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

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru wakuy julurrin.


<translate> We two, not you, see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> The old man said watch the tide and the moon together, for the biggest low tides come at the full moon and the new, and that is when to glean the reef.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: yira kija-jirr nyubun-bu nyaji, ngajal yalbay bajaku kija murru-murru-ba kija-kari-ba-jirr, niji dulngku bangka-nka.


<translate> We saw the rope in the shade.


<translate> When are we going down to the sea to catch the big green turtles out beyond the reef?

Wanjawanja ngana jalun-ka dunga-y, ngawiya yalbay dulngku-ngu karrba-nka?


<translate> Take some and leave some, said uncle. Always leave some.

Kalngangka balkan: kanbal mana, kanbal bawa. Kanbal bawa yabarrka.


Ngana bayanba jilba dungan, wulngku badinya.


<translate> You two saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo here.


<translate> That night they ate mudcrab with the relatives and the two families talked until very late.

Yinya kunarangkal jana kiju nukan jawunkarraji, jana jambul balkan kunarangkal bajaku.


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


<glossary> kural ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> He swam under water


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


<translate> He sees the karranda tree here.


<translate> We saw the bububay blacktip shark here.


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


<translate> You all saw the murrabal barramundi there.


<translate> The wet season is hotter than the cold season, and then the mosquitoes come thick along the river.

Bana-wungar jarra-wumbul ngiki-wungar-ka, yalada kamu wubul kadan wawubaja-nga.


<translate> The old man cut the turtle shell to make a good strong dish for water.

Mukul-dingkarangka yalnga kadan nyandan, bana-ka ngulkurr junkurr bunga-nka.


<glossary> didal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=clothing-adornment <usage_example> I put my good clothes on


<translate> You all see the shellfish there.


<glossary> dajay ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> The woman died, that's why they want to find her spirit

Nyulu jalbu wulan, yinyayanka jana nyungu dajay warrmba-bunganka


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

Yala-yalaku jarramali kadan, nyulu ngakijin


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


<translate> When the first big rains fall, the old man said, a thousand frogs begin to call all at once from the flooded ground, and the whole night is loud with them.

Kaba yalbay yudal daray-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, yirku-yirku wubul bajaku yirrka yudal bubu jalungkarr-muny nyubun-bu, wujurr narmba junkurr jana-bu.


<translate> The old people always kept one fire stick smouldering to carry fire to the new camp.

Mukul-bama-ngka wungar wubulku jimal nyubun karrban, baya bayan yindu-ka wundi-nka.


<translate> The old man followed the dingo tracks to its den and found the little pups hidden inside.

Mukul-dingkar murramu jina wukurrin nyungu bayan-ka, karrkay buban wubul dukurr janka nyajin.


<translate> That karraway snail is there.


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


<translate> The old man said if you give a hungry man a fish he eats today, but if you teach him to read the water and make a net, he eats every day of his life, and so the deepest kind of giving is always the teaching.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu bama dakwuy kuyu daji nyulu nyiku nukal, kaki yundu nyulu milbi bana nyajinka makarr bunganka, nyulu wungar wubulku nukal nyungu wawumuny, yinyabu daji bada bajaku yabarrka milbil.


<translate> You all see the parrot there.


<translate> The woman sees the cloud there.


<glossary> buban ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I have only a little bit of money


<glossary> ngarra-yilbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He passed me (while driving along)


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

Jalbungku kulngkuldu minya kurranji nukan, nyungu kangkal muku-dukumal


<translate> The possum eats flowers at night.


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


<translate> We see the fingernail there.


<translate> You see the buyukal tree there.


<translate> I saw the running water here.


<translate> Right at the camp he set the big stone.


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


<translate> The hunter with a dog and the hunter without a dog are two different hunters, the old man said, for the dog-owner reads the country through the dog's nose as well as his own eyes, while the dog-less man must do all the finding himself, and a good hunting dog is worth more to a family than almost anything else it owns.

Balbi-bama kaya-ji balbi-bama kaya-kari jambul balbi-bama yindu-yindu, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, kaya-ji bama bubu ngaral kaya nyungu nganja-bu ngulkurr nyungu miyil baja, kaya-kari dingkar nyulu-nyulu yamba wubulku manil, kaya balbil yukil ngulkurr-baja jawun-karranka yamba yindu wubulmuny nyulu karrbalmuny.


<translate> The old woman said the body was a gift and a responsibility, given clean at birth and meant to be given back clean at the end, well used but never wasted.

Wulbumanangka balkan bangkarr dajil kirrajiji, dajil dayirr karrkaymanda, bawanka dayirr baja ngadiku bajaku, ngulkurr kirrajin yambada kari kilban.


<translate> I carry the child lest he cry.

Ngayu karrkay jarrakulba-l, banbadi-nyji.


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


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


<translate> We will eat when your father comes back, not before.

Ngana nukal nganjan kadanya baja, kari ngadiku.


<translate> The woman cut herself with a knife while cutting meat.

Nyulu jalbu naybu-bu yakajin, minya yaka-l-yaka-nya.


<glossary> wuybubu kulbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He whipped the horse


<translate> The old woman said the changing of a girl into a woman and a boy into a man was marked with ceremony precisely because it was a change that must not be allowed to happen carelessly or alone, for the old people knew that a body may grow of itself but a person must be actively made into an adult, taught, tested, and formally changed in the eyes of the whole community from a child who is cared for into an adult who now cares for others.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu-karrkay jalbu-mal buban dingkar-mal baja milbin malkarri-ji ngadiku yinya yindu nyulu kariku kaki jana kanban yambada nganga janaymuny, bama mukul binal bangkarr nyulu-nyulu yalbay-mal yambada bama nyulu mukul-bama-bungal, milbil, nyaji-yamba, yindu-bungal bama wubulku nyungu miyilba karrkay wanya nyajilmuny mukul-bama wanya nganga bama yindu nyajilmuny.


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


<translate> You two saw the tongs there.


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

Nyulu yalkan-yalkan-yalkaji, jina bajiji


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


<translate> In the wet season the rain falls for many days and the whole country turns green.

Kaba-wungar-a kaba wungar wubulku daran, bubu wubulku jikan-ma-l.


<translate> You two see the scrub goanna there.


<translate> Ashamed eyes look at feet; released eyes look at faces — help in the lifting of the head.

Miyil milka-murruji-ji nyajil jina, miyil bawanmuny-ji nyajil walu: mara-daji dukul wandi-bunganka.


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


<translate> The sea was good. Two canoes went out at dawn.

Jalun ngulkurr. Marrakan jambul dungan muduwajuny.


<translate> The crocodile made that woman his wife.

Bilngkumu-ngku yinya jalbu manyarr-bungan.


<translate> People still sing it when the river runs high.

Jana wulngku badi yabarrka, kaki wawubaja yalbaymal.


<translate> The old man taught the children: the paperbark gives us bark for the house, and the lawyer cane gives us strong strips for tying.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay binalbungan: buyku ngananda julkun dayal bayanka, kaku ngananda junkurrji dayal kajanka.


<translate> You and I saw the jalbil lizard here.


<translate> They see the red bream here.


<translate> They see the spear point here.


<translate> The fish net lay in the bag.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko there.


<translate> Put the tools back where the hands expect them — the night has no eyes.

Yamba-murni yijarri baja wanja mara binal, wujurr miyil-kari.


<translate> The men are singing for the corroboree tonight.


<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> Dig here, under the big rock where the ground stays cool, she said, and you will always find water.

Yaluy baka, kulji yalbay bada, bubu kiway yinyay; nyulu balkan: yundu bana nyajil yabarrka.


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

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


<translate> We put everything into the Toyota.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


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


<translate> We see the black cockatoo here.


<translate> Where does that little creek run down to, away through the thick green scrub?

Wawubaja yinya wanjabu dunga-y, madja-nga bada?


<translate> Grandmother left the fish net in the bag.


<translate> You and I see the duck there.


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

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


<translate> He saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


<translate> You two saw the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


<translate> I'm hungry — is the food good?


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


<translate> At dawn the family set out from the camp, walking seaward along the beach toward the river mouth, and by midday they had crossed three small creeks and were tired but happy.

Muduwajungu jawun-karra bayanmuny dungan, jilban naka jalunba julay-mundu, wungar dukurrbu jana kulur bana buban naka-naka jilban, jana wawu-wula-y janay yambada wawu-mini.


<translate> He came from there, from the country of the Bloomfield people.

Nyulu kadan yinyay-muny, wujalwujal-arra-mu bubu-muny.


<translate> The old man said: hold each other close, help each other always; you two are brothers, and brothers who fight leave their children weak.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: yubal muru karrba-way, mara-daji-way ngadiku-ngadiku; yubal yaba-karra, yaba-karra kuni-way nyungu karrkay-karrkay buyun-bungal.


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


<translate> The young man went into the grass with a friend.


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


<translate> You all saw the kulmba-kulmba gecko there.


<translate> With one strong throw of the woomera the hunter drove the spear deep into the kangaroo.

Balbi-bama-ngka balur-bu nyubun junkurr kalka mayarriji-nga dukurr mumal.


<translate> With his sharp eyes the hunter saw the kangaroo far off in the scrub.

Balbi-bamangka miyil dandi-bu mayarriji nyajin madja kalbay-mba.


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


<translate> The old man pointed south along the beach to the place where his father was born.

Mukul-dingkar-angka naka milban jukar karangkal, nyungu nganjan wandin-muny.


<translate> Never mind, we will go again if the day is good.

Wumba, ngana baja dungay, kaki wungar ngulkurr.


<translate> The children learned that the bravest thing is often to turn back, and that there is no shame in a journey abandoned to save a life, for the country will still be there, and so, because you turned back, will you.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman wawu-junkurr bajaku yabarrka kudamundu murninka, kari milka-murruji kalbay bawanmuny wawu kujinka, bubu kudamundu janay baja, yundu, yundu murninmuny, janay baja.


