<translate> The old woman taught the child to build a cooking fire the right way: clear the ground to bare earth, lay the small dry sticks first in a little heap, light them low, and add the bigger wood only when the small flame is strong, for a fire built greedy with big wood smothers before it lives.

Wulbumanangka karrkay milbin baya waju-bayan bunganka yukil yala: bubu karra janga-manda, juku buban marral ngadiku daya buban-manda, wula bada, juku yalbay daya nyubun wula buban junkurrbu, baya ngujanbu juku yalbaybu bungan nyulu wula-manda nyulu janayka ngadiku.


<translate> Hold the baby tight — the wind is strong!

Ngawa karrba junkurrku — muyar junkurrji!


<translate> He saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


<translate> We see the yarrka bee there.


<translate> You all see the parrot here.


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

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


<translate> I speared the fish; the old man saw me; he gave the meat to me; and I carried it back to my camp.

Ngayu kuyu daman; mukul-dingkarangka nganya nyajin; nyulu minya ngaykunku dayan; ngayu ngayku bayanka wundinda.


<translate> You all see the mayfly here.


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


<translate> But what one person learns and passes on never dies, she said, and so the knowledge lives longer than any of us.

Yambada wanya nyubungku binalman, dajil baja, kari wulay yabarrka, nyulu balkan, binal janay kalbay nganamuny wubulku.


<glossary> ngukal-badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't steal (it), just ask (for it)

Yundu kari wurrmay-bakamaka, ngukal-badiku


<translate> They see the small conical shellfish here.


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

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


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


<translate> Underwater the river has its own camps: cold ones, warm ones, and one where the big fish holds its meetings.

Kuralba wawubaja bayan-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji: kiway-kiway, wumbul, nyubunba kuyu yalbaybu kuku-yalbay karrbal.


<translate> The old man said the day is finished, the fire is low, the children are asleep; now the old people may talk of the things not spoken by day.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: wungar kunbayn, baya bada, karrkay-karrkay warngku; niji mukul-bama kuku wungar-a balka-nya-kari balka.


<translate> They saw the didgeridoo there.


<translate> There was too much noise in the camp, with everyone shouting and laughing all through the night.

Nyurra yalbay bayan-ba, bama narmba yirrka-l yajarri-l wujurr wubulku.


<translate> You saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> The young man cut the wood for a spear, hardened it in the fire, and then went to hunt for meat.

Warru juku yakan kalkanka, kunjinba dandi-bungan, minya damanka dunganda.


<translate> Every weapon and every dilly bag in the camp was made by hand from the country itself.

Jarrngkurr ngunyin baja bayan-ba wubul bama-ngka mara-bu bubu-muny bungan.


<translate> The old man said if you want a friendship to last a lifetime, do not lend large amounts and do not borrow them, for money owed sits between two people like a stone in a shoe, but share your food freely and your time and your grief, because those are the debts that bind rather than divide.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu jawun wawu wubulmuny janayka, kari yamba wubul daji kari yamba wubul mani, yamba jaba bama jambul dukurr-bu janji yala kulji jinanga, yambada nyungu mayi ngulkurr-bu daji nyungu wungar nyungu walu-jirrbu-jirrbu baja, yinya jaba nyulu kajil kari kaka-manil.


<translate> The road there is not crooked.


<translate> The old man came close to the shallow water.


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

Ngayku balji kadaban. Ngayu balji jirakal balka-nka.


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


<translate> Come with us! — With you-all I would go anywhere; with the grumbler, not even to the near tree.

Kaday ngananji! Yurranji ngayu dungay wanjaka baja, bamanji kuli-ji kariku jukuku ngunduku.


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

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


<translate> The old man said the whole aim of a life's discipline is to change the hard things from a torment into a joy, for at first rising early is a misery, the long walk an agony, the cold water a shock, the going without a suffering, but through the years of doing these things the body and the will slowly change until one day, to the astonishment of the young, the old person seems actually to relish the very hardships that break the untrained, having changed hardship itself, in themselves, into a strange delight.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan wawu kalbay nyungu yala wubulku yamba dandi yindu-bungalka wawu-mumbumuny wawu-miniku, ngadiku muduwaju wandil nyulu wawu-mumbu, jilba kalbay kaka bajaku, bana kiway-kiway yinil-yamba, nganga janay wawu-mumbu, yambada wungar wubulku yinya murni-bu bangkarr wawu-milka buban-buban yindu-mal yalada wungar nyubun, warru yajarr-mal, mukul-bama nyulu bajaku wawu-manil yamba dandi yinya nyulu bama milbil-kari kunil, yindu-manin wawu-mumbu nyulu-nyulu, nyungu-nyungunga, wawu-mini yinduku.


<translate> Push the canoe out — the tide is right!


<translate> You all see the dukul-dukul bush there.


<translate> You see the balmbalka tree here.


<translate> The old man said the change from stranger to friend and from friend to kin can be watched happening over a season of shared work and shared food, for two who arrive as wary strangers, working side by side through a long hunt, sharing the catch, telling their stories by the fire, slowly change into friends, and friends who marry into each other's families change again into kin, so that the whole warm web of belonging is built, thread by thread, out of these small changes.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu ngarrbalmuny jawunku jawunmuny jawun-karra-nka baja nyaji wungar nyubun jawun-karra-yamba mayi-yamba, jambul nyulu kadan ngarrbal yinil-ji, yamba-yukil nyubunji balbil wungar wubulku, mayi kunbal, nyungu-nyungu kuku-jangkar baya ngunduku balkal, buban-buban yindu-mal jawunku, jawun nyulu dunyu-manin nyubun-nyubun jawun-karra-nka yindu-mal jawun-karraku, karra-jawun wumbul wubulku bungan, karra nyubun-nyubun, yindu buban-buban yinyamuny.


<translate> He sees the wuli-wuli soldier crab here.


<translate> I took the charcoal from the ground.


<translate> The tall strong tree stands beside the river, its many green leaves catching the light.

Juku kalbay junkurr wawubaja karangkal janay, nyungu birra wubul jikan-jikan balbal.


<translate> You see the water gum tree here.


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


<translate> The woman said to the man: "That is fish."

Jalbu-ngku dingkar-anda balkan: "Yinya kuyu."


<glossary> yanday ; type=adjective ; domain=artefact <usage_example> The grass is ready (cut) now, (you) gather (it up)


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


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


<translate> Don't play with the sharp spear near the children, lest you hurt someone.

