate> In the rain, the ground was unexpectedly slippery.


<translate> You two see the kambar white clay here.


<translate> You and I saw the murraja stonefish there.


<translate> The grandmother said the worst thing a person can do is turn against their own brother or sister, for it breaks the bond that holds them both, and a person who will betray their own blood can be trusted by no one.

Babingka balkan: yamba mumbu bajaku bamamu nyulu nyungu yaba babarr kudamundu murninka, yinya kaji jambulku karrbal kaka-manil, bama nyulu nyungu jawun-karra kilbamanil kari bamabu manu-baja-bunganka.


<translate> The saltwater crocodile is in the water.


<translate> Wash your hands before eating!


<translate> The rain stopped for a while and then began again, harder than before, and the old man said the wet season was not yet finished.

Kaba wula buban-buban, yinyamun yudal-baja, kulngkul bajaku kalbay-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan kaba wungar-iji kunbayn kariku.


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I don't know what to tell


<translate> The old woman's final teaching was a question she left the children to carry all their lives, refusing ever to answer it for them: when you are as old as I am now, and a child sits at your fire and asks you what the whole of your life has taught you, what will you say, and are you living now in such a way that you will have a good answer, for that question, asked of yourself every night, is the truest compass there is.

Wulbumanangka nyungu milbil bada nyulu kuku bawan karrkay-karrkay jarrakulbalka wawu wubulku, kariku bawal kuku-yukil-manil jananka: yundu mukul yala ngayu nyiku-manda, karrkay yundu baya ngunduku bundal babajil yundu wanyu yundu wawu wubulku milbinmuny, wanyu yundu balkal, yundu wunay nyiku yala yundu kuku-yukil yukil karrbalmuny, yinya kuku, nyulu-nyulu babajin nyubun-nyubun wujurr, nyulu jina-yukil kuku-yukil bada bajaku janan.


<translate> Granny is teaching the girls about the bark.

Babingka maral-maral binal-bungal dubalka.


<translate> That mujarr fig tree is here.


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


<translate> He saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> The two young men scolded each other over the broken spear.

Warru jambul murru-kanga-way, kalka dumbarrin-muny.


<translate> You and I see the moon here.


<translate> The flying foxes fill the fig trees at dusk and screech all through the night.

Kambi wubul dukal-juku-ngu kada-l wungar bada dunga-nya, yirrkay wujurr wubulku.


<translate> You all see the mirrki kidney bird there.


<translate> The wild dog bit the young man.


<translate> The old man said the country holds its old stories like a deep pool holds the fish: unseen, but there, and waiting.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: bubu kuku ngadiku karrba yala bana dajali kuyu karrbal — kari nyaji, yamba yinya-ba, bunda-nya.


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


<translate> She carried the sleeping baby against her warm chest, holding it close and gentle.

Nyulu ngawa wuna-nya damu wumbul-ba karrban, ngundu-baja ngulkurr baja.


<translate> You see the buyukal tree here.


<translate> You two see the liver there.


<translate> The woman sees the open ground.


<glossary> jiba-yararri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> He's frightened because people are fighting


<translate> The old man said the young are always in a hurry to arrive, but arriving is the smallest part of a journey; the journey itself is the walking, the seeing, the meeting on the road, and the one who only wants to arrive has already missed the best of it.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: warru yabarrka warri kadanka, yambada kaday jilbalmu buban bajaku; jilbal nyulu jilbay, nyajil, nyaji-way baralba, bama nyulu nganga kaday wawu nyulu jilbal yukil bajaku kilba-baja.


<translate> You two saw the murramu dingo here.


<translate> At night there were many stars.


<translate> The woman put the fire stick outside.


<translate> Greedy has three words and not one of them is hungry, the old man taught: durrbal the grabber, jumbun the never-full, waral-dandi the hard-stomach who eats alone — hunger is honest work, but greed is hunger that lost its manners.

Bama durrbal, bama jumbun, bama waral-dandi, kuku kulur jana, dakwuy kari nyubun janamuny, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin: dakwuy nyulu murni yukil, yambada jumbun nyulu dakwuy murni-yukil bada-maninmuny.


<translate> You and I see the rain here.


<translate> The relatives did not say his name.

Jawun-karra-ngku nyungu burri kari balkan.