<translate> That person there is pleasant.


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


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


<translate> We got mullet and perch with the fishing line.


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


<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 see the kalkurr yam here.


<translate> They saw the dukul-mukul lizard there.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> I see the burnt patch of grass.


<translate> The fish smelled the bait and came close.


<translate> At the school the teacher praised a girl as eye-paper-having, for she could read, and the old woman liked that word, for it was built in the old way: the blind are eye-stale, those who do not know paper are eye-blunt, and now the paper-knowers are eye-paper-having, so the language itself gives new leaves on the old tree.

Schoolmunba milbil-bamangka jalbu-buban yulmbarrin miyil-kaban-ji, nyulu kaban nyajilmuny, wulbumanangka kuku yinya wawu-manin, kuku murninmuny yala mukulbu: miyil-burra bama nyajil-kari, miyil-dudu bama binal-kari kabanmuny, nyiku bama kaban-binal miyil-kaban-ji, yalada kuku nyulu-nyulu birra jirakal dayal juku mukulba.


<translate> The man is bigger than the child.


<translate> The men caught fat eels in the deep part of the creek, feeling for them under the banks with their hands.

Dingkar-dingkarangka kubarr yalbay karrban wawubaja badanga, mara nyunjan bubu kudamundu.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bajal bower bird here.


<translate> I had better cook some food now, for I am very hungry and the sun is going down.

Ngayu mayi waju-nku niji, ngayu dakwuy-baja, wungar bada dunga-l.


<translate> They saw the spiderlily there.


<translate> The old woman did not really believe the young man's story of the giant fish.

Wulbumanangka warru-mu kuku kuyu yalbay-mu karirrku binal.


<translate> I saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The crow watched the whole fish-feast from the high branch, wearing his best black clothes.

Wakukabu nyajin kuyu-nuka wubulku dakilmuny wangkarmuny, kambi ngumbu yukil bajaku-ji.


<translate> The old man said: What you give to each other comes back to you, and what you keep from each other is lost to everyone, including yourself.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yurra wanyu daji-way, yinya yurranka kaday baja; yurra wanyu bawa-way, yinya wubulkumuny kilbay, yurra baja.


<translate> Mother sees the open ground.


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


<glossary> dumbarriji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He broke his farm


<translate> You two see the swamp there.


<translate> We two will sit here and wait.


<translate> After bathing, grandmother cooked food.

Wawu-janji-nya-muny, babi-ngka mayi wajun.


<translate> The child asked grandfather about the mango.


<translate> You see the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> Who will carry the water back up from the creek today, the old woman asked the children sitting idle by the morning fire.

Wanya-ngka bana bana-jandu-muny bada-baja wundi niji? mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay nyajin, buri-ngka daki-daki bunda-nya.


<translate> I saw the marril ti tree there.


<translate> My grandfather made me a small spear when I was a boy, and my grandmother wove me a dilly bag.

Ngayku kami nganya kalka buban bungan ngayu buban-nya, ngayku babi nganya balji wukurrin.


<translate> They saw the exposed place here.


<translate> You all saw the jamal egg white here.


<translate> The two of them saw the kaykay-kaykay children here.


<translate> They see the tree snake here.


<translate> My big brother made a boomerang.


<translate> Watch and listen, he said, and the country will always show you where the food and water are.

Nyaka, milka-jana, nyulu balkan: bububu yununda milbil yabarrka mayi bana wanjabu.


<translate> The whole family sat down together and shared plenty of good food between all of them.

Jawun-karra narmba muru bundan, mayi ngulkurr jirray jana wubulku nukan.


<translate> The man saw the stinging tree.


<translate> He saw the grasshopper here.


<translate> I saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


<translate> We really could not keep following.


<translate> The women dug for the yams on this side of the river, near the big rock beside the still water.

Jalbu-jalbu wukay bakal wawubaja ngundu, kulji yalbay ngundu bana janka karangkal.


<translate> I saw the kandal maggot here.


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


<translate> You hear the grunt sound here.


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

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


<translate> You and I saw the kurranday seagull there.


<translate> We see the spear barb there.


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


<translate> You and I saw the jalbil lizard there.


<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> He pushed the really big stone and set it up.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash tree is good.


<translate> They kept standing at the crossing until the flood water went down.

Jana janjanay bana-baralba jalungkarr bada dunganyjiku.


<translate> They saw the kuji-kuji tree there.


<translate> They saw the native cat there.


<translate> The woman cut herself on the finger by mistake while cutting up the meat.

Jalbu kanban mara-nga yaka-jin, minya yaka-l-yaka-nya.


<translate> Uncle followed its tracks from the camp to the river and along the wet sand.

Kalngangka jina wukurrin bayanmuny wawubajanga, jukara dunanga.


<translate> They saw the seashell headband here.


<translate> Before the wet season came, the family built a strong humpy of bark and saplings to keep out the rain.

Buluriji kadanyjiku, jawunkarrangka wurun junkurr ngaran dumbulmuny jukumuny, kaba nandanka.


<translate> The old woman prises the oysters off the rock with a sharp stone, the child watching, and eats the first one straight from the shell.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku julul kulji-muny baka kulji jarran-bu, karrkay nyaji-nya, nyubun nuka kajarrbi-muny nyubun-bu.


<translate> The old man knows the best fishing places, the deep holes in the river where the big cod lie all day.

Mukul-dingkar binal kuyu-balbi bubu ngulkurr-baja-ku, wawubaja bana-dukurr wanja wara yalbay wungar wubulku wunay.


<translate> The old man showed the boy the vine that marks a good yam below, and said: follow the vine down and the food is always there.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay nyaji-mani wangay bambayal ngulkurr bada-bada, balkan: wangay bada nyunba, mayi yinya-ba wubulku.


<translate> You all see the windbreak here.


<translate> They see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> You and I see the fire stick here.


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


<translate> The snake did not bite the child; the child is well.

Jarba-bu karrkay kari baykan, karrkay ngulkurr.


<translate> You and I saw the baringkan small bird there.


<translate> That wood there is not smooth.


<translate> The tall tree with sweet fruit and white flowers stood beside the deep, still waterhole.

Juku kalbay mayi jiba-wulay-jirr, nganka balbal-jirr, janay janku dajali karangkal.


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


<glossary> mulkal-mulkal ; type=noun ; domain=spirit-mythical-being <usage_example> They're fighting for no reason. Someone will have a baby.

Bula mulkal-mulkal; somebodyngka baby haveim-bungal


<translate> He sees the milbarkal tree here.


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


<translate> You and I see the smooth rock here.


<translate> The man left the dog up there.

Dingkar-angka kaya bawan wangkarwangkar.


<translate> The little boy's mother called him home for the evening meal by the fire.

Warru buban ngamu-ngka nyunguny bayan-ka kunjan, mayi wujurr-ka.


<translate> He saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<glossary> dakandil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The man dropped the child because he was angry

Dingkarangka karrkay dakandin kuli-kadanymundu


<translate> The mothers and fathers gathered to talk with each other about the children.

Ngamu-karra nganjan-karra bangkan, karrkay-mu balka-wa-nka.


<translate> He held the little bird gently in both his hands and showed it to the laughing children by the fire.

Nyulu buyi buban janka mara jambul-ba karrban, karrkay-karrkay yajarri-nya nyaji-mani baya ngundu.


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


<translate> In the deep water beyond the reef the men hunted dugong, the biggest and best meat of the sea.

Bana badanga dulngku ngubarmuny, dingkar-dingkarangka biwuy balbin, minya yalbay ngulkurr bajaku jalunmu.


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


<translate> The cooked meat had a good taste.


<translate> You all see the seashore there.


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

Nyiku-nyiku bilngkumu walu karimanijinkuda


<translate> You two see the sandfly there.


<translate> The old people laughed at father.


<translate> You two see the jumper ant here.


<translate> The old man smiled and said: they go into the country itself — the hills, the water, the stars.

Mukul dingkar wawu-mini, balkan: jana bubungu dungay — manjalba, bananga, dawara.


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


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


<translate> The two of them saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard here.


<translate> The old man said if a plan depends on everyone behaving perfectly, it is not a plan but a prayer, so build always for the tired, the careless, the frightened, and the merely human, and leave room for the mistake that will surely come, because the strong bridge is not the one never tested but the one that holds when a plank breaks.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki kuku-ngaral kajil bama wubulku yukil bajaku bungalba, nyulu kari kuku-ngaral yambada wawu-balkal, bunga yabarrka bama wawu-wula-ymu binal-karimu yinilmu bama-nyubunmu baja, wawu bawa mumbu nyulu yabarrka kadanka, juku-baral junkurr kari nyulu nganga kari nyajinmu yambada nyulu karrbal juku nyubun kaka-mandanya.


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


<translate> They saw the bujabay tree here.


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


<translate> Carry the little one — she's tired.

Ngawa jarra-kulbaka — nyulu baja-burray!


<translate> You two see the bamboo stick here.


<translate> You two saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko here.


<translate> He saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> We see the small red ant here.


<translate> Granny turned around and saw the children hiding.

Babi murnijin, karrkay-karrkay nyajinda, ngakijinya.


<translate> She put the sweet fruit into the child's small hand and told him to eat it there by the warm fire.

Nyulu mayi jiba-wulay karrkay mara buban-ka nanda, nyulu nuka-nka balkan baya wumbul ngundu.


<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.


<glossary> minday ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That pig isn't afraid any more, is tame now

Nyulu bikibiki yinyilji karida, mindayda


<translate> The old man's summing was this: everything a person can have, they can also lack, and the whole of a life is learning which havings truly matter and which lackings truly wound, for a person can be rich in things and poor in every way that counts, or own almost nothing and be full to overflowing, so measure your life not by the with and the without but by whether the withs are the ones worth having.