Kari kalka jalngkun-ji karrba karrkay karangkal, bama buyun-dama-nyji.


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is good.


<translate> They saw the grey kangaroo on the open ground.


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

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


<translate> Everyone helped with the work.


<translate> Good water, good shade, plenty of firewood.

Bana ngulkurr, wabarr ngulkurr, baya jirray.


<translate> That woman wants to go fishing, but she is sick and cannot go anywhere today.

Yinya jalbu wawu baduri-ji dunga-nka, kari nyulu bambay niji.


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

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


<translate> You and I see the death adder here.


<translate> The bronzewing doves come down to the water hole to drink at the end of the day.

Juku-juku wubul bana-ka muru kada-y, bana nuka-nka wungar bada-nya.


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


<translate> You two see the windbreak there.


<translate> The dog keeps scratching itself.


<translate> Grandmother laughed at the girl.


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


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


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


<translate> Mother went to the tree with clothes.


<translate> The man came into the camp and the woman happened to hit him in the dark.

Dingkar bayan-ka walan, jalbu-ndu kuni-jin wujurr-ba.


<translate> The old woman said a grandmother often kept a special closeness with one particular grandchild, sometimes the one named for her own mother, sometimes simply the one whose spirit answered hers, and she would teach that child a little more, keep it a little closer, pass to it the deepest of the old knowledge, so that in every generation the long chain of women's learning found the next hands it needed through this quiet grandmother-to-granddaughter thread.

Wulbumanangka balkan babi nganga karrbal karra-kima nyubun jija-nka nyubunmuny, wungar nyubun kunjal nyungu-nyungu ngamumuny, wungar nyubun nganga jija nyungu wawu-milka nyungunji kuku-manilmuny, nyulu milbin jija yinya buban-baja, karrbal ngunduku baja, dayal nyungu binal dukurr bajaku, wungar-kadal nyubun-nyubunba karra kalbay jalbu nyungu binal manin mara jirakal wawu-manilmuny babi-mundu jija-jalbunka karra dandibu.


<translate> The old man said the shark is the boss of the sea, stronger than all the fish and afraid of nothing.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan yaburr jalun-mu maja, jarra-yaykarr kuyu wubulku, kariku junjuy-nka yinil.


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


<translate> We saw the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> The possum sleeps all day in the hollow of the tall tree and comes out to feed in the dark night.

Yawa warngku wuna wungar wubulku juku kalbay dukurr, wandin nukal-nka wujurr ngungul-ba.


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


<translate> The old man said: I should have known the old ways, but I was young and I thought I knew everything.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngayu bubu ngadiku bina-nyaku, yambada ngayu warru bajaku.


<glossary> bakal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They dug a hole


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

Nyulu balkan: buyinda daya, buyingku yununda balkal.


<translate> The rain came. Everyone went into the house.

Kaba kadan. Jana bama wubulku bayanba dungarin.


<translate> The old woman cried out to the children: "Do not go!"

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-karra-nda yirrkan: "Kari dunga-y!"


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


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


<translate> We see the black cockatoo there.


<translate> The stones there are not close together.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


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


<glossary> bada-bada ; type=locational ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> The paper is under the table


<translate> Granny sat the little ones down and told them never to go near the deep water alone, because the water there is strong.

Babingka ngawa-ngawa bundamanin, jananda balkan: kari dungay bana badaka nyulurrku, bana junkurr yinyay.


<translate> He saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> The pigeons come down to the ground in the morning to eat the fallen seeds, and they fly up together when the hawk comes.

Bakamu bubu-ngu bada kadan wunkuwingku, diburr daran nukan, jana wangkar marra-warri kalin-kalin kada-nyaku.


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


<translate> I saw her, that woman, down at the creek this morning.

Ngayu nyunguny nyajin, yinya jalbu, wawubaja-nga wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> The small silverfish move in a great shining cloud in the shallows, and the children scoop them with their bark dishes, laughing.

Jingka-jingka jirril balbal-jirr wubul bana buban-ba jurrki, karrkay-karrkay dumbul-bu mani, yajarri.


<translate> You see the casuarina pine here.


<translate> I saw a grass tree and a fern beside the path, and I picked the flowers.

Ngayu nganjirr malari baja nyajin, nganka munjan.


<translate> That wuymbariji scrub tree is there.


<translate> The young man brought sand from camp.


<translate> The honey bread is sweet and good.


<translate> The woman closed the bag today.


<translate> You and I saw the kujuway pigeon there.


<translate> The leaves from that tree are dry.


<translate> You two saw the running water here.


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


<translate> The women sang and the men danced.

Jalbu-jalbu wulngku badin, dingkar-dingkar wurin.


<translate> The old woman is sitting at the base of the tree.


<translate> His mouth was dry and there was no saliva; he had walked all day with no water at all.

Nyungu ngandal marral, nyumba kari; nyulu wungar wubulku jilba-nya bana-kari.


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


<translate> I saw the wuju grass sponge there.


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


<translate> You two see the fighting spear here.


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


<translate> When a great storm caught them in the open on the third day, they could not go forward or back, so they made a shelter of bark against the wind and waited two days for the rain to pass, and the old man told stories the whole time so no one grew afraid.

Jarramali yalbay jana manin bubu yaralba wungar kulurmuny, jana murruji wangkar dunga bada dunga, jana bayan wawun bungan wangkarka, jana maku-janay jambul wungar bana dunganka, mukulungku dingkarangka jangkar balkan wungar wubulku bama nyubun kari yinil-manda.


<translate> They saw the dawa-dawa magpie here.


<translate> Some places nearby are just the same.


<translate> They saw the spear barb here.


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


<translate> The young man got fish at the sea.


<translate> You see the madu sea pine there.


<translate> The crested pigeon walks along the dusty track, eating the seeds that have fallen down.

Karunkurr bubu jina-nga jilba dunga-y, diburr dara-nya nuka-l.


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


<translate> Granny gave them water and told them a good story to make the waiting shorter.

Babingka bana dajin jananda wubulku, kuku ngulkurr balkan maku-janay bubanmanka.


<translate> Put the fish in the dilly bag!


<translate> The stars are the small fires of the old dead people, burning far away in the black night sky.

Dawar bama wula-nya-mu baya buban, kala-kalbay wajun jiri ngumbu wujurr-ba.