<translate> The old grandmother's hands were bent and slow with age now, the old woman said, but she could still weave the very finest dilly-bag of anyone in the whole camp.

Babi mukul-mu mara duku niji, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba nyulu ngunyin ngulkurr bajaku jaba bama wubulku-muny bayan-ba.


<translate> The scrub turkey is standing at camp.


<translate> Two vicious dogs stayed at camp.


<translate> Mother saw the rope on the ground.


<translate> You saw the bujil-yiran ibis there.


<translate> The cold water was sweet in the hunter's throat after the long walk.

Bana ngiki jiba-wula-wula balbi-bama-mu manu-ngu, jilba-l kalbay-muny.


<translate> You see the turtle spear point there.


<translate> Teach the children the language — they'll keep it strong.

Karrkay-karrkay binal-bunga kukuku — jana junkurrku kujil!


<glossary> walkandu ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't talk in English


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


<translate> That star comes up before the sun.


<translate> The old man said, people eat around at food, but a person eats one piece of food directly.

Mukul-dingkar balkan, bama mayi-nga nuka-n-nuka-ji, yamba bama-ngku mayi nyubun nuka-l.


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


<translate> I am sorry for the very sick child.

Ngayu jiba-badi karrkay-anka bambay-baja-nka-ku.


<translate> You all saw the dilly bag there.


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


<translate> You two saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> The old man went up to get the spear.

Mukul-dingkar wangkar dungan kalka mani-nka.


<translate> The old man said: Never fight a person you cannot afterward forgive, and never say in anger a thing you cannot later unsay, for the body heals but the word remembered festers, and a people that cannot forgive each other tears itself apart from within.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Kari bama kuni nyulu yundu kudamundu milka-wula murruji, kari dukul-wuringa balka kuku yundu kudamundu murni murruji, bangkarr kakawarri-manda yambada kuku binalkumu mumbu-baja-manda, bama nyulu murruji milka-wula-way nyulu-nyulu dukurrmuny kaka-manil.


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


<translate> You two saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> The children found the sweet honey and ate it happily by the fire.

Karrkay wunba jiba-wula-wula milbin, nukal ngulkurr baya karangkal.


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


<translate> You saw the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> Grandfather put the fish net in the bag.


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


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


<translate> We see the fresh water snake here.


<translate> That dog never wandered at night again.


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


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


<translate> The stinging vine stands in the scrub.


<translate> You two see the possum there.


<translate> The brolga and the native companion look almost the same, but the old woman knows them apart by their dance and their call.

Kulbal kurrbal jambul nyubun yala nyajil, yambada wulbuman binal jana-nya nyungu wuri kuku baja.


<translate> At dawn Dad got up. He went to the sea. He caught a lot of fish and came back home.

Muduwajuny nganjan wandin. Nyulu jalunbu dungan. Nyulu kuyu wubul manin, bayanba kadan baja.


<translate> You two saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> The old man speared the goanna in the tree and shared the meat with everyone.

Mukul-dingkarangka jadi daman juku-ngu, minya daji-way wubulku.


<translate> Granny called them out before dark, dried them by the fire, and combed the water from their hair.

Babingka jananda yirrkan wujurrmanyjiku, bayanga marralbungan, mungkamuny bana kulban.


<translate> Mother washed the clothing at the creek.


<translate> The cassowary is heavier than the brolga, so two men are needed to carry it back to the camp.

Kurranji jarra-kulngkul kulbal-ka, dingkar jambul wawu nyulu bayan-ka wundinka.


<translate> I went along the road, and father followed me.

Ngayu baral-darr dungan, nganjan-angka nganya wukurrin.


<translate> He sees the red bream there.


<translate> The dog kept running back and forth along the riverbank, barking, for it had smelled something moving in the tall grass.

Kaya wanarri wawubaja wangkar bada-bada, yirrka-yirrka, nyulu junjuy nyaji jikan kalbay-mba jilba-nya.


<translate> The old woman said the kin-web told each person exactly where they stood and what was owed in every direction, and this was not a cage but a kind of safety, for a person always knew their place, always had somewhere to turn, always understood how to act, and she said the whitefella world, where a person might have no clear kin and no fixed place and must invent their whole standing alone, seemed to her a lonely and frightening way to live.