Mukul nyungu kuku-dumbal yinya: yamba wubulku bama karrbalmuny, nyulu baja bawal, wawu wubulku kalbaymu nyulu binalman wanya karrbal bajaku yukil wanya bawal bajaku buyun, bama nyulu yamba-ji yamba wubulku yamba-kari baral wubulkubu, yambada yamba nganga karrbal nyulu jiba yajin bajaku, nyaji nyungu wawu kari yamba-ji yamba-kari-bu yambada yamba-ji nyulu nyubun karrbanka yukilmuny.


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


<translate> The old man chopped a straight spear-shaft from the hard wood of this tree.

Mukul-dingkarangka kalka nyandan juku dandi-muny yanyu-muny.


<translate> I see the casuarina pine here.


<translate> They put the bones together.


<translate> The old man said: call every older man 'father' or 'uncle', every older woman 'mother' or 'aunt', every child 'son' or 'daughter' — for in our way the whole people is one family.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: dingkar mukul wubul nganjan yala kalnga kunja, jalbu mukul wubul ngamu yala mukay kunja, kangkal wubul kangkal kunja — ngali yala, bama wubul nyubun mula-mula.


<translate> The door of the house is shut now, and the children are all asleep inside.

Bayan nanda-ji niji, karrkay-karrkay wubul bayan-ba wuna-l.


<translate> He saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<translate> You all saw the mulumu dove there.


<translate> And the people were glad, for the old man had read the clouds truly, as the old people always do.

Jana wubulku wawu-mini, mukulungku dingkarangka ngurrban nyajin nguymal, yala kamba-kamba yabarrka.


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


<translate> Their feet were sore and tired after the long walk from the coast.

Jana-mu jina baji-baja baja-burray, jalun-muny jilba-l kalbay-muny.


<translate> They see the jalan sea urchin there.


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


<translate> The old woman washed the yams in the running creek before she cooked them.

Wulbuman bambayal janjin wawubaja warri-nga, waju-nyjiku.


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


<translate> He saw the grasshopper here.


<translate> You all see the king parrot there.


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

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


<translate> You take a spear just in case a pig comes.

Yundu kalka wundil, nganganjirrka bikibiki kada-nya-mun-ku.


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


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


<glossary> janbar ; type=noun ; domain=texture <usage_example> I'm very sticky, want to take a bath


<translate> You two see the mukukanka tree there.


<translate> One hand cannot tie a knot, the old man said when a stubborn young man was refusing all help: the strongest fingers in the country still want their brothers across the string, and what is true of hands is true of people, so put your neck down, take the other hand, for the rope you are making is your own life.

Marabu nyubunbu kariku karra kajal, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, warru walu-dandi mara-dajil wubulku bawanya: birri junkurr bajaku bubumuny nyulu wawu-manil yaba-karra nyungu karraburr, yamba yukil maramuny nyulu yukil bamamuny baja, yalada jakay bada-bunga, mana mara yindu, karra yundu murnilmuny nyulu wawu nyungu-nyungu.


<translate> From that high place the old man knew every country, every river, and every sacred story-place.

Bubu wangkar yinya-mundu mukul-dingkar bubu narmba binal, wawubaja narmba, yirmbal narmba.


<translate> She woke up at dawn, made the fire, and cooked the food for all the hungry children.

Nyulu muduwaju wandin, baya wajun, mayi karrkay-karrkay dakwuy-ka wubul wajun-baja.


<translate> The seagulls follow the men who are fishing at the sea, and when a fish is thrown they drop down and take it.

Dirrmbay dingkar wukurrin kuyu-balbi jalun-ba, kuyu bawan jana bada daran manin.


<translate> We see the red king parrot here.

Ngana karrambil ngala-ngala yaluy nyajil.


<translate> You see the grey March fly there.


<translate> You all saw the kuran case-moth larva there.


<translate> You and I see the parrot there.


<glossary> balanbalan ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> When you camp out, you should build your shelter on flat ground

Yundu balnhi wunay, bayan ngara bubunga balanbalanba


<translate> You all saw the karrmbil parakeet here.


<translate> They see the fire stick here.


<translate> The old woman said that a child who hears the old stories carries the whole country inside them forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan: karrkay nyulu kuku ngadiku milka-jananmuny bubu wubulku dukurr wundil yabarrka.


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


<translate> He saw the yikari hardened beeswax there.


<translate> The apple tree grows near the water, and its small red fruit is sweet.

Bulngkar-juku bana karangkal yalbay-mal, nyungu mayi buban ngala-ngala jiba-wula-wula.


<translate> The woman saw the man's shoulder.


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


<translate> The old man showed the boy which strong wood makes a spear that flies straight and true.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru milban, wanjinya juku kalka jinbal bunga-l.


<translate> The paperbark lay in the bag.


<translate> The old woman said the plants that stain and dye were treasured for the paint and the decorated things, for one bark gives a deep red, one root a strong yellow, one fruit a black, one clay mixed with sap a white that lasts, and she taught the girls to gather and prepare each color, so that the whole bright world of the paintings came out of the quiet plants of the scrub.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi mula-daji nganja-daji baja yamba-yukil murbuy murni-yamba baja, warrur nyubun mula-mula yalbay dayal, bangkan nyubun makirr junkurr, mayi nyubun dandi, kambar nyubun jurrbu-ji murni-manda nyulu kalbaymuny, nyulu jalbu-buban milbin bangkanka murni-manilka nganja-jarray nyubun-nyubun, murbuy-yamba wubulku yilbay bubu nyulu majaji mayi karra-mabimuny kadan.


<translate> The woman made the bag from grass.


<translate> They saw the sea turtle here.


<translate> The old man said if you give a hungry man a fish he eats today, but if you teach him to read the water and make a net, he eats every day of his life, and so the deepest kind of giving is always the teaching.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu bama dakwuy kuyu daji nyulu nyiku nukal, kaki yundu nyulu milbi bana nyajinka makarr bunganka, nyulu wungar wubulku nukal nyungu wawumuny, yinyabu daji bada bajaku yabarrka milbil.


<translate> The children ran away from me toward the water in the morning.

Karrkay-karrkay ngaykundumuny warri bana-ka wunkuwingku.


<translate> He saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> On dark nights the young men went out to hunt possums, climbing the tall trees with firesticks to catch the possums' eyes shining in the leaves.

Kunarangkal wujurrbu warru-warrungka yawa balbin, juku kalbay wangkar jilban jidiji, yawamu miyil balbajinya birranga nyajinka.


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


<translate> You two see the smoke there.


<translate> The hollow trunk is there in the tree.


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


<translate> The smouldering log is here.


<translate> You all see the dalkari bladder there.


<translate> We would have stayed on the sand that night, the old woman remembered, the walk had been long and our legs were tired, but the old man read the clouds and made us climb to the high ground, and before the middle of the night the flood took the whole sandbank, so I am alive today because tired legs listened to a hard word.

Ngana jukara wunanyaku wujurr yinyanga, wulbuman milka-binalku, jilba kalbay ngarri baja-burray, yambada mukulungku dingkarangka ngurrban nyajin ngana dakal-bungan bubu wangkarku, kunarangkal ngadiku bana-yalbaybu jukar wubulku manin, yalada ngayu juran nyiku, ngarri baja-burraynja kuku dandi milka-janan.


<translate> You saw the biwul snake there.


<translate> Since that time I have grown up.


<translate> You all saw the sandfly there.


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


<translate> We could not keep following.


<translate> I see the fresh water snake here.


<glossary> jiyuy ; type=particle ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> He said "It's good", but (it was a trick), it isn't good

Nyulu yalaman, "Yinya ngulkurr", juyuy, yinya kari ngulkarr.


<translate> The young man turned around.


<translate> By the third try, the water stayed in.


<translate> The diwalngku migratory bird is here.


<translate> The old man said the brolga pairs stay together all their lives, and when one dies the other calls and calls across the empty swamp for many days.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: kulbal jambul muru bunda wuna narmba, nyubun wula-nya, yindu yirrka-yirrka daburr yamba-kari-ba wungar wubul.


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


<translate> The old man said no one is too old to learn and no one too young to teach, for a child sees the world with fresh eyes and often sees what the old have stopped seeing, and the wise old person learns from the child as gladly as they teach.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bama nyubun kari mukul bajaku binalka, bama nyubun kari buban bajaku milbinka, karrkay bubu miyil jirakalbu nyajil, yabarrka nyajil yamba mukul nyajil bawanmuny, mukul binal karrkaymuny binalku wawu-mini yala nyulu milbilmu.


<translate> The children laugh and laugh about the funny old dog down by the water.

Karrkay-karrkay kaya-nka yajarri-n-yajarri-ji, bana karangkal.


<translate> They see the mawal bee there.


<translate> We see the daughter's child there.


<translate> I spread the paperbark blanket on the ground so that we could all sit on it.

Ngayu kararr bubu-ngu ngaran, ngana wubul bunda-nka.


<translate> If the fire goes out in the night, the old man said, the cold comes into your bones, so keep a little wood always by your side.

Kaki buri wujurr-ba wula, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngiki nyungu bajibay-ka kaday, juku buban nyubun-bu nyundu-ngka karrba.


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

Jana blanket walngkan-daman buluruku wadinji


<translate> Grandmother softened the food.


<translate> Straighten the crooked spear at the fire, and straighten the crooked story at the fire too.

Kalka kurru-kurru ngura-ngura-ngala bayanga, kuku-jangkar kurru-kurru ngura-ngura-ngala bayanga baja.


<translate> I saw the jirimandi coconut tree here.


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


<translate> The forest kingfisher is here.


<translate> The child hurt himself when he fell from the branch of the fig tree.