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


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

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


<translate> The child's teeth are sharp.


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


<translate> They saw the boomerang here.


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


<translate> The possum comes out only at night and its eyes shine back at you when the firelight catches them in the tree, and the old man taught the boys to hunt it by that shine but only to take what was needed, and he told them the possum's thick warm fur made the best sleeping cloaks, so nothing of it was ever wasted, not the fur, the meat, or the sinew.

Yawa wandin nganga wujurr nyungu miyil yilba-manil yundu-mundu baya-wula karrbanya jukungu, mukulungku dingkarangka warru-warru milbin yilba ngunduku balbinka nganga wanya yukilmuny mani, nyulu balkan yawa nyungu jindi junkurr wumbul kirrajin wuna-kambi yukil bajaku, yamba nyubun kari kudamundu, kari jindi minya wandul baja.


<translate> I heard a song from up there.

Ngayu wulngku wangkarwangkar-mundu nyajin.


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


<translate> The dogs smelled the wallaby first and ran ahead into the long grass, barking and jumping over the logs.

Kaya-kayangka kadar nyajin ngadiku, warrin maku jikan kalbaymba, yirrkanya jalamanya jukungu.


<translate> They saw the barinkan scrub bird there.


<translate> The kangaroo, the wallaby, and the possum all feed at different times of the day and night.

Mayarriji darrba yawa wubul nukal wungar-a wujurr-ba, yindu-yindu.


<translate> Who is looking after the orphan children? Their grandmother and their uncle took them in; in our way, a child is never left alone.

Wanya karrkay-karrkay mula-kari kujil? Nyungu babi kalnga jana manin; ngali yala, kangkal kari nyubun bawal.


<translate> We, not you, saw the barrbal black bream there.


<translate> The old man drew a sharp line between a person with shame and a person without shame: the person with shame can be trusted, for shame is the fence that holds a person to the law even when no one watches, but the shameless person will do anything unseen, and the old people watched such a one carefully all their lives.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kuku junkurr balkan bama bikirr-ji bama bikirr-karimuny: bama bikirr-ji nyulu wawu-karrbalka, bikirr nyulu bama karrbal kuku-mundu bama nyubun kari nyajilnya, yambada bikirr-kari bama nyulu yamba wubulku bungal nyaji-karinga, bama mukul nyajin yinya nyubun buban-buban wawu kalbay wubulku.


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


<translate> The spirit frightened me in the dark scrub, and I ran quickly back to the warm fire.

Dubu-ngku nganya yararri-mani-n madja ngungul-ba, ngayu buyun-buyun nyunban baya wumbul-ka.


<translate> The bush foods feed the people through every season, if they know where to look.

Duduy-mayi bama daji-l wungar wubulku, kaki jana binal wanja balbil.


<translate> My mother's brother took me hunting and taught me to throw the spear.

Ngayku kalngangka nganya balbi-ka wundin, kalka dama-nka binal-bungan.


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


<translate> You see the bloodwood tree here.


<translate> The women read the seasons by the trees: when this one flowers, that fruit is ripe.

Jalbu wungar ngaral juku-bu: yinya nganka-mal-nya, yinya mayi kulbul.


<translate> The seagull flew far out over the open sea, then turned and came back to the sea-shore when the wind grew strong.

Kurranday jalun-yalbay wangkar kalbay-mba marra-warri, yalada muru-manin jalun-ba kadan muyar yaykarr-manda.


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

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


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

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


<glossary> milka-daray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The young men sinned and stole food from the shop

Jana warruwarru milka-daran milka-daran mayi ngakinka shopmunmun


<translate> We saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The women cracked the black bean nuts with a heavy stone by the fire.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka baway darka dumbarrin kulji kulngkul-bu baya karangkal.


<translate> The two of them saw the smouldering log there.


<translate> You and I saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> The women are pounding zamia nuts on the flat stone.


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


<translate> You see the mother's father.


<translate> The man saw the child's ear.


<glossary> kunbayn ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> Today is break-up day; school's finished now

Nyiku break-up day, kunbayn yundu school


<translate> The young man asked mother about water.


<translate> Go there to the northern camp, stay one night, then come back here to your own country.

Dunga-y yinyay bayan kungkarr-ka, warngku nyubun wuna, kadan yala yunu bubu-ka.


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


<translate> His mother and my mother are sisters, so we two fight like brothers and share like shadows.

Ngamu nyungu ngamu ngayku babarr-jinkurr, yalada ngali kuniway yala yaba-karra, wambajil yala wabarr.


<translate> The children, now grown, taught their own children everything the old man had taught them, beginning with the very first lesson of all: wash yourself, and look after your body.

Karrkay-karrkay nyiku kambanmuny, nyungu karrkay-karrkay milbin yambayamba mukul dingkarangka jana milbinmuny, badinyarr milbil ngadiku wubulmuny: nyulu-nyulu julurri-jika, yundu bangkarr nyaji.


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


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


<translate> You see the older brother here.


<translate> I did not eat the food; the child ate it.

Ngayu kari mayi nukan, karrkay-angka nukan.


<translate> The two of them saw the ngurran rope here.


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

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


<translate> The moon was there at night.


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


<translate> They saw the ngurran rope there.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


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


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

Byulu minya nyundan. Ngana yalaymbu mukanyakuda


<translate> The old man is staying outside with the baby.


<translate> The children swam in the creek and their mother washed the clothes on the flat rocks.

Karrkay-karrkay wawubaja-nga janji-l, ngamu-ngka kambi kulji-ba julurrin.


<translate> I went by boat, but there was a strong wind.

Ngayu buwun-ji dungan, kari muyar junkuji.


<translate> The woman is washing clothes in the river.


<translate> They see the juku-juku bronzewing dove there.


<translate> Who is looking after the orphan children? Their grandmother and their uncle took them in; in our way, a child is never left alone.

Wanya karrkay-karrkay mula-kari kujil? Nyungu babi kalnga jana manin; ngali yala, kangkal kari nyubun bawal.


<translate> You saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


<translate> I see the cockatoo crest here.


<translate> You all saw the ngumbi bandicoot there.


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


<translate> The dingo chased the frightened wallaby down the hill and across the shallow, muddy creek.

Murramu-ngku kadar yini-yini kangan bada jamba-muny naka-naka wawubaja buyun-ka.


<translate> Mother saw grandmother's stomach.


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

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


<translate> The shield lay on the ground.