Wulbumanangka balkan jawun-karra jananka balkan yala nyubun-nyubun janan wanyu dayal yindu-yindu jinanga, yinya kari bayan-karra yambada wumbul-yamba, bama nyulu nganga binal nyungu jarray, nganga karrbal wanja wandimanka, nganga milkabu baykan yala murninka, nyulu balkan waybala nyungu bubu, wanja bama nyulu karra-kari bubu-karra-kari nyulu nyungu jarray wubulku bungal nganga, nyungunka nyulu nganga-yamba yinil-yamba wunay-baja.


<translate> Father dropped the stone on mother's foot.

Nganjan-angka kulji daray-manin ngamu-ndu jina-nga.


<translate> We see the mingur tree here.


<translate> You saw the barka snake there.


<translate> The old man taught the boy every bird's call, so that even in the thick scrub with his eyes shut he could name each one by its voice alone.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay buyi wubulku-mu yirrka balkan, madja junkurr-ba miyil nandal-nya-ba nyulu buyi nyubun-nyubun yirrka-bu nyubun-bu burri.


<translate> Mother left the grass in the shade.


<translate> That mungka-mungka tree is there.


<translate> They see the grasshopper here.


<translate> You and I see the bandicoot here.


<translate> Every animal wears its name like a track, the old woman taught listening: kururrungka laughs inside its own word, nili-nili paddles in it, walbul-walbul flutters in it — say the names aloud and hear the makers walking.

Minya nyubun-nyubun burri wundil yala jina, wulbumanangka milka-jananka milbin: 'kururrungka' yajarr-mal kukungu nyungu-nyungungu, 'nili-nili' marajil yinyanga, 'walbul-walbul' warril yinyanga: burri balka junkurrbu, bunga-bama milka-janay jilbanya.


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


<translate> We see the casuarina pine there.


<translate> The old man told of the making of the country, and the children listened with wide eyes and open mouths.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bubu ngaranmuny, karrkay-karrkay milka-janan miyil yalbaymba ngandal badinya.


<translate> Homesickness came for grandfather in the hospital, and he took as medicine the country names the visitors brought.

Bilamal kadan kaminka hospital-ba, nyulu kalbal manin: burri bubumuny, bama kadanmunybu wundinmuny.


<translate> The frill-necked lizard opens its neck wide to frighten the dog away.

Binanjal nyungu kunkun yalbay-bungal, kaya yinil-bunga-nka.


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


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


<translate> And so the family came home to the hill country, as they had every year since the first old people walked there.

Yalaku jawunkarra bayanba kadan bubu manjalka, yala wungar wubulku, kamba-kamba ngadiku jilba dunganmuny.


<translate> The many snakes came out in the wet season and moved through the long, wet green grass.

Jarba-jarba kaba-wungar-a kadan, jikan duna kalbay-burr jilba-nya wubul.


<translate> You and I see the kambar white clay there.


<translate> The charcoal lay in the bag.


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

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


<translate> They chopped and split all morning, and the sound of the axes carried far across the water.

Jana nyandan yika-daman wunkuwingku wubulku, waymbilmu kuku kalakalbay dungan bananga.


<translate> They went across to the island for turtle eggs.

Jana burrira dungan, ngawiyamu diburrku.


<translate> The old man still keeps his dead father's fighting spear, wrapped in soft paperbark.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu nganjan wula-nya-mu murrangkal karrban, warrur kima-ba kajan.


<translate> The turning of each season told the people where to go and what to gather, so no one who read the country well ever went hungry.

Wungar wubulku murninya bama milbin wanjaka dungay, wanya bangkal, kari bama dakwuy nyulu bubu ngulkurr nyajil.


<translate> You two see the jumper ant there.


<translate> The old man said the fog was the breath of the country sleeping, and it would lift when the sun woke it, and it did.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: ngurrbal bubumu wawu warngku wunanya, wandinyjiku wungarbu wandimananya, yala kadan.


<translate> The two of them saw the yiki owl here.


<translate> You all see the possum there.


<glossary> yimarr-yiman ; type=adjective ; domain=body-part <usage_example> That man has a round face


<translate> You two see the mura tree here.


<translate> I see the corkwood tree here.


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

Karrkay-ngku mukul-dingkar dukul nyajin.