Karrkay bambay-bunga-ji, nyulu dukal-juku-mu dakil-muny daray.


<translate> Both the young man and the old man knew the country and all its water holes well.

Warru, mukul-dingkar baja, bubu binal, bana wubulku ngulkurr binal.


<translate> The swift birds wheel and dart high in the evening sky in a great turning cloud, the old woman said, catching the small insects on the wing.

Jangkan jiri-ba wujurr-ma-nya karrkan-ba jurrki wanarri wubul muru-ma-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, minya buban marra-warri-nya-ba mani.


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


<translate> The old woman asked the sick child: "What are you ill with?"

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-anda babajin: "Yundu wanyurrinji bambay?"


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


<translate> Now the hot season is here; soon the wet will come, and then the cold season after that.

Niji wungar-iji yala; nyiku-nyiku kaba kaday, yinyamun bulur-iji-baja.


<translate> They see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> What is this thing in your hand? It is a spear point. And what did you eat this morning? I ate fish and a little honey.

Wanyu nyiku yunu mara-nga? Nyiku kurrajan. Wanyu yundu nyiku wunkun nukan? Ngayu kuyu, kawar buban nukan.


<translate> Father saw the child's stomach.


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

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


<glossary> kunka ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> People might talk about you


<translate> My father cracked the candle nuts and roasted them until they were good to eat.

Ngayku nganjanangka bilar-mu darka dumbarrin, dindan ngulkurr nuka-nka.


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

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


<translate> The old man said the bees and the honey were a gift, and a gift must be taken with thanks and never with greed, or the bees would leave that place forever.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: dabu wunba dajil, dajil ngulkurr-bu maninka kari wawu-yalbaybu, dabu yinya bubu bawanka yabarrka.


<glossary> wurmbu ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> The bird is right up at the top


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


<translate> That is how the young ones learn the old way, one story and one season at a time.

Yalaku karrkay-karrkay binalmal yala ngadiku, nyubun kuku nyubun buluriji.


<translate> We should go back to the camp now, before the big rain comes down in the dark night.

Ngana bayan-ka dunga-nyaku niji, kaba yalbay wujurr-ba dara-nyjiku.


<translate> The child went to the house.


<translate> The two families met at the trading ground as they did each year: they laid out their goods facing each other, the coast people showed shells and dried fish and the inland people stone and ochre and honey, they bargained slowly and fairly all afternoon, they exchanged until both sides were satisfied, they shared a big meal to seal the trade, and then they camped together one night and parted as friends at dawn.

Jawun-karra jambul daji-way-bubu nyaji-wan yala jana wungar wubulku: jana nyungu yamba nyubun-nyubun yaral daya, jalun-bama kuyu-kiway jindi baja milbin bubu-bama kulji murbuy wunba baja, jana buban-buban ngulkurr-bu daji-way kunarangkal wubulku, jana daji-wan jambulku wawu-mini-manyjiku, jana mayi yalbay daji-way daji-way kajanka, yalada jana nyubunji wunan nyubun wujurr jawun yala bawa-wan muduwajungu.


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


<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> You and I see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> He sees the grass wallaby there.


<translate> The dog chased the children.


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


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


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

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


<translate> The family moved camp to the coast when the wet season came.

Jawun-karra jurrki-ji jalun-ka, bana-wungar kada-nya.


<translate> The old man showed a boy how to find the fat clams by the little holes they leave in the wet sand.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay milbin: darkay wandul nyajinka, bakan buban jukar yarungu.


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


<translate> The strong young hunter came back from the north, walked up the beach, and sat down by the fire.

Warru balbi-bama junkurr kungkarr-muny kadan, jukar wangkar jilban, baya ngundu bundan.


<translate> They saw the seashell there.


<translate> Grandad finished his tobacco by the fire.


<translate> You see the murral tree kangaroo here.


<translate> He looked towards the north, to the far country where his old people once lived long ago.

Nyulu kungkarr-ka nyajin, bubu kala-kalbay maku, nyungu mukul-bama yinya wuna-nya kalbay-muny.


<translate> They saw the river mist here.


<translate> You two see the mulawajarr star here.


<translate> The country cleans itself, said the old man. Watch and learn.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bubu julurrijil. Nyaka, binalmaka.


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

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


<translate> The child is afraid of the dog.


<translate> The baldy gum tree is there.


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

Axe dudu bajaku; jalngkun-bunga filemundu.


Dingkarandamundu kayangka nganya baykan.


<translate> We see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> A promise spoken at night must be said again in daylight — words need witnesses the way fires need stones.

Kuku-dandi balkanmuny wujurrba balkal baja wungara: kukubu nyaji-bama wawu-manil yala bayabu kulji.


<translate> You and I saw the bububay blacktip shark there.


<translate> The good water hole is not far; it is just down there below the big flat rock.

Bana janku ngulkurr kari kalbay; nyulu bada-bada yinyay jalngarr yalbay bada-ba.


<translate> You all saw the kuran case-moth larva there.


<translate> That marrabal ti tree is there.


<translate> You and I saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


<translate> The girl watches the bird while standing up.

Maral-angka dikal nyaji-l-nyaji-l, janjana-nya-mun-du.


<glossary> nulu ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> Pus is running from the sore


<translate> We took the hook and line from the ground.


<translate> The heavy rain began again in the afternoon, the old man said, and it did not finish falling until the sun came up the next morning.

Kaba yalbay yudal-baja wungar wujurr-ma-nya-ka, mukul-dingkar balkan, kari kunbayn daray wungar wandi-nya-muny wunkuwingku yindu-ngu.


<translate> Grandfather sees the whirlwind.


<translate> I see the shovelnose ray here.


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


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


<translate> The king parrot carried food to its young in the tree all the long day, back and forth without stopping.

Karrambil mayi wundil nyungu karrkay-nka juku-ngu, wungar kalbay wubulku kada-kada, kari kunbayn.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash tree is standing at camp.


<translate> Their feet were sore and tired after the long walk from the coast.

Jana-mu jina baji-baja baja-burray, jalun-muny jilba-l kalbay-muny.


<translate> Say we and the work halves; say you-all and it doubles — the old woman weighed the little words like food.

Balka 'ngana' murni jambul-daji-mal, balka 'yurra' murni jambul-mal, wulbumanangka kuku buban nyajin yala mayi.


<translate> The cassowary is the great bird of the rainforest, the old man said, taller than a man, and it must be feared, for one kick of its foot can kill.

Kurranji buyi yalbay madja-mu, mukul-dingkar balkan, kalka bama-muny, yararri-jirr, nyungu jina nyubun-bu bama kuni.


<translate> The old woman said: the body grows old, but the story stays young forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bangkarr mukul-mal, yambada kuku ngadiku buban-baja kalbay-baja.


<translate> The two of them see the death adder there.


<translate> The old man went for a walk.


<translate> Those small sticks are here.


<translate> The man saw the open ground there.


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


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


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


<translate> Don't feed the dog from your hand at the fire — he will learn the wrong law in one evening.

Kari kaya mayi-daya maramuny bayanga, nyulu kuku mumbu binal-mal wujurr nyubunba.


<translate> The man sees the whirlwind there.


<glossary> mara-kunbay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> I stop working on Sunday


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


<translate> The old man said: I, you, we, they — we are all one people, one country, one law; hold to each other, and the country will hold to us forever.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayu, yundu, ngana, jana — ngana wubul nyubun bama, nyubun bubu, nyubun kuku; muru karrba-way, bubu ngananka karrbal ngadiku-ngadiku.


<translate> When the round moon is full and bright, is that the right time to go out onto the reef, the boy asked his mother's brother.

Kija murru-murru balbal-nya, yinya wanja-wanja ngulkurr dulngku-ka dunga-nka? karrkay-angka nyungu kalnga nyajin.


<translate> They saw the jungarr marsupial native cat here.


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

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


<translate> The child put the rope in the bag.


<translate> Mother went into the water with clothes.


<translate> We all, not you, see the frill necked lizard there.


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

Bulimanangka nyungun jururr-jururr kunin


<translate> You two see the possum here.


<translate> Everyone belongs to one of the two moieties, the old man said, and everything in the country — every animal, every tree, every place — belongs to one side or the other.

Bama wubulku mandi jambul-mu nyubun-ba wuna, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu-ba wubulku — minya wubulku juku wubulku — mandi nyubun-ba yindu-ba-baja wuna.


<translate> The old woman heard rustling in the grass and said it might be a snake.

Yanja jikan-ba kadan, mukul-jalbu-ngku nyajin, balkan, nguba jarba.


<translate> If the yellow flower of the yam shows above the ground, the old woman said, the big yam is ready to dig below it.

Kaki bambayal-mu nganka bubu wangkar-a nyaji-ma-l, mukul-jalbu balkan, bambayal yalbay kulbul bada-ba baka-nka.


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


<translate> The two tired dogs kept running back and forth along the sand all day long.

Kaya jambul baja-burray wanarri jukar-a wungar wubulku, bada wangkar baja.


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


<translate> The two boys took the dog hunting. They saw a wallaby but the dog chased a bandicoot instead.

Bula dabalangka kaya wundin, minyaka. Jana kadar nyajin, kayangka kulngu kanganda.


<translate> The cassowary eats the fruit, carries the seeds in its belly to new ground, and the big trees stand where it walked — the forest follows that bird.

Kurranjibu junjun nukal, diburr wundil jibanga bubuku yinduku, juku yalbay janay wanja nyulu jilban: jukubu birrabu wukurril minya yinya.


<translate> The charcoal lay in the shade.


<glossary> wuyarr ; type=adjective ; domain=perception <usage_example> He can't see him well, hes too far away

Nyulu wuyarr nbajaku nyajiji, kala-kalbay bajakunda


<translate> Mother gave food to the child.


<translate> My mother dived for the big mussels in the deep water beyond the reef.