<translate> You all see the marsupial native cat there.


<translate> That man standing over there is my mother's brother.

Yinya dingkar yinyay janay ngayku kalnga.


<translate> The two dogs ran from the camp, along the track, all the way to the big river in the north.

Kaya jambul bayan-muny wanarrin, jina-burr, wawubaja yalbay kungkarr-ka wubulku.


<translate> The rain fell down and down for many days, one heavy day after another, until the river flooded.

Kaba daran daran daran wungar wubul-muny, jururr kulngkul, wawubaja yalbay-ma-nyjiku.


<translate> If the child is cold, light a fire.


<translate> You and I see the tongs here.


<translate> The old woman warned the child not to go near the deep water.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay milka-bakan, baluda dunga-y bana dajali-ka.


<translate> I see the nikar oyster here.


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


<translate> My uncle is a good fisherman.


<translate> They saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> Echidnas are hard work, said uncle, laughing.

Kalngangka balkan, yajarrinya: ngangkin dandi bajaku.


<translate> He sees the rock python there.


<translate> The woman went to the river to get water and to cook the food.

Jalbu wawubajanga dungan, bana maninka mayi wajunku.


<translate> That red king parrot is there.


<translate> We — you included — dug this waterhole, so we — you included — own its care.

Ngana bana-dimbirr yanya bakan, yalada ngana kujil baja.


<translate> The two old women keep laughing about the young men in a friendly way.


<translate> Wet cane is good; dry cane breaks.

Yibuy duna ngulkurr; yibuy marral kadabal.


<translate> You all see the flat rock here.


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


<translate> The young man's upper leg is dry.


<translate> You all see the scorpion here.


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


<translate> You all see the black cockatoo here.


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


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


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

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


<translate> You and I see the shellfish there.


<translate> They see the dulmbi umbrella palm here.


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


<translate> You all saw the ngumbi bandicoot there.


<translate> You saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard here.


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


<translate> We came back after the rain, and the path had already become water.

Ngana kadan baja wawu-kaba-muny, baral bana-man ngadiku.


<translate> Where did the kangaroo run to when the dogs chased it up the ridge?

Mayarriji wanjabu warri, kaya-ngka kangan-nya wangkar-ka?


<translate> Do not trick your younger brother with bad words, the old woman said.

Baluda yabaju jurril-bunga kuku buyun-bu, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> He sees the yarrka bee there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the diwalngku bird there.


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


<translate> I saw the freshwater eel here.


<translate> Every animal has its own doctor, the old woman said: the dog eats grass, the pigeon bathes in the dry ground, the wallaby lies in the cool sand — watch what the sick ones choose.

Minya nyubun-nyubun kalbal-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji, wulbumanangka balkan: kayabu jikan nukal, bakamu janji-manil bubungu marralba, darrba wunay jukara kiway-kiwayba: nyaji wanyu bambaybu manil.


<translate> The woman saw the shallow water there.


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


<translate> The child hides in the scrub; perhaps mother will see him.

Karrkay madja-nga ngaki-ji, nguba ngamu-ngku nyunguny nyajil.


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

Jana wubulku binal, yambada jana milka-janay baja.


<translate> You two saw the jumper ant there.


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


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


<translate> You two saw the jabil lizard there.


<translate> You see the julbal tree there.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> They saw the spoon bill bird here.


<translate> He told it to me as truth; I carry it to you as his words.

Nyulu ngaykunka milbin manubaja yala, ngayu wundil yununka kuku nyungu yala.


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


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

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


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


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


<translate> The jealous man watched his wife talking with the other young men, and his liver was not good.

Dingkar ngujan nyajin nyungu manyarr balka-wa warru yindu-jirr, nyungu jiba kari ngulkurr.


<translate> He sees the wurrul shellfish here.


<translate> The baby's tiny hands and tiny feet are soft and warm, with many little pink fingernails.

Ngawa mara buban jina buban kima wumbul, birri buban wubul.


<translate> Grandfather sees the grass-tree resin there.


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


<translate> The baby slept in the shade.


<translate> The old man said the vines of the scrub are a second string-store, always ready in an emergency, for a strong vine pulled fresh from the tree can lash a shelter, bind a raft, carry a load, or make a quick rope to reach water down a bank, and he taught the boys which vines were strong and which would snap, for the wrong vine at the wrong moment can cost a life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalal majaji nyulu karra jambul-mabi, yabarrka yukil dandi-ngunduku, kalal junkurr jukumuny jirakal kakalbu bayan kajal, marrakan kajal, yamba jarrakulbal, kalal-karra warri bungal bana jalkar badanmuny maninka, nyulu warru-warru milbin kalal wanyu junkurr wanyu kakan, kalal yukil-kari wungar yukil-karinga bayabu wawu manil.


<translate> The two children painted themselves with black charcoal and danced by the fire.

Karrkay jambul ngunjil-bu julngka-jin, baya karangkal wuri-l.


<translate> You two saw the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<translate> I see the scrub goanna here.


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


<translate> We saw the bujabay tree there.


<translate> You all saw the wakuka bird there.


<translate> Grandmother grabbed the food with tongs.


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

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


<glossary> nganya-burra ; type=adjective ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> That man is on trial


<translate> A person without a dog finds no pigs, the old man said, so keep your dog close.

Bama kaya-kari bikibiki kari warrmba-bunga-l, mukul-dingkar-angka balkan, kaya ngundu karrba!


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

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


<translate> You and I saw the stingray there.


<translate> The big eel lives under the old sunken log in the deepest pool, coming out only at night to hunt, and to catch one you must feel very slowly under the log with your bare hand until you touch its cool side, then grip it hard behind the head all at once, for an eel gripped weakly will slide away and never be fooled twice.

Kubarr yalbay juku mukul bana bada bana dukurr-bu bajaku wunay, wandin nganga wujurr balbinka, nyubun maninka yundu murninji juku bada maranji maku-janal dukul yundu nyungu janka kaka jilban, karrba junkurr-bu karra-dukurr nyubunku, kubarr karrban buban-bu nyulu jarrba dungay kariku binal-manda jambulku.


<translate> I like the tree with flowers.

Ngayu wawu jirray juku-ku nganka-jirr-ka.


<translate> We two, not you, see the marsupial native cat there.


<translate> That cherry-like tree is there.


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


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> The young man went far away to the northern country and did not come back for many long years.