<translate> You see the newly cleared scrub here.


<translate> He saw the bujil-yiran ibis there.


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


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


<translate> Dad got the rifle and went out for pigs.

Nganjanangka marrkin manin, bikibikinga dungan.


<translate> The scrub hen scratches in the fallen leaves and heaps up a big mound for her eggs.

Jarruka-ngka birra dara-nya baka-l, diburr-ku bubu yalbay bunga-l.


<translate> In the morning we'll go out for fish.


<glossary> wawu-juljal ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He is at the dead person's wharf

Nyulu bada wawu-juljalandamunbu wharfmunbu


<translate> The stick lay on the ground.


Ngayu jalbu nyajin, wulngku badi-badi-nya.


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


<translate> The old man said a forest is not a crowd of separate trees but one connected thing, for the big trees shelter the small, the vines tie the canopy together, the fallen leaves feed the roots of all, and the fungus threads the whole ground below, so he taught the boys to see the forest as a single living being that must be kept whole, never stripped bare in one place.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan majaji nyulu kari juku yindu-yindu wubul yambada yamba nyubun nyubun-manda, juku yalbay buban wabarr-manil, kalal juku-dukurr nyubun-manil, birra badanmuny bangkan wubulku dayal, bangkan bubu wubulku bada nyubun-manil, nyulu warru-warru milbin majaji nyaji nyubun wula-mabi yala nyulu nyubunku karrbanka, kariku nyubun bubungu janga-manin.


<translate> As a young man my father used to go hunting the kangaroo every day, and he always came home with meat.

Ngayku nganjan warru-nyja-ku mayarriji-ka balbi dunga-l-dunga-n wungar wubulku, minya-jirr kankadan.


<translate> The children came to that place.


<translate> The night owl called from the dark tree, the flying foxes screeched overhead, and the whole camp was full of the sounds of the bush at night.

Kalkuy jukungu wujurrbu balkan, kambi wangkara yirrkan, bayan wubul kuku madjamuny wujurrbu yajin.


<translate> The old man walked with the young boy a short way along the track, then turned back to the camp.

Mukul-dingkar barrman karrkay warru jina-burr buban, nyunban bayan-ka baja.


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


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


<translate> The woman saw the old man's back.


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


<translate> Many plant shoots are there.


<translate> We see the kurrburrubun magpie here.


<translate> The children were told never to go far away alone into the deep dark scrub.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka balkan kari kala-kalbay nyubun-bu madja dukurr-ka dunga-y.


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


<glossary> balbay ; type=noun ; domain=sky-weather <usage_example> Lighting might strike


<translate> They dug the ground oven open again, and a good smell came.

Jana kurrma bakan baja, nganja ngulkurr kadan.


<translate> The river runs down from the high country to the wide sea through the deep, dark scrub.

Wawubaja bada wanarri bubu wangkar-muny jalun kalbay-ka, madja ngungul dajali-burr.


<translate> We, not you, saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


<translate> The grandmother made the sick child well again: she warmed him by the fire, made him drink the medicine, and sang until he slept.

Babingka karrkay bambay kakawarri-bungan: nyulu kunjinba wumbul-bungan, mayi nuka-manin, burri balkan nyulu wuna-nyjiku.


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


<translate> The mother carries her baby on her hip all the long day, the old woman said, and never sets it down far away from her.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay buban karrba muku-ba wungar narmba, mukul-jalbu balkan, kari nyubun-bu bubu-ba wandi kala-kalbay nyungu-muny.


<translate> The children learned to clean the fish by the water, scraping off the scales and then cutting the fish.

Karrkay binalman kuyu ngulkurr-bungalka bana karangkal, jindi yakal, yalada kuyu yakan.


<translate> We saw the kalbawurr cypress-pine pitch here.


<translate> The base of the big tree is wide and strong, and the green ants live all over it.

Juku yalbay dingal kalbay junkurr, munjurr wubul nyungu-ba wunay.


<translate> They lit the ground oven and put the meat in it.

Jana kurrma wajun, minya kurrma-nga yijarrin.


<translate> The hunter threw three straight spears, but the fast kangaroo was hit by only one of them.

Balbi-bama kalka jinbal kulur daman, mayarriji jinbal nyubun-bu kunin.