Ngayku ngamungka mukirr yalbay-ka janjin bana dukurr-ba dulngku kudamundu.


<translate> The echidna dug quickly into the hard ground with its strong claws when the dogs came near.

Ngangkin bubu junkurr-ka buyun-buyun bakan mara junkurr-bu, kaya ngundu kada-nya.


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


<glossary> jimal damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=fire <usage_example> The old man made a fire with a fire stick to cook food


<translate> I saw the pig on the open ground.


<translate> Grandmother saw the morning star there.


<translate> We see the striped water snake there.


<translate> That pig is not afraid any more; it is tame now.

Nyulu bikibiki yinyilji karida, mindayda.


<translate> You and I see the kangaroo rat there.


<translate> The young men painted themselves for the dance.


<translate> I saw the balarri queenfish there.


<translate> The old woman said if you would leave one thing to your grandchildren, do not leave them goods, which are stolen or spent or spoiled, but leave them a name kept clean, for a good name is the one inheritance that grows rather than shrinks in the passing, and it opens doors that no wealth could ever open.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu nyubun yamba nyungu jija-jijanka bawanka, kari jananka yamba bawa, nyulu warmbi-manil kilba-manil mumbu-manil, yambada jananka burri yukil karrbanmu bawa, burri yukil nyubun bawanmu nyulu jarray kari buban badanga jarakay-mba, nyulu jina kilba nyulu yamba-wubul kariku kilbalmu.


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> They are wailing because their older brother died


<translate> The children learned that a good question is worth as much as a good answer, and that the person who stops asking stops learning.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman babaji ngulkurr yala kuku ngulkurr yukil, bama nyulu babaji dungay binal dungay baja.


<translate> You two see the bamboo spear stick there.


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


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


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

Marrkin wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kadanyamunku


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

Wunkuwingku buyi-buyi nganga wulngku badi.


<translate> The old man remembers the hot season when his mother's father died, long ago in this same country.

Mukul-dingkar binal wungar-iji-mu, nyungu ngaji wungar-iji wulan kalbay-muny bubu yinya-ba.


<translate> You and I saw the jurriyan satin bower bird there.


<translate> At dawn the morning star shines bright and clear in the pale eastern sky.

Muduwaju kurrubijal jiri-nga balbal bunda-l ngulkurr.


<translate> Heat is a heavy thing that cannot be seen, the old woman said, making wind over the baby with a leaf: it sits on the chest of the old people, the dogs dig cool beds under the shade, and it turns the waterbag into the best-loved relative, so in the hot season call nobody lazy — the heavy thing they are carrying just does not show.

Wumbul nyulu yamba dandi nyajil-kari, wulbumanangka balkan, ngawa birrabu muyar-bunganya: nyulu bundal damungu bama mukulmuny, kayangka bubu bakal wabarr badabada, nyulu bana-balji jawun yukil bajaku murnil, yalada wangariji kari bama kunja junkurr-kari, yamba dandi jana wundilmuny nyulu nganga nyajil-kari.


<translate> You all saw the ground here.


<translate> The child saw the bird with his eyes.


<translate> Grandmother told the child to sit.

Babi-ngka karrkay-anda balkan bunda-nka.


<translate> When the fighting was over the old men collected every spear, club and shield, laid them in a row, and told the young men to make peace and put the weapons away.

Kuni-way kunbayn-manya, mukul-mukulungku kalka, mirru, kunjuri wubul manin, nyubun-ba janan, warru balkan jana ngulkurr-ma, jarrngkurr wunga.


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


<glossary> balkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I already told you


<translate> From the top you can see the whole country.


<translate> Grandmother asked mother about the house.


<translate> This one tree gives shade, sweet fruit, strong wood, and bark for the dilly bag.

Yanyu juku nyubun ngulkurr-baja: wabarr, jidu jiba-wula-wula, juku junkurr, dumbul ngunyin-ka.


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


<translate> The children asked the old man which of all his relatives he had loved the most, and he smiled and said: That is like asking which of my fingers I would keep — I need them all, and each one differently, and a hand is not a hand without every one.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mukul dingkar babajin wanya nyungu jawun-karramuny nyulu wawu jirray bajaku, nyulu yajarrin, balkan: Yinya yala babajil wanya ngayku maramuny ngayu karrbal, ngayu wubulku wawu, wubulku yindu-yindu, mara kari mara nyubun-karimuny.


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


<translate> The meat cooked slowly in the ground.


<translate> The branch fell from the tree.


<translate> They two see the spear point there.


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

Nyulu yalkan-yalkan-yalkaji, jina bajiji


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


<translate> You two see the smooth rock here.


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

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


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

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


<translate> Father saw the fish net in the bag.


<translate> The woman asked mother about news.


<translate> The children played; meanwhile father sat near the fire.

Karrkay-karrkay kinkan, nganjan baya ngundu-ba bundan-kuda.


<translate> The dog saw the child down there.


<glossary> ngarrku-ngarrku ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> That person is easy to get along with in working (If you ask him to do anything, he does it quickly)


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


<translate> He saw the jalkay salmon there.


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

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


<translate> The sweet potato grows near the creek, and the children dig them up after the rain.

Bangkamu wawubaja karangkal yalbay-mal, karrkay bakan kaba-muny.


<translate> They put paperbark on top of the meat.


<translate> The two tired dogs kept running back and forth along the sand all day long.

Kaya jambul baja-burray wanarri jukar-a wungar wubulku, bada wangkar baja.


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


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


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

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


<glossary> ngangkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The stranger doesn't know the road

Nyulu ngarrbal ngangkal-ngangkal baralka


<translate> The young man left the spear outside.


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

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


<translate> He is running away from here toward the deep water.


<translate> We see the small ant bed here.


<translate> You and I see the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> They two saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> The tide left fish in the sand pools.


<translate> Grandfather called out at night.


<translate> After many days of rain the whole country has become wet, the old woman laughed, squeezing the blankets: the wood is wet, the path is wet, the dog is wet and happy about it, and the firewood's one dry heart lies hidden deep inside, so learn to split the log and take the dry middle, and your fire will never die of rain.

Kaba wungar wubulkumuny bubu wubulku yaru-man, wulbumanangka yajarr-man, kararr jubilnya: juku yaru, baral yaru, kaya yaru nyulu wawu-mini baja, baya-juku wawu marral nyungu wunay ngakijin dukurrba, yalada binal-maka juku dumbarrinka wawu marral maninka, baya yundumuny kariku wulay kabamuny.


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


<translate> She sent the girls to gather certain leaves and a special bark, and boiled them together in water over the fire.

Nyulu maral-maral yungan birra kanbal bangkanka, dumbul yindu, jana nyaman bananga baya wuyar.


<translate> The old person ate, and then everyone ate.

Mukul-bama nukan, baja bama wubulku nukan.


<translate> The old woman said the bitter yam that would kill you raw becomes good food if you know the way: slice it thin, soak it in the running water of the creek for a day and a night so the water carries the poison away, then roast it, and this is old knowledge, hard-won, and a young person who scorns the old ways may learn it again the hard way, in pain.

Wulbumanangka balkan: juwal ngambuy nyulu yundu jangkarbu wulanmanil nyulu mayi yukil-manda kaki yundu yala binal: buban-buban dakal, bana warri kuljinga wungar wujurr baja wunay bana ngambuy kala-kalbay jarrakulbanka, yalada dinda, yinya binal ngadiku, dandibu maninmu, warru nyulu ngadiku milka-mumbu nyulu binalka baja dandibu, buyunba.


<translate> We all, not you, saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> The dogs cleaned up everything else.


<translate> They saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko there.


<translate> You and I see the clam there.


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


<glossary> duray ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Sea turtles dig holes and cover them again without eggs; they trick people

Ngawiyangka bubu bakal, diburr kariku nandal baja; jana duraymal bamanka


<translate> Your dilly bag is torn — I'll make you a new one.

Yunu balji kadaban — ngayu jirakal balkal yununku.


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


<translate> The king parrot eats the little red seeds out on the branch above the running creek.

Karrambil diburr buban dakil-ba nuka-l, wawubaja wangkar-a.


<translate> The water kept coming and kept coming, the old woman said of the flood year, and the people kept moving up, and the children kept crying until the old man sang, and he sang on and on until they went quiet, for a hard thing is only ever taken by a harder one.

Bana kankaday kankaday, wulbumanangka balkan bana-yalbaymuny, bama jilbal wangkar jilbal wangkar, karrkay-karrkay banbadi yalada mukulungku dingkarangka wulngku badin, nyulu badin yabarrka jana wunbu-manya, yamba dandi nyulu maninmuny yamba dandi-bajabu nganga.


<translate> The two of them see the king parrot there.


<translate> The dog stood watching the wallaby feeding on the grass at the edge of the scrub, the old man said, and it did not move a single step.

Kaya janjanay nyaji-l-nyaji-n, kadar nuka-nuka-nya jikan-ba madja ngandal-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu kari nyubun-bu jina wandi.


<translate> On the fourth morning the fever broke and the boy woke clear-eyed and hungry, and his mother wept with joy.

Jambul-jambul wunkuwingku wumbul dungan, karrkay wandin miyil ngulkurrbu, dakwuyji, ngamu badin wawu-mini.


<translate> Granny pulled the blanket over the sleeping children.


<translate> You two saw the balja food there.


<translate> Father washed the young man's neck.


<translate> Pull the canoe up onto the sand!


<translate> We two (not you) saw the three-pronged spear here.


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is good.


<translate> The flat-tailed ray is here.


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


<translate> The old man said the echidna and the bandicoot were the cleverest of the small animals, for both knew how to vanish into the ground before the hunter's hand came.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: ngangkin kulngu binal bajaku minya bubanmuny, jambulku binal bubungu kilbanka balbibamamu mara kadanyjiku.