Warru kala-kalbay dungan bubu kungkarr-ka, kari nyunban wungar kalbay wubul-muny.


<translate> People shouted from down there, so the old man heard them and sent a child to look.

Bama badabada-mundu yirrkan, mukul-dingkarangka jana nyajin, karrkay yungan nyaji-nka.


<translate> The old man taught the boy to read every track: the kangaroo, the dingo, and the goanna.

Mukul-dingkar karrkay binal-bungan jina wubul ngara-nka: mayarriji, murramu, jadi.


<translate> Last time a dog tipped one over!


<translate> The five-corner nut is sweet when it is yellow, the old man said, but green it is hard and bitter, so wait for the wet season.

Bijalabay jiba-wulay nyulu kulbul-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba nganjil-ba junkurr ngunyanji, bunda kaba wungar-iji-nka.


<translate> A cyclone came from the sea.


<translate> What kind of fish did they get?


<translate> You all see the freshwater eel there.


<translate> A bird cries before rain falls.


<translate> You see the kajarrbi clam shell there.


<translate> A boy asked why they worked so hard on the tools when the rain kept them in camp anyway.

Karrkayangka babajin: wanyurringku jana junkurrku kirrajil yambaka, kababu jana bayanba kujinya?


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

Store nandajinjiku, yalanguwimburr dunday


<translate> The child muddied the water.


<translate> The old woman said the questions parents ask their children reveal what those parents truly value, for the parent who asks only did you win, did you beat the others, teaches one thing, while the parent who asks were you kind, did you learn something, did you help anyone, teaches another, so she told the young mothers to listen to their own questions, for their children are learning what matters from what the mother thinks to ask.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku ngamu-nganjan karrkay babajil balkal wanyu ngamu-nganjan bajaku yamba-yukilmuny, ngamu-nganjan nyulu nganga babajil yundu wular, yundu bama yindu wular-manin, milbin yamba nyubun, yambada ngamu-nganjan nyulu babajil yundu wawu-jirray, yundu yamba binalman, yundu bama nyubun ngaya-manin, milbin yindu, nyulu balkan warru-ngamu ngara jananka kuku, karrkay jana binalman wanyu yamba-yukil wanyu ngamu milka babajilmuny.


<glossary> kuyu ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-fish <usage_example> I'm going fishing


<translate> You and I see the roof here.


<translate> The mother asked the crying child: "Why are you crying, and what is hurting you there in the dark?"

Ngamu-ngku karrkay badi-nya babajin: Wanyurringku yundu badi, wanyu yundu kaka-mani-l ngungul-ba?


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


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


<translate> The two of them saw the mawul freshwater eel there.


<translate> The boys washed at the river before eating.

Dabal julurrijin wawubajanga, nukanyjiku.


<translate> I took the dog's food to camp.


<translate> The old woman said to the young wife: your husband's people are your people now, but never forget where you came from.

Wulbumanangka manyarr buban balkan: yunu dunyumu bama nyiku yunumu bama, yambada kari milka-wula wanjamuny yundu kadan.


<translate> Believe half of what you hear and all of what you track.

Manubaja-bunga daji milka-janaymuny, wubulku jina-wukurrilmuny.


<translate> The men had speared the sea turtle before the sun went down.

Dingkar ngawiya daman, wungar bada dunga-nyjiku.


<translate> They were searching everywhere for that lost child.

Jana nubi-l-nubin yinyay-anka karrkay-anka wanja-wanja-ba.


<translate> You two see the red bream there.


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


<translate> Wait for me, I am taking water in case there is no water along the road.

Kaku, ngayu bana wundil, kunka bana kari baral-darr.


<translate> Maybe the child is hiding in the scrub.


<translate> We're going for food — we're hungry.


<translate> I see the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> You saw the diwalngku bird there.


<translate> I see the death adder there.


<translate> A person who knows the stars and the winds is never lost, even in strange country.

Bama nyulu dawar muyar binal kari kilbaji yabarrka, bubu yindungu yambada.


<translate> We see the kurrkal shortcut here.


<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> He went up the mountain and looked at the country.


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


<translate> The girls tasted each food and said the roasted yam was the sweetest of all.

Maral-maralangka mayi wubulku nukan, balkan: wukay dindan jiba-wulay bajaku.


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


<translate> You two see the mijan wart here.


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


<translate> Many little birds are sitting up in the big fig tree by the river, eating the ripe fruit.

Buyi buban wubul juku jilanji yalbay-ba wangkar-a bunda-l, mayi nuka-l wawubaja karangkal.


<translate> You saw the nyumbirr beeswax here.


<translate> Drink this — you'll get better.


<translate> The men carried the heavy things.


<translate> The old woman kept crying quietly for her husband many days, and the people let her cry, for grief must run its course like water.

Mukul-jalbu banbadi janka wawubaja-nka wungar wubul, bama nyulu badi wuna, jiba-badi wanarri yala bana.


<translate> When the stranger asked where our camp was, what did you tell him? I told him nothing; I said only that the country was big and the water was far, and I watched which way he went.

Bama yindungku babajin wanjabu ngananga bayan, wanyu yundu nyungunku balkan? Ngayu nyungunku maru-maru balkan; ngayu balkan bubu yalbay, bana kala-kalbay nganga, ngayu nyajin wanjabu nyulu dungan.


<translate> The long strong roots of the fig tree go deep down into the wet dark ground.

Baril-baril bangkan kalbay junkurr bubu dukurr-ka bada dungan, bubu kima ngungul.


<translate> Where did that great flood carry the great old log away to, the old man wondered aloud, looking down the whole length of the changed river.

Jalungkarr yalbay-angka walmba mukul wanjabu jarra-kulban? mukul-dingkar milka-ba nyajin, bana-jandu jirakal narmba bada nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> A ring near the moon means rain is coming, he said, and the people would look for it and mend their shelters.

Kija ngundu yala nyajinya, kaba kadanya, nyulu balkan, bama nyajin, wurun ngulkurr-bungan.


<translate> Out on the water the wind came up fast and hard, and the waves grew tall and the raft began to break apart.

Bananga muyar kadan jinbalku junkurrku, mulngku kalbaymanda, marrakan dumbarrijin.


<translate> The old woman said the breadfruit and the other big-seed trees carry a heavy crop that must be processed with care, for the raw seed is bitter or poisonous and must be roasted, pounded, and sometimes leached in running water for a day before it is safe, but once processed it stores for months, so these trees fed the big gatherings that fresh food alone never could.