<translate> The old man's neck was thin and his throat was dry, so he drank the cool water slowly.

Mukul-dingkar jakay buban manu marral, nyulu bana ngiki buban-buban nukan.


<translate> You two see the king parrot there.


<translate> They saw the snake at the camp.


<translate> The kuray-kuray tree is there.


<translate> Father sees the wild plum there.


<translate> We turned back from the water.


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


<translate> We see the grandfather here.


<translate> Who made all these fresh tracks here in the soft sand by the water, the old man said, bending down low to look at them very closely.

Wanya-ngka jina jirakal jukar kima-ba bana ngundu-ba bungan? mukul-dingkar balkan, bada duku nyaji-nyaji nyiku bajaku.


<translate> The children found sweet shoots on the vine and ate them all.

Karrkay-karrkay mawara jurrbu jiba-wulay nyajin, nukan wubul.


<translate> We closed the house and then sat down. The next day we kept some food.

Ngana bayan nandan, bundan-da. Wunkuny ngana mayi kanbal kujil.


<translate> The old man's throat was strong, and his song carried far across the whole camp.

Mukul-dingkar-mu manu junkurr, nyungu burri kalbay-mba dungan bayan wubulku.


<translate> The old man said the water-gum and the trees that line the creek are the guardians of the water, for their roots hold the bank against the flood, their shade keeps the water cool and the fish alive, and their fallen leaves feed the whole creek, so he taught that to clear the trees from a waterway is to kill the water itself within a few short years.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan dakumbar juku wawubaja-nga janan nyulu bana-kuji-bama, nyungu bangkan jalkar karrbal bana-yalbaymuny, nyungu wabarr bana kaka-manil kuyu wunay-manil, nyungu birra badanmuny wawubaja wubulku dayal, nyulu milbin juku bana-baralmuny janga-manilka nyulu bana nyulu-nyulu kuninka wungar buban jambulba.


<glossary> jarrabina ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-mammal <usage_example> Nyungkul Yalanaji


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


<translate> The young man left the spear outside.


<translate> That nakawarra bee is there.


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


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


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


<translate> They see the kookaburra here.


<translate> The old man watched the boy digging for the yams all morning, the old woman said, and he saw the child had learned the work well.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay nyaji-l-nyaji-n, bambayal baka-l-baka-nya wunkuwingku narmba, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nyaji karrkay kirraji ngulkurr binalman.


<glossary> kuda ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> What about your older brother?


<translate> You and I see the munungkul ground pigeon there.


<translate> Let the turtle meat cook slowly right through in the ground oven, the old woman said, do not hurry it off the hot stones too soon.

Balu ngawiya minya bubu-ba waju narmba, mukul-jalbu balkan, baluda nyiku-nyiku-bu kulji wumbul-muny mani.


<translate> What did the two hunters bring back, and how many? They brought one wallaby and four fish. Was it enough for the whole camp? No — with so many mouths, it was not enough, so we shared it small.

Wanyu bula balbi-bama wundin, wanjarrinya? Bula kadar nyubun, kuyu jambul-jambul wundin. Bayan-mu bama wubul-ku yajin? Kari — bama wubul, mayi kari yajin, ngana buban-buban daji-way.


<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> 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> I see the black bean tree here.


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


<translate> Grandmother dislikes half-ripe mangoes on principle.


<translate> You two saw the kaya-kaya dogs here.


<translate> You two see the valley here.


<glossary> nbuyun-birrku ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I'll deliver it only once


<translate> The children found turtle eggs in the warm sand, but grandad said: take only a few and leave the rest for next time.

Karrkay-karrkayangka ngawiyamu diburr nyajin jukara wumbulba; kamingka balkan: diburr kanbal nganga mana, yindu bawa wunkunka.


<translate> They saw the wild plum here.


<translate> Father sees the wallaby in the scrub.


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


<translate> They saw the white-tailed rat here.


<translate> I saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> The old man said the fig tree had fed the people since before anyone could remember, and it belonged to no one and to all.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: binanji juku bama nukamanil ngadiku bajaku, kari nyubunmu, bama wubulkumu.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> They see the bandicoot there.


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


<translate> Everyone will help — with many hands the work is fast.

Jana wubulku mara-dajil — mara wubul, jinbalku kirrajil.