<glossary> bala ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> You became skinny from not having enough food


<translate> The boy understood and felt ashamed, and the next day he took only one wallaby, and the old man said: Now you are a bigger man than you were yesterday.

Karrkayangka binalman, milka-murruji janay, yindu wungara nyulu darrba nyubun nganga manin, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Nyiku yundu dingkar yalbay-baja yilaykumuny.


<translate> They saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> The man sees the hairy yam there.


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

Yala-yalaku jarramali kadan, nyulu ngakijin


<translate> When the two family groups met at the river for the first time in a year, they saw each other from across the water and called out to each other with joy.

Jawun-karra jambul bananga nyaji-wanda wungar nyubunmuny ngadiku, jana nyaji-wan bana kudamundumuny, jana kunja-wan wawu-minibu.


<translate> The old man walked through the scrub.


<translate> The children ran down to the waterhole in the heat of the day, splashed and swam and chased each other in the cool water, dived for the flat stones on the bottom, dried themselves on the warm sand, and then walked back up to the camp with the little fish they had caught by hand.

Karrkay-karrkay bana-mundu warrin wumbul wungar dukurr-bu, bana-kaka marijin nyubun-nyubun warri-wan bana janka, kulji jirakal badanga dakan, jukar wumbulba marral-manda-ji, yalada bayan-mundu wangkar jilbanda kuyu buban jana marabu maninmu.


<translate> The child heard the dog's bark in the night and called to his mother.

Karrkay-ngku kaya-mu ngangkurr wujurr-ba nyajin, ngamu kunjan.


<glossary> walu-nukal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm annoyed, too much noise


<translate> You two see the creek there.


<translate> It is your turn to sit; I will sweep the ground.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> You saw the murral tree kangaroo there.


<translate> The little bird did not fly away; it stayed in the tall tree and called out in the cold dawn.

Buyi buban kari marra-warrin; nyulu juku kalbay-mba bundan yirrka-l ngiki wunkuwingku.


<translate> The men followed the wallaby tracks all morning. They found it near the swamp. Uncle speared it.

Dingkar-dingkarangka kadaramu jina wukurrin. Jana nyajin walngkanga ngundu. Kalngangka damanda.


<translate> You see the kuji-kuji tree there.


<translate> The old woman kept grinding and grinding the hard seed on the flat stone until it was a fine white paste for the little cakes.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku diburr junkurr murni-murni kulji balbal-ba, nyulu kima-ma-nya balbal mayi buban-ka kariku.


<translate> My whole body is sore — I worked all day.


<translate> You all saw the kabuljaka snake here.


<translate> The little sister ran crying to her elder brother when she was frightened, the old woman said, and he picked her up at once and carried her all the way home.

Jinkurr buban badi-badi-nya yaba-nka warri yararri-nya, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nyiku-nyiku mani jarra-kulba bayan-ka narmba.


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


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


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


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<glossary> janbangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The car is stuck in the mud


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


<translate> The whole camp was quiet at last, and only the small night birds could be heard in the dark trees.

Bayan wubulku janka niji, buyi buban wujurr-mu nyubun-bu nyaji-nya juku ngungul-ba.


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


<translate> You all see the red bream there.


<glossary> kunka ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> People might talk about you


<translate> You see the fighting stick here.


<translate> Bind the stone head to the shaft while the sinew is still wet, so it dries tight, for a head bound dry will come loose at the worst moment and fly off when you throw.

Kulji murru jukungu kaji nyulu kariku marral, nyulu marral-manka junkurr, murru marralbu kajinmuny kilba-nyji yamba mumbungu, yilbanya dunga-nyji.


<translate> The people kept eating at the food all day.

Bama mayi-nga nuka-n-nuka-jin wungar wubulku.


<translate> The flying fox hung upside down in the tall tree all day and flew off to feed at dark.

Kambi juku kalbay-mba bada-bada wunay wungar wubulku, marra-warri nukal-nka wujurr-ba.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said the snake is not evil, only hungry and afraid like everything else, so give it room and it will go its own way and leave you alone.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: jarba kari buyun, dakuy yararri-jirr nyubun-bu yala wubulku, bubu daji, nyulu nyungu jangan-a dunga, yundu balu wuna.


<translate> You all see the deep water there.


<translate> You saw the spear barb there.


<translate> I learned to find water in the dry country the hard way, from my grandfather: he showed me to follow the birds at dusk to where they drink, to read the green line of the deeper-rooted trees, to dig at the outer bend of a dry creek where the water hides, to listen for the frogs buried in the mud, and we found water each time by one of these signs, and then I never feared the dry country again.

Ngayu binalman bana bubu-kiway dukurr-bu maninka dandibu, ngayku ngajimuny: nyulu ngaya milbin jujubala kunarangkal wukurrinka wanja jana jangal, juku birra-jirakal dukurr-jarra binalka, bakanka bana-jandu-ngu bana wunay wanja, ngara-mundu diburr-kaya janka-dukurr-bu, ngana bana manin wungar wubulku wari nyubunmuny, yalada ngayu kariku bubu-kiway yinilman baja.


<translate> You see the scrub tree there.


<translate> You and I saw the torch here.


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


<translate> That old grey kangaroo is too big and too strong; no single dog can bring it down alone.

Yinya julmbanu mukul yalbay bajaku, junkurr bajaku; kaya nyubun kari mani nyubun-bu.


<translate> The forest kingfisher is there.


<translate> You and I see the bandicoot there.


<translate> 'Where did you get all this good fish?' the old man asked the two young hunters by the fire.

'Yundu wanjamuny kuyu ngulkurr wubul manin?' mukul-dingkar-angka balbi-bama jambul-da babajin.


<translate> Tell someone where you are going and when you will return, so that if you do not come back they will know where to look, and will not search the wrong country for days.

Bama balka wanjabu yundu dungay, wanjawanja kadan, kaki yundu kari kada jana binal wanjabu nyajinka, jana bubu mumbungu nyaji-nyji wungar wubulka.


<translate> My father got angry and shouted loudly when he saw the boys standing near the deep water.

Ngayku nganjan kuli-ma-n yirrkan yalbay-bu, nyulu nyajin warru bana dajali ngundu janay.


<translate> I see the daughter's child there.


<translate> The children asked which was the smallest thing, and the old man said: The seed of the wild fig, so small you can barely see it, and yet a great tree sleeps inside it.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin wanya yamba buban bajaku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Diburr mayimu, buban bajaku murruji nyajil, yambada juku yalbay dukurr warngku wunay.


<translate> The old man said: a man does not own his children — he holds them for the country; he feeds them, names them, teaches them, and gives them back to the people when they are grown.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: dingkar nyungu kangkal-karra kari karrbal nyungu-nka — nyulu bubu-nku karrbal; nyulu mayi dayal, burri dayal, binal-bungal, jana yalbay-man bama-nka daji baja.


<translate> We talked until the fire went small, and then we slept.

Ngana balkan baya buban-manyjiku, wunanda.


<translate> Grandmother gave green ant to the child.


<translate> The young man took seeds to camp.


<translate> I go to the sitting old man.

Ngayu dungay wulman-anda bundanda-nya-mun-bu.


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


<translate> The freshwater fish live in the deep still pool under the fig tree, the old man said, and rise to feed only in the cool evening.

Dijarr bana dajali janka-ba wuna dukal juku bada-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu daka nuka-nka ngiki wujurr-ma-nya nyubun-bu.


<translate> Grandmother saw the axe outside.


<translate> You all see the charcoal there.


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


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


<translate> The dog licked the child's head.


<translate> I saw the knife on the ground.


<translate> One young man was quick but careless, and his line broke and his fish got away into the deep water.

Warru nyubun jinbal yambada wunbu-kari, nyungu badur dumbarrin, nyungu kuyu warrin bana badaka.


<translate> They saw the striped water snake there.


<translate> The river people and the sea people came together here for the big ceremony every wet season.

Wawubaja-warra jalun-warra kankaday yala muru wungar yalbay-ka kaba-wungar wubulku.


<translate> The wife is cooking the food while the husband looks after the baby.

Manyarr-dal-angka mayi wajul, dunyu-ngku ngawa kuji-l.


<translate> The mother smiled and asked the youngest child: And you, little one, what did you do all day at the deep water?

Ngamungka yajarrin, karrkay bubanka babajin: Yundu, karrkay buban, wanyu ngaran wungar kalbay bana badanga?


<translate> With what did you cut the meat, with no knife? I cut it with a sharp shell. And with what did the old people cut before the shell? They used a sharp stone from the river.

Wanyurrinju yundu minya yakan, naybu-mundu? Ngayu warkal jalngkun-du yakan. Wanyurrinju mukul-mukul warkal ngadiku yakan? Jana kulji jalngkun wawubaja-mu-bu yakan.


<translate> The old man said the birds each have their own time to call: the kookaburra in the morning, the magpie in the day, the curlew at night.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan buyi nyubun-nyubun nyungu-nyungu wungar yirrkanka: kururrungka wunkuwingku, dawa-dawa wungar-a, kuyir wujurr-ba.


<translate> You saw the jayju kangaroo rat there.


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


<translate> You and I saw the jiljay grub there.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the mawal bee there.


<translate> That person there is selfish.


<translate> They saw the durra caterpillar here.


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


<translate> You two see the high bank here.


<translate> The tall brolgas dance together on the open ground beside the still water at dusk.

Kulbal kalbay wubul bubu-ngu muru wuri-l, bana karangkal wungar bada-nya.


<translate> The child gave liver to father.


<glossary> nyirray ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> That child is always crying


<translate> The old people always kept one fire stick smouldering to carry fire to the new camp.

Mukul-bama-ngka wungar wubulku jimal nyubun karrban, baya bayan yindu-ka wundi-nka.