Wulbumanangka balkan burrin-burrin juku diburr-yalbay yindu baja karrbal mayi junkurr murni-manilka wawu-karrbabu, diburr jirakal ngambuy yambada wula-mabi dindanka nyurrbanka baja, wungar nyubun bana warri kuljinga wunanka baja ngadiku yukil, yaladaku karrbal wungar wubulku, juku yinya bangkarr-yalbay dayan mayi jirakal nganga kariku dayalmuny.


<translate> The man said to the woman: "Do not go!"

Dingkar-angka jalbu-ndu balkan: "Kari dunga-y!"


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


<translate> You two saw the three-pronged spear there.


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


<translate> He saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> The hook and line lay on the ground.


<glossary> balkal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> he made a spear


<translate> You eat the food straight away!


<translate> The man killed the wallaby with one thorough throw of his long spear on the open plain.

Dingkar-angka kadar kunin nguymal, kalka kalbay-bu nyubun-bu bubu ngalkal-ba.


<translate> You all see the oyster there.


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

Babingka kuku ngulkurr kujil karrkayanka.


<translate> I see the burnt patch of grass here.


<translate> You and I see the fire here.


<translate> The umbrella palm stands by the river.


<translate> Long, long ago the moon made the very first women at Roaring Meg Falls, the old people say.

Kalbay-muny kija jalbu nyubun-nyubun bungal Kijandaku-ngu, mukul-bama-ngka yala balka-l.


<translate> The old woman began to grind the hard seeds on the flat stone at first light, the old man said, and finished the whole heap only at midday.

Mukul-jalbu diburr junkurr kulji balbal-ba murni-nka yudal wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, narmba kunbayn wungar wangkar-wangkar-a nyubun-bu.


<translate> The fire was small, but it kept the whole family warm all through the cold night.

Baya buban, yamba jawun-karra wubul wumbul-manin wujurr ngiki wubulku.


<translate> I would have given you a good share of the turtle meat, the old man said, but you had gone back to your own country far away.

Ngayu yundu-nka ngawiya minya ngulkurr daji-nyaku, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba yundu bubu nyungu-mu-ka dunga-baja kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> The little birds live in the low scrub trees along the edge of the wide swamp.

Buyi buban julbin buban-ba wunay, daburri kalbay karangkal.


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


<translate> In the hot season people stay near water.

Wungar-iji bama bana ngundu-ba bundanday.


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


<translate> But tonight, everyone sleeps.

Yambada nyiku, jana wubulku warngku wunay.


<translate> This hairy-yam food is good.


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


<translate> We see the death adder there.


<translate> You two see the bush fire here.


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


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


<translate> The parrot is standing in the scrub.


<translate> The kangaroo, the wallaby, and the possum all feed at different times of the day and night.

Mayarriji darrba yawa wubul nukal wungar-a wujurr-ba, yindu-yindu.


<translate> I see the mackerel sky there.


<translate> The green ant bit the little boy on his bare hand and he cried out loudly.

Munjurr-angka warru buban mara-nga baykan, nyulu yalbay-bu yirrkan.


<translate> The country is the real grammar, the old man ended the lesson: north of the fire, inside the family, ahead of the hunger, behind the promise — live in the right cases, and the sentences look after themselves.

Bubu nyulu kuku-jina manubaja, mukulungku dingkarangka kuku kunbay-manin: kungkarr bayamuny, kana jawun-karramuny, jakalba dakwuymuny, kudamundu kuku-dandimuny: bunda bubungu yukilba, kukubu nyulu-nyulu kujil.


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


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


<translate> The child is like her mother.


<translate> The children asked the old woman about the names of all the bright stars in the dark night sky.

Karrkay-karrkay mukul-jalbu-nda babajin, dawar balbal narmba-mu burri jiri wujurr-ba.


<translate> You and I saw the boomerang here.


<translate> At dawn I checked the fish traps I had set the evening before, found three good fish in the first and none in the second, reset both traps, cleaned the fish at the water's edge, wrapped them in leaves, and then carried them home for the morning meal.

Muduwajungu ngayu kuyu-jina nyajin ngayu kunarangkal ngadiku yijarrinmu, kuyu ngulkurr kulur nyubunba nyajin nyubun jambulba yamba-kari, jambulku baja yijarrin, kuyu bana-nga karra, birra-nga buwan, yalada bayan-mundu jarrakulbanda mayi muduwajumu.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalmbangarr black diver bird there.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the bajal bower bird there.


<translate> They saw the stony crossing there.


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


<translate> Wash the billycan in the river and bring it back.

Jungkalu julurrika wawubajanga, wundi baja!


<translate> You two see the flames there.


<translate> The dog slept by the fire all night. At dawn it followed grandad to the river.

Kaya bayanga warngku wunan. Muduwajuny kamimu jina wukurrin wawubajanga.


<translate> We see the marrabal ti tree here.


<translate> They saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mawal bee there.


<translate> I see the Leichhardt tree there.


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

Jana school children nakamun kadarin, bamangka wubulduku jananin yulmbarrin


<translate> Why did you take the dog into the house, and not leave it outside? I took it in because the night was cold and the rain was falling hard.

Wanyurrimbu yundu kaya bayan-ba wundin, kari ngalkal-ba bawan? Ngayu wundin, wujurr ngiki, bana yalbay daran.


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

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


<translate> He saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> Granny threw them a piece of damper.


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


<translate> The old woman told the child: this vine is strong; we tie the house with it.

Mukulungku karrkay balkan: mawar junkurrji; ngali bayan kajal mawarbu.


<translate> The old woman said the greatest change a person ever makes in another is the change a good teacher makes in a child, for to take a small one who knows nothing and, over years of patience, change them into a person who holds the whole knowledge of the country, its law and language and stories and skills, is to make a whole new keeper of the people, and she said there is no greater work a person can do than to change a child, well, into a carrier of everything that matters.

Wulbumanangka balkan yindu yalbay bajaku bama nyubun murnil bama yindungu nyulu yindu milbil-bama yukil karrkayanda murnil, karrkay buban nyubun yamba-kari binal maninka yambada, nganga wungar wubulku wawu-karrbabu, jana yindu-bungalka bama nyubun karrbal bubu binal wubulku, nyungu kuku-yukil kuku kuku-jangkar binal baja, bama-jirakal bungal karrbal-bama bamamuny, nyulu balkan yamba-yukil kari yalbay bama nyulu murnilmuny karrkay yindu-bungalmuny, yukil, karrbal-bama yamba wubulku bajakumuny.