<translate> They took the spears and the dilly bags and set off east.


<translate> A shark came close and everyone got out fast!

Yaburr kadan ngundu, jana wandirin jinbalku!


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


<translate> We hear the clap sound there.


<translate> The little worms came up out of the wet ground after the heavy rain had fallen.

Nganjamu buban bubu bana-ba wangkar-a wandi-l, kaba yalbay dara-nya-muny.


<translate> We see the shovelnose ray here.


<glossary> kurru-jindaway ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> They're arguing about it


<translate> Each of the two brothers took a different path, but both came home to the same old camp.

Yaba jambul-bu jina yindu-yindu manin, yamba jambul bayan yala-ka kadan.


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


<translate> You all, listen to me! Your fathers gave this country to you; you must hold it, teach your children, and never let it go.

Yurra nganya milkabu nyaji! Yurranga nganjan-karra nyiku bubu yurranka dayan; yurra karrbal, yurranga karrkay-karrkay binal-bungal, kariku bawal.


<translate> We see the murrkul tree here.


<translate> They two saw the sea turtle there.


<translate> You see the buyukal tree there.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


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


<translate> They see the dakaldakal trochus shell here.


<translate> Mother saw the Moreton Bay fig tree in the scrub.

Ngamu-ngku baril-baril madja-nga nyajin.


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


<translate> You and I see the frog there.


<translate> The man saw the bottlebrush tree outside.


<glossary> bangkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> When I went to Brisbane, I got (gathered) toys and clothing for my younger brothers

ngayu Brisbane dungan, toy, kambi bangkal-bangkan yabaju-karragna


<translate> When the plums were ripe the whole camp went out to the trees and filled their dilly bags with the sweet fruit.

Mayi kulbulmanda, bayan wubulku jukungu dungan, balji mumban mayi jiba-wulayji.


<translate> We saw the murraja stonefish here.


<translate> You all saw the julbal tree there.


<translate> We saw the snake in the grass.


<translate> Grandad got up first and looked at the clouds. Clouds in the north. Rain coming.

Kami wandin. Ngurrban kungkarr. Kaba kaday.


<translate> You saw the jingajalka tree there.


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> The judge freed him (sent him back home)


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


<translate> The grandfather kept his best spear in the rafters of the hut, out of the children's reach; only on the hunt did he take it down, and he always brought it home.

Kamingka nyungu kalka ngulkurr bayan-wuyar-a karrban, karrkay-karrkay-mundu; balbi-nga nyulu bada manin, ngadiku-ngudiku bayan-mundu wundin.


<translate> The mangrove trees stand in the river, and their strong roots hold together in the water.

Kajul wawubajanga janay; nyungu ngara junkurrji, bananga muru.


<translate> The old woman shared the turtle meat by the strict law, the old man said: this piece to the hunter, this to the elders, this to every child.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku ngawiya minya daji yukil-mu narmba, mukul-dingkar balkan: yinya balbi-bama-nka, yinya mukul-bama-nka, yinya karrkay wubulku-nka.


<translate> Mother gave a bone to the child.


<translate> Mother shared out all the yams.


<glossary> dakal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> he got on the truck


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


<glossary> nganjar ; type=adverb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The child come to have some icecream (he didn't ask for it, just stayed to see if he would get some)

Nyulu karrkay nganjar kadan ice cream nukanka


<translate> They saw the cockatoo crest here.


<translate> You all saw the nakawarra bee here.


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


<translate> That food there is not sticky.


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


<translate> The man did not break the billycan.


<translate> The child's sore is not good.


<translate> When two young men fought each other over a foolish insult, the whole camp gathered, not to take sides, but to hold both of them until the anger cooled and they could see each other as men again.

Warru jambul nyubun-nyubun kuni-wanda kuku mumbu bubankamuny, bama wubulku bangkan, kari nyubun karrbanka, yambada jambulku karrbanka dukul-wuri kiwaymanyjiku jana nyubun-nyubun dingkar yala nyaji-way baja.


<translate> They set out to follow the honey-bird, which flies a little way and waits, then flies again, leading the follower from tree to tree until it stops at the hollow where the wild honey is, and there they made a fire and took the comb.