<glossary> baykal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the dog bit the pig and held on


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


<translate> You see the baldy gum tree there.


<translate> Grey clouds fill the sky now, and soon the heavy rain will fall down upon the dry country.

Ngurrban wulman jiri-ba niji, nyiku-nyiku kaba kulngkul bubu marral-ka bada dara-y.


<translate> The blood and the bones and the flesh of every animal go back into the good country in the end.

Minya narmba-mu mula bajibay minya bubu ngulkurr-ka nyunba wubulku-ku.


<glossary> jungku ; type=noun ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> Queenie's house is on the end


<translate> You see the red king parrot.


<translate> That satin bower bird is there.


<translate> The old man said: when two families quarrel, do not let the anger grow; sit them down together, let them speak to each other, and they will become one people again.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: bama jambul kuli-ma-nya, kuli kari yalbay-mal; jana muru bunda-mana, jana balka-way, jana nyubun bama-man baja.


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


<translate> You two see the marrku fruit here.


<translate> Grandmother saw the river there.


<translate> Grandmother saw the scrub turkey.


<translate> Mother saw the fish in the water.


<translate> I take water in case there is no water along the road.

Ngayu bana wundil, kunka bana kari baral-darr.


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


<translate> You all see the love handles there.


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


<glossary> nulu ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> She cooked damper in the ashes


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kalbawurr cypress-pine pitch here.


<translate> They pulled the net— they pulled the fish in with the line.


<translate> He sees the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> The child saw the cassowary outside.

Karrkay-ngku kurranji ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> The stinging tree is standing at camp.


<translate> Far away to the north the land is flat and dry, but here it is green and steep.

Kala-kalbay kungkarr-a bubu jirakal marral, yamba yaluy jikan-jikan jarra-jarra.


<translate> I saw the kalkamal locust there.


<translate> The child's stomach is full of the good meat and the sweet fruit, and now she is sleepy and quiet.

Karrkay jibar minya ngulkurr mayi jiba-wulay-jirr, niji nyulu warngku-warngku janka.


<translate> They saw the mukukana tree there.


<translate> The child heard the song from far away.

Karrkay-ngku wulngku kalakalbay-mundu nyajin.


<translate> The children keep laughing about the dog.


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


<translate> You two saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> They saw the marku species of oyster here.


<translate> You saw the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> The child fell from the tree and cried.


<translate> The old man laughed and said: I am so old that I have forgotten more than you children will ever learn, but you will run faster and see farther than I ever could.

Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: Ngayu mukul bajaku, ngayu milka-wulan wubul-baja yurra karrkay binalmalmuny, yambada yurra warri ngulkurr-baja, nyajil kalbay-baja ngayamuny.


<translate> Father speared the fish; mother cooked it; the children ate it.

Nganjanangka kuyu daman; ngamungku wayjun; karrkay-karrkayangka nukan.


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


<translate> He sees the tree snake there.


<translate> The rain came and the sand got wet.


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


<translate> You all saw the yawa possum there.


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


<translate> The messenger night bird came to the camp to tell of a stranger coming from far away.

Jiway bayan-ka kadan, bama yindu kalbay-muny kada-nya balka-nka.


<translate> You and I see the reef here.


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


<translate> He sees the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> I hurt my own foot by mistake on the sharp stone hidden in the long grass.

Ngayu kanban kulji jalngkun-bu jina buyun-dama-jin, jikan kalbay-ba ngaki-nya.


<translate> I saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> We see the spear barb there.


<translate> The scrub turkey's eggs are big.


<translate> You two saw the julbal tree there.


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


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


<glossary> nyarrmal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Snatch it quickly from his hand


<translate> Face the shelter door away from jibarr; the south wind is the one with the cold hands.

Baral-ngandal bayanmuny murni jibarrmuny kala-kalbayku: muyar jibarrmuny mara kiway-kiway-ji.


<translate> The children are making little canoes from bark and racing them down the creek.

Karrkay-karrkaybu marrakan buban bungal warrurmuny, jana warri-bungal wawubajaburr.


<translate> He cut a small hole in the tree and reached in, and his hand came out dripping with sweet honey.

Nyulu juku buban yakan, mara walan, nyungu mara kadan wunbaji jiba-wulayji.


<translate> The old man led them to the hidden soak between the rocks when all the creeks were dry.

Mukul-dingkar-angka jana jirka ngaki-nya kulji-nga wundin, wawubaja wubul marral-nya.


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


<translate> I know the spear with resin.


<glossary> dalngarri ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> make the fire give light


<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> You and I see the mura tree there.


<translate> The old people did not forget the old stories, and they taught them to every child.

Mukul-bama kuku kalbay kari milka-wula-y, jana karrkay wubul-ka milban.


<translate> They two see the barramundi there.


<translate> You two see the fingernail here.


<translate> Never mind, we will go again if the day is good.

Wumba, ngana baja dungay, kaki wungar ngulkurr.


<translate> Don't swim there — the crocodile is watching!

Kari yinyay marajika — bilngkumungku nyajil!


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is standing there.


<translate> The old man said a debt with acknowledgment and a debt denied are two different weights on a person, for the acknowledged debt sits light because both know it and trust it will be paid in time, but the denied debt festers and turns friends into enemies, so he taught the young always to name their debts openly, for a person with owned debts sleeps better than a person with hidden ones.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yamba-manin binal-ji yamba-manin balka-kari jambul yindu-yindu junkurr bamanga, binal-ji yamba-manin bada bundan jambul binal wawu-karrbal nyulu dayal wungara, yambada balka-kari yamba-manin buyun-manda jawun kuni-mabi-mundu murni, nyulu warru milbin yabarrka nyungu yamba-manin kuku-mundu balkanka, bama yamba-manin-ji karrba nyulu wuna yukil-baja bama buyan-jimuny.


<translate> I see the domestic turkey there.


<glossary> nginja ; type=noun ; domain=perception <usage_example> That man is always grunting (in his sleep)


<translate> They saw the war spear there.


<translate> You two saw the jumul-jumul grass seeds here.


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


<translate> The woman saw the white crane at camp.


<translate> They ate food and then lay down. The next day they went again.

Jana mayi nukan, wunan-da. Wunkuny jana dungan-baja.


<translate> The grandchild sat quietly at the grandfather's feet every single night, the old man said, learning the long songs of the country one line at a time.

Kaminjarr janka bunda kami-mu jina-ba wujurr nyubun-nyubun, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu-mu wulngku marri binalman nyubun-nyubun kuku-bu.


<translate> I am rather hungry now, the child said, but by nightfall I will be very hungry, so let us dig a few more yams before the sun goes down.

Ngayu jarra-dakwuy niji, karrkay balkan, yamba wujurr-ma-nya ngayu dakwuy-baja-ku, ngali bambayal kanbal baka-baja wungar bada dunga kariku.


<translate> The woman left the dog there.


<translate> You and I see the ground here.


<translate> When you drink cool water or sit in the shade of a big tree, the old people are with you, he said.

Yundu bana kiway nukanya, juku yalbaymu wabarrba bundanya, kamba-kamba yunuji, nyulu balkan.


<translate> The goose is standing outside.


<translate> The dugong hunter waited very still by the water for a long time, watching the sea grass move.

Biwuy-balbi-bama bana karangkal dandi wunay wungar kalbay, bilanji-jalun nyajin, wanja bilanji warrin.


<translate> The dingo stole the meat from the camp.


<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


<translate> That person there is truthful.


<translate> Anger passes but the camp goes on, said the old man; do not hold your anger hard, like a hot coal.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: dukul-wuri dungay, bayan bundanday; kari karrba junkurrku dukul-wuri, yala baya wumbul.


<translate> Why does shame come hardest to good people? — Because they open the door for it themselves.

Wanyurrinku murru-kaday kadal bamanka yukilanka dandi bajaku? Jana baral-ngandal ngalkal-bungal nyulu-nyulubu.


<translate> The old people sat by the fire a while longer, talking quietly about the day and the days to come.

Kamba-kamba bayanga bundandan baja, balkanya wunbu yinya wungarka, wungar jirakalka.


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


<translate> The one without a dog found no pigs in the scrub that day.

Kaya-kari-ngka biki kari milbin madja-nga wungar-a.


<translate> You all saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> From the top of the hill you can see the fire of every camp along the winding river.

Jamba wangkar-mundu yundu nyaji-l baya bayan narmba-mu wawubaja-burr.


<translate> They saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> You all see the bujabay tree here.


<translate> As children we hunted the possum and the echidna, and our grandmother cooked them in the coals.

Ngali karrkay-nyja-ku yawa ngangkin balbin, ngali-nya mukul-jalbu-ngku wajun ngunjil-ba.


<translate> You two saw the binju snake here.


<translate> The hunter with a spear and the hunter without one walk the same forest, but only one comes home with meat, and the old man used this to teach that the tool in the hand decides everything, so he made sure every boy could make his own weapons, for a person with skill is never truly a person without tools, since the skilled hands make the tools they need.

Balbi-bama kalka-ji balbi-bama kalka-kari nyubun majaji jilbal, nyubun nganga minya-ji bayan-mundu kadal, mukulungku dingkarangka yinya kirrajin milbil bangkarr maranga yamba wubulku kajal, nyulu murni-manin warru wubulku nyungu kalka bunganka, bama janka-yukil-ji nyulu kariku bajaku bangkarr-kari, janka-yukil bungan bangkarr jana wanya yukilmuny.


<translate> They saw the dilly bag 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.


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

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


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


<translate> You saw the kalkamal locust here.


<translate> We see the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


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


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


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


<translate> You and I see the water there.


<translate> The kingfisher and the dove both nest in a hole high in a dead tree, the old woman said, and they line the hollow with soft grass for their young.

Dabuy kuludu-jirr jambulu juku wula-nya bubu-mabi karrkan-ba wuna, mukul-jalbu balkan, jana jikan kima julbi-ba wandi karrkay-nka.