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


<translate> Those two women always used to gather the sweet yams together down by the big river.

Jalbu-bulal wukay jiba-wulay muru bangka-l-bangka-n, wawubaja yalbay-ba bada.


<translate> I sweep the ground for a camp.


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

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


<translate> They two see the oyster there.


<translate> You saw the fire stick there.


<translate> The old man said a young man with respect and a young man without it are welcomed very differently into the men's business, for the respectful one is taught freely and quickly because the teaching is safe with him, while the disrespectful one is taught slowly and little, if at all, because knowledge given to a person without respect becomes a danger to everyone.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan warru yulmbarril-ji warru yulmbarril-kari yindu-yindu yala dingkar-kuku-mundu manil, yulmbarril-ji milbin yukil warri baja milbil nyunji yukil, yambada yulmbarril-kari milbin buban-buban buban baja, yambada kariku, binal dayan bama yulmbarril-karinka nyulu mumbu-manda bama wubulkunka.


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


<translate> The old man said the joking between cross-cousins had real work to do and was not just idle fun, for the teasing let people say hard things sideways that could not be said straight, a lazy cousin mocked into working, a boastful one deflated with laughter, a grieving one gently pulled back toward life, so that the joking-relation was a kind of medicine the kin-web carried, healing through laughter what a stern word could not touch.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yajarr kambanmu jambulmuny yamba-yukil karrbal nyulu kari yajarr-nganga baja, jaway-jaway bama balkal kuku dandi kunkar-bu nyulu kari kuku-mundu balkalmuny, kambanmu jumbun jaway-jaway janjanka, junkurr-milka yajarrbu bada-manil, wawu-mumbu-bama kima wawu-kalbay-mba yilba-manil, yajarr-karra nyulu kalbal-yamba jawun-karra karrbanmuny, kalbal yajarrbu kuku dandibu nyulu kari janjilmuny.


<glossary> warngku ; type=noun ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> Three days ago I left


<translate> High above the camp the big eagle flew in wide circles, watching the ground far below for food.

Wangkar-wangkar bayan-mu buyi yalbay warri murru-murru, bubu bada-bada nyaji-l mayi-ka.


<translate> What are you all afraid of in the night? We are afraid of the spirit that walks by the water; it calls with a man's voice, but no man is there.

Wanyurringku yurra wujurr-ba kuli-mal? Ngana birru-nka kuli-mal, nyulu bana ngundu jilbay; nyulu dingkar-mu kuku-bu yirrkay, yambada dingkar nyubun kari yinyabu.


<translate> You and I see the stomach here.


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

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


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> You all see the marrka calm sea there.


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


<translate> The kangaroo, the wallaby, and the tree kangaroo all belong to this country and its old stories.

Mayarriji, kadar, jarrabina, narmba yala bubu-mu, kuku mukul-mu.


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


<translate> The plain turkey walks slowly across the open grassland with its head held high, the old woman said, but it runs very fast when a hunter comes near.

Kurrbal bubu ngalkal jikan-ba janka jilba, walu jarra-jarra-ba karrba, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba bila bajaku wanarri balbi-bama ngundu kada-nya.


<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.


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


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


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


<translate> You two saw the jungu-jungu white ant eggs there.


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

Kaykay-kaykay nurra baka; ngayu milka-burray


<translate> You and I see the marsupial native cat here.


<translate> Everyone moved camp to the high ground behind the rocks.

Jana wubulku jurrkijin, wangkar kudamundu kuljinga.


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


<translate> The black tip shark is there.


<translate> The old woman held up the long grey wing feather of the big eagle, and the child looked at it closely.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka wandi yalbay-mu nangki kalbay milban, karrkay-angka ngulkurr nyajin.


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


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

Dingkar-angka ngunyin baral-ba yijarrin.


<glossary> warmbill ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The people don't believe the Pastor


<translate> Grandmother put water on the baby's back.

Babi-ngka bana yijarrin ngawa-nda muku-ngu.


<translate> If you had come to me when the trouble first began, the old man told the young one, I could have helped you easily, but you hid it and let it grow, and now it has roots deep in your life and pulling it out will hurt, though we must still pull it out.

Kaki yundu nganjinbu kadanyaku dukul-yamba ngadiku wandinya, mukulungku dingkarangka warru milbin, ngayu yundu buban-buban mara-daji-nyaku, yambada yundu wawun-manin bungal bawan, nyiku nyulu ngaraka bada-baja nyungu wawubu, buyunka dandi, yambada ngana yabarrka buyun.


<translate> You all see the small conical shellfish there.


<translate> The big grey kangaroo stood tall on the open plain, watching the two hunters come from the north.

Julmbanu yalbay janay kalbay bubu ngalkal-ba, balbi-bama jambul nyaji-l kada-nya kungkarr-muny.


<translate> The strong young men carried the two big kangaroos back to the camp, one behind the other.

Warru junkurr-ji jambul mayarriji yalbay jambul wundin bayan-ka, nyubun nyubun kudamundu.


<glossary> dakal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> he climbed the tree


<translate> He sees the karraway snail here.


<translate> They see the sea turtle here.


<translate> The wild yam is long and thin and hides among the tree roots.

Banjay kalbay buban, juku-bangkan-ba ngakijin.


<translate> He sees the nakawarra bee here.


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


<translate> They walked all night; the rain fell on them; they hid by the rocks; and in the morning they came back to us.

Jana wujurr yalbay jilban; bana jananda daran; jana kulji ngundu ngakiji; wunkun jana ngananka kada baja.


<translate> We see the spider shell here.


<translate> They saw the karranda tree here.


<translate> The old woman washed herself in the cold water of the creek at dawn.

Wulbuman julurri-ji bana ngiki-nga wawubaja-nga wunkuwingku.


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

Wulbuman-angka dumbul madja-muny wundin.


<translate> My hands are sore and stiff from grinding the hard seeds on the stone since the first light of day, the old woman said, and I have not yet finished.

Ngayu mara kaka dandi, diburr junkurr murni-l-murni-nya kulji-ba wunkuwingku-muny, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngayu kari-rrku kunbayn.