Jana wamba-jujubala wukurrin, nyulu buban wandin maku-janay, wandin baja, nyulu jilba-bama jukungu jukungu maku-wukurrin dukul kanbanya juku dimbirrba wanja wamba wunay, yinya jana baya wangkan wamba manin.


<translate> You two saw the yarrka bee there.


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


<translate> The young man got fish, cooked it, and then gave it to grandmother.

Warru-ngku kuyu manin, wajun, babi-nda dajin-da.


<glossary> jumbun ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> The baby is greedy for milk


<translate> I see the mackerel sky there.


<translate> They saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> The woman sees the cloud there.


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

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


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


<translate> They saw the murrkul tree here.


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


<translate> You two see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> They see the bujabay tree here.


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


<translate> You and I saw the jadamu bananas here.


<glossary> bila ; type=particle ; domain=manner <usage_example> fast running water


<translate> His father said: Yes, you can come, if you walk quietly and do exactly as I say, and do not frighten the game before I throw my spear.

Nyungu dingkarangka balkan: Yuwu, yundu kaday, kaki yundu wunbu jilbay, ngayku kuku yala ngaral, kari minya yinyil-kangal ngayu kalka yilbanyjiku.


<translate> The old man said: You cannot look after your family if you do not first look after yourself, for a sick hunter feeds no one and a tired mother cannot carry her child.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu murruji jawunkarra nyajil, kaki yundu nyulu-nyulu kari nyajil ngadiku, balbibama bambay kari bama nukamanil, ngamu baja-burray karrkay murruji wundil.


<translate> The old woman's breast is empty now, and the hungry baby cries all through the long cold night.

Mukul-jalbu bibi kari niji, karrkay buban dakwuy badi wujurr wubulku ngiki-ba.


<translate> Generous is remembered longer than clever.

Jaway milka-binalmuny kalbay-baja binalmuny.


<translate> From the high ground the people watched the flood carry away logs and dead animals and whole trees torn up by the roots.

Bubu wangkarmuny bama jalungkarr nyajin, juku minya wulanmuny juku wubulku bangkanji wundinya.


<translate> The two of them see the scrub goanna here.


<translate> You two saw the kurriyala snake there.


<translate> The old man said, near the end: You learn to care for others by first being cared for, then by caring, and at last by being cared for again — and that circle is the whole of a life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan ngadiku ngundu: Yundu binalmal bama nyajinka, ngadiku yundu nyajilbu, yalada nyajilbu, baja yundu nyajilbu, yinya murni wawumu wubulku.


<translate> The crab bit the dog's tail.


<translate> The old woman said when you teach a child to cook you are teaching them far more than food: you are teaching them to plan ahead, to be patient, to pay attention, to work with fire and knife without fear or carelessness, and above all to take pleasure in feeding others, and a child who learns to love the feeding of others has learned the beginning of every other kindness there is.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yundu karrkay waju milbilnya yundu jananka wubul-baja mayimuny milbil: yundu jananka milbil ngadiku ngaranka, maku-janalka, milka dajinka, baya jikanji kari yinilbu kari binal-karibu kirrajinka, wubul bajaku bama yindu dayalba wawu-mini karrbanka, karrkay nyulu binalman bama yindu dayal wawu-jirrayka nyulu binalman wawu-yukil yindu wubulku ngadiku.


<translate> The rain fell for three days without stopping, and the children played string games and listened to stories inside the shelter.

Kaba daran wungar kulur, kari dungan; karrkay-karrkay karraji kinkan, kuku milka-jananya bayanba.


<translate> We see the nyirribulu appendix here.


<translate> We see the giant herring there.


<translate> You all see the shooting star here.


<glossary> dalkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> after 10 days the little ones hatch out


<translate> The old man's arm is long and thin now, but once it was strong and threw the spear very far.

Mukul-dingkar wakuy kalbay buban-buban niji, yamba kalbay-muny junkurr, kalka kala-kalbay daman.


<translate> My grandchild is learning to walk; when she is grown, I will teach her the plant names, and she will carry my knowledge after I am gone.

Ngayku jija jilbay binal-mal; nyulu yalbay-man, ngayu nyulu binal-bungal juku burri, nyulu ngayku binal karrbal ngayu wula-ny-muny.


<translate> The old woman is grinding seeds on the stone.