<translate> The kids played on the sand until the sun went down.

Karrkay-karrkay jukara kinkan. Wungar dungan, jana bayanba kadanda.


<translate> The dog bit grandfather's hand.


<translate> We hear the rustling noise here.


<translate> The old man knew every big old tree in the country by name and story, for each ancient tree was a marker of a boundary, a place of a happening, or the home of a spirit, and he taught the boys never to cut a big old tree carelessly, for a tree that has stood five hundred years holds more of the country's memory than any living person.

Mukulungku dingkarangka juku yalbay mukul wubulku bubungu binal nyungu kuku jangkar baja, juku mukul nyubun wubulku nyulu bubu-jina jarra-mabi, yamba nyubun bungalmuny, yambada wawu-yamba bayan, nyulu warru-warru milbin kariku juku yalbay mukul binal-karibu daka, juku nyulu janan wubul wungar karrbal bubu milka ngulkurr-baja bama wula-mabi wubulmuny.


<translate> The two brothers who always hunt together speared a big kangaroo.

Dingkar-bulal, muru balbil baja, mayarriji yalbay daman.


<translate> The old man said a child is not taught so much as changed, slowly, from a being that knows nothing into one that knows the country, and the old word for teaching says exactly this, for binal-ma-l means to become-knowing all by oneself and binal-bunga-l means to make-someone-knowing, and a wise teacher understands that they cannot pour knowledge in but can only set up the conditions in which the child changes itself from not-knowing into knowing.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan karrkay nyulu kari milbil bajaku yambada yindu-mal, buban-buban, yamba nyulu yamba nyubun binal-kari yindu nyulu bubu binal, kuku ngadiku milbilmuny nyulu balkal yinya bajaku, binal-ma-l nyulu binal-mal nyulu-nyulu yambada binal-bunga-l nyulu bama nyubun binal-bungal, milbil-bama binal nyulu kari binal jibal-bungal yambada nganga bungal wanja karrkay nyulu-nyulu yindu-mal binal-karimuny binalka.


<translate> The grandchild brought fresh water and dry firewood to the old grandmother every morning, the old woman said, and sat down to listen to her talk.

Kaminjarr-angka bana jirakal juku-buri marral babi mukul-nka wunkuwingku nyubun-nyubun wundi, mukul-jalbu balkan, bunda nyungu balka milka-janay-nka.


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


<translate> You see the black palm here.


<translate> The children helped by carrying paperbark and by holding the saplings straight while the men tied them fast.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mara-dajin buyku wundinya, juku yaral karrbanya dingkar-dingkarangka kajanya junkurrku.


<translate> You two see the rainbow there.


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


<translate> The little child had lost a tooth, and the old woman laughed at the gap.

Karrkay buban-mu dirra nyubun daran, wulbumanangka yajarrin.


<translate> Grandfather saw the pig on the ground.


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


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

Kadarangka nganjinan nyajin, madjanga warrin.


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

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


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


<translate> He sees the kurrija octopus here.


<translate> That kalburiji bee is there.


<translate> The old man said the crocodile lies as still as a floating log for a long time, then takes the wallaby or the dog at the water's edge in one great rush.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: bilngkumu janka wuna yala walmba bana-ba warri-nya marri, yinyamun kadar kaya-jirr bana ngandal-ba nyubun-bu bila mani.


<translate> Grandmother saw the Moreton Bay fig tree.


<translate> The old man said the strong young man is like a spear: fast, hard at the point, and it flies very far.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: warru junkurr yala kalka — bila bajaku, biyul junkurr, kala-kalbay dungay.


<translate> We see the tree snake there.


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

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


<translate> The museum keeps the old weapons behind glass: the war spear, the shield, the woomera; but the grandmother says a weapon in a glass box is dead, for a spear is alive only in the hand that throws it.

Kilaja-bayanba mukul-jarrngkurr karrbal: kuyan, kunjuri, ngurmu; yambada babingka balkan: jarrngkurr kilaja-nga wulan, kalka mara-nga nyubun juran, yilba-mara-nga.


<translate> The hidden snake happened to get poked by the old woman with her digging stick.

Jarba ngaki-nya mukul-jalbu-nda juku-bu narri-jin, bubu-ngu.


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


<translate> We went along the road before wind came.

Ngana baral-darr dungan, muyar kada-nyjiku.


<translate> You see that wuymbariji scrub tree.


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


<translate> The tree's roots go deep to find water in the dry season.

Juku-mu bangkan bubu-dukurr-ba dungay, bana milbi-nka dukurr-wungar-a.


<translate> The boy was brave and did not cry any more, and the old woman told him: A wound heals faster in a calm body, so keep your mind quiet and rest.

Karrkay wawu-junkurr, nyulu kari badin baja, wulbumanangka nyunganka balkan: Muja bangkarr wunbungu junkurr kakawarrimal, milka wunbu kuji, mara-kunba.


<translate> Mother saw the black bean tree.


<translate> We see the water gum tree there.


<translate> The old woman said: I am old and can no longer hunt or weave or carry water, and yet the young still feed me and keep my fire, not because I am useful, but because I am theirs, and one day they will be old, and their children will do the same, and so the wheel turns and no one is ever thrown away.

Wulbumanangka balkan: Ngayu mukul, ngayu kari balbil wukurril bana wundil, yambada warru ngayku nukamanil baya kujil, kari ngayu yukilmuny, yambada ngayu jananka, nyubun wungara jana mukul-manda, nyungu kangkal yinya baja ngaral, yala murni murninya bama nyubun kari kudamundu yilbal yabarrka.


<translate> You saw the wooden sword here.


<translate> You and I see the posterior here.


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


<translate> We two (not you) saw the outrigger canoe here.


<translate> When the small birds all suddenly go silent and fly up into the thick cover at once, the old man taught, look up, for a hawk is hunting overhead, and the same silence that saves the small birds can warn a person too, for the country is full of signals if you learn to read the sudden quiet as sharply as you read the calls and the songs.

Buyi buban wubulku warri dandi-manda marra-warri wangkar juku junkurr-mundu nyubunku, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, wangkar nyaji, jinabiju balbil jiri wangkar, dandi nyubun nyulu buyi buban wula-manil bama baja milbil, bubu jina-mabi wubulku kaki yundu binalman dandi warri ngaral warri yala yundu kuku wulngku-badi baja ngaralmu.


<translate> They saw the small patch of scrub here.


<translate> The children asked: "Where did the big grey kangaroo go when it hopped away across the plain?"

Karrkay-karrkay babajin: Julmbanu yalbay wanjabu dungan, nyulu bubu-burr warri-nya?


<translate> We two, not you, saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard here.


<translate> You all see the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The tide went out and we gathered shellfish on the sand.

Jalun dungan, ngana bulkiji bangkan jukara.


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

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


<translate> The man is roasting meat on the fire.


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


<translate> I saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> The old man did not really sleep.


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


<translate> The old people stayed up there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the ngiwa moray eel here.


<translate> "Which one of these two spears is the good one, the long straight one or the heavy hard one?"

Wanjinya kalka jambul-mu ngulkurr, kalbay jinbal yamba junkurr kulngkul?


<translate> The women gathered the shellfish, and the men speared fish as well over by the reef.

Jalbu-ngka minya bangkan, dingkar-angka kuyu baja daman dulngku-ngu.


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


<translate> You see the plum tree there.


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


<translate> The old man kept one story he never told, and everyone knew he had it, and that was a kind of telling too.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kuku-jangkar nyubun kujin kariku balkanmuny, bama wubulkubu binal nyulu karrbal, yinya baja milbil-jina nyubun.


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


<translate> I speared a fish first of all, then I got two crabs at the low tide.

Ngayu kuyu-ngurr daman, yalada ngayu kiju jambul manin ngajalba.


<translate> I took mother's clothes to the sea.


<translate> You saw the jurriyan satin bower bird there.


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


<translate> You saw the jingajalka tree here.


<translate> They followed the flooded river down toward the sea after the wet, moving carefully along the high bank where the ground was firm, watching the brown water carry whole trees past them, and the old man said this is why we do not build our camps on the low ground by the river.

Jana wawubaja bana-yalbay wukurrin bada jalun-mundu bana-wungarmuny, jana buban-buban jilban dungur wangkara wanja bubu junkurr, jana nyajil bana yalbaybu juku wubulku jarrakulbal jana ngundu, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinyabu ngana kari nyungu bayan bungal bubu bada wawubaja ngundu.


<translate> The men carried their spears, their boomerangs, and their shields when they went to meet the other people.

Dingkar-angka kalka, wangal, kunjuri wundin, jana bama yindu-ka dungan.


<translate> You two see the dukul-dukul bush here.


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


<translate> The big storm cloud is coming up fast from the north over the far mountains.

Kaba-jiri yalbay kungkarr-muny jinbal-baja kada-y, manjal kalbay wangkar-a.


<translate> A tree with many big leaves stands there.

Juku birra-jirr jabajaba-jirr yinyay janjanay.


<translate> Never eat what you do not know, the old woman said; the country is full of good food, so eat only what you know.

Kari nuka wanya yundu kari binal, wulbumanangka balkan; bubu mumbay mayi ngulkurrbu, nuka nganga wanya yundu binal.


<translate> The child heard thunder from the mountain.

Karrkay-ngku jarramali manjal-muny nyajin.


<translate> That crested pigeon is there.


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

Banabu juku-juku jurrngan wawubajanga bada.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said a good friend is like deep still water — quiet on top, but holding much life underneath.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: jawun ngulkurr yala bana dajali janka — wangkar janka, yamba julbi minya wubul bada-bada.


<translate> I see the woomera butt here.


<translate> They heard the halloo there.


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

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


<translate> You two see the mullet here.