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


<translate> He saw the karunkurr crested pigeon here.


<translate> The small horse walks slowly.


<translate> The message stick remembers what the runner forgets.

Jarrjalbu milka nyajil wanyu warri-bamabu milka-wulay.


<translate> You see the small lizard there.


<translate> Hold the baby tight — the wind is strong!

Ngawa karrba junkurrku — muyar junkurrji!


<translate> Is the turtle meat cooked right through yet, the hungry child asked, and the old woman told him to wait a good while longer by the coals.

Minya ngawiya narmba waju-n niji? karrkay dakuy nyajin, mukul-jalbu-ngku nyunguny balkan bunda wumbul-baja kubu ngundu-ba.


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


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


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


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


<translate> The children would have swum in the creek, but they saw the crocodile.

Karrkay wawubaja-nga maraji-nyaku, yambada jana bilngkumu nyajin.


<translate> The old people fear the black snake most of all, the old man said, for its bite kills quickly, and there is no cure once the poison is in the blood.

Mukul-bama bindimu yararri wubulku-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu baykal bila kuni, bama wula, mula-ba buyun kada-nya-muny.


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

Dingkar-angka wangal balji-nga yijarrin.


<translate> You and I saw the spring here.


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


<translate> The head carries the eyes and the ears and the mouth for food and for words, so the old man said the head is a camp, the eye and the ear live in it, and everything a person learns comes along those roads into the head.

Dukul nyulu miyil karrbal milka baja ngandal baja, mayika kukuku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan dukul nyulu bayan, miyil milka wunay yinyanga, yamba wubulku bama nyulu binal-mal nyulu yinya baralburr dukulku kaday.


<translate> With whom do you hunt in the scrub? I hunt with my elder brother and two dogs. And with whom did the old man go to the ceremony? He went with all his sons.

Wanyanji yundu madja-nga balbil? Ngayu ngayku yaba-ji, kaya jambul-ji balbil. Wanyanji mukul-dingkar bubu-nku dungan? Nyulu nyungu kangkal wubul-ji dungan.


<translate> The big clam shell is there.


<translate> They saw the kuralbi tree there.


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


<glossary> minji ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> They went real fast, the boat made a big splash (bow wave) (as it goes along fast)

Jana jinbalku dungan, buwunda bana minji-kangan


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


<translate> The dog licked father's mouth.


<translate> Ours is the fire, yours is the water, theirs is the wind — said the three camps; and the country said: mine is all of you.

Nganamuny baya, yurramuny bana, janamuny muyar, bayan kulurbu balkan, bububu balkan: ngaykumuny yurra wubulku.


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the karrkurr frog here.


<translate> Where does this track go — to the camp or down to the water?

Yanyu jina wanjabu dungay — bayan-ka, bada bana-ka?


<translate> Keep the children close by you in the dark, the old woman said, lest one of them wander down to the water alone and be lost.

Karrkay-karrkay yundu-ngka ngundu karrba wujurr-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyubun bana-ka nyubun-bu dunga wula-nyji.


<translate> The old man spent many days making a big fish net from strong vine, tying every knot with care.

Mukulungku dingkarangka makarr yalbay ngaran wungar wubulku, kalalji junkurrji, kajan ngulkurrku wubulku.


<translate> The old woman said: this is your country; hold it close, and there your ancestors are always watching.

Kamba-ngka balkan: yanyu yunu bubu; karrba ngundu, yinyay yunu mukul-bama nyajil baja.


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


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

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


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> You all see the blanket here.


<translate> Always take a good spear when you walk the long grass, the old man said, just in case a snake is lying hidden across the track.

Kalka ngulkurr mani jikan kalbay-mba jilba-nya, mukul-dingkar balkan, jarba jina-ba wawan wuna nganganjirrka.


<translate> You saw the munungkul ground pigeon there.


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


<translate> You and I see the bamboo stick there.


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

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


<translate> He saw the freshwater turtle here.


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


<translate> On the shore the old man lit a great fire and kept it burning, so the young men could see it and come home through the storm.

Jalun ngundu mukulungku dingkarangka baya yalbay ngaran, kujin wajunya, warru-warru baya nyajinka, bayanba kadanka jarramalimuny.


<translate> I carried water for you; you carried wood for me; together we made the fire; and we cooked the fish we caught.

Ngayu yununku bana wundin; yundu ngaykunku juku wundin; ngaliny muru baya jakalamban; ngaliny kuyu karrban wajun.


<translate> One little boy hid so well in a hollow log that nobody could find him for a long time.

Karrkay buban ngakijin jukungu ngulkurrku, jana murruji nyajil nyungu wungar wubulku.


<translate> You saw the kalkamuku snake there.


<translate> The man swept the ground at camp.


<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> We see the karraway snail there.


<translate> He sees the kookaburra here.


<translate> You all see the ngiwa moray eel there.


<translate> I see the marril ti tree here.


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


<translate> We saw the boomerang on the ground.


<translate> The two of them see the dirrmbay seagull here.


<translate> You all see the love handles here.


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


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


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> You two saw the jurriyan satin bower bird here.


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

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


<translate> You see the deep water here.


<translate> I saw the marri-marri old people there.


<translate> The man chopped the big log, cut off the dry bark, and carried the wood to the camp.

Dingkarangka walmba yalbay nyandan, julkun marral yakan, juku bayanka wundin.


<translate> The woman is washing clothes in the river.


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


<translate> Come and sit by the fire — it's cold outside.

Kaday, bayanga bunday — ngalkalba kiway-kiway.


<translate> The old people slept in the shade.


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


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


<translate> The old man sat all alone without his family, thinking of the ones who had died.

Mukul-dingkar nyubun-bu bundan jawun-karra-mundu, bama wula-nya-muny milka-bu bayka-l.


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


<translate> You see the rhinoceros beetle here.


<glossary> biwur ; type=adverb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> He is sitting with his hands holding his legs


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


<translate> You two saw the scorpion there.


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

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


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


<translate> The path was long and hard, but at last we came to the big river as the sun went down.

Jina kalbay junkurr-baja, yamba niji ngana wawubaja yalbay-ka kadan, wungar bada-nya.


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


<translate> The dugong grazes on the sea-grass in the shallow warm water, the old man said, and its flesh and fat are the richest food of all the sea.

Biwuy wayul nuka bana buban wumbul-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu minya wandul-jirr mayi ngulkurr bajaku jalun