<translate> They saw the buyukal tree here.


<translate> The children learned that anger was not bad in itself, for anger at a real wrong could give a person the strength to set it right, but anger let loose blindly only made more wrong.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman dukul-wuri kari mumbu nganga, dukul-wuri yamba mumbu yukilka bamaka junkurr dajil ngulkurr-bunganka, yambada dukul-wuri nganga bawanmuny mumbu wubul-baja ngaran.


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


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> The old woman said when you gather, never take the last one and never take the mother plant: leave the biggest yam to make the seed, leave enough fruit for the birds who plant tomorrow's trees, and take only from the middle, for the gatherer who empties a place will find it empty forever, and the gatherer who leaves enough will find it full every year of a long life.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yundu bangkanya, kari nganga bada bajaku mani kari ngamu-mayi mani: juwal yalbay bawa jarra-kuka bunganka, mayi wubul bawa jujubalanka jana wungar-kadalmu juku jarranmu, dukurr-bu nganga mani, bangkal-bama nyulu bubu yamba-kari-manil nyulu nyaji yamba-kari yabarrka, bangkal-bama nyulu wubul bawal nyulu nyaji buwun wungar wubulku wawu kalbaymuny.


<translate> Who is that man standing over there by the big tree?

Wanya yinya dingkar juku yalbay-mba janay?


<translate> Little by little the children's eyes grew heavy, and one by one they fell asleep where they sat by the fire.

Buban-bubanku karrkay-karrkaymu miyil dandimanda, nyubun-nyubun jana warngku wunan wanja jana bundanya bayanga.


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


<translate> We heard a song from the sea.


<glossary> milka-dalkay-manil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> You remind me tomorrow about the monkey

Yundu nganya milka-dalkay-mana wunkun moneyka


<glossary> mulkay-warri ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I watched them playing and I felt happy

Ngayu jananiin nyajin ngujurinya, ngayu mulkay-warrin


<translate> The children learned to look closely at every plant — the shape of the leaf, the look of the fruit, the smell of the root.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman mayi wubulku wunbu nyajinka: birramu yala, mayimu yala, bangkanmu nyajil.


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


<translate> The young man got a fish, but it kept struggling.

Warru-ngku kuyu manin, kari burrki-n-burrki-n.


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


<translate> The goose is standing in the scrub.


<translate> You two see the pumice stone there.


<translate> The bird is standing in the tree.


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


<translate> Don't push — everyone will get food!


<translate> I saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


<glossary> duru-duru ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm puzzled about the engine


<glossary> yinyarrin ; type=demonstrative ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Those carpenters, they work down (there) now

Yinyarrin carpenter jana bada-badada workmal


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


<translate> We, not you, saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<glossary> ngiki ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He got a big sickenss (pneumonia)


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


<translate> We see the smooth rock there.


<translate> I see the sugar glider there.


<translate> Everyone was happy — there was plenty of meat.


<translate> The old man helped the boy string his very first spear and showed him how to hold it and throw it strong and true.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay mara-dajil kalka nyubun-nya kaja-nka, nyunguny binal-bungal dama-nka junkurr-bu.


<translate> The old woman asked father for fish.

Mukul-jalbu nganjan-nda kuyu-ku kunjajin.


<translate> You two see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> He dropped the egg by mistake.


<translate> In the cold season we stay by the fire.


<translate> You two see the stomach there.


<translate> You all see the shellfish here.


<translate> They saw the fire stick there.


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


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


<translate> The hot sun burns down on the dry ground all through the middle of the day.

Wungar wumbul bubu marral-ba waju-l, kunbu kankur-a.


<translate> He sees the running water here.


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


<translate> We see the wooden sword there.


<translate> I would have caught many fish in the creek that morning, the old man said, but I had left the good net hanging back at the camp.

Ngayu kuyu wubul bana-jandu-ba mani-nyaku wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba ngayu makarr ngulkurr bayan-ka wandi-nya wuna.


<translate> If the fish are many, the old man shares them with all the families.

Kaki kuyu wubul, mukul-dingkar jawun-karra daji-way wubulku.


<translate> You saw the barrbal black bream there.


<translate> He saw the wooden sword there.


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


<translate> The woman put the fire stick outside.


<translate> They see the small bat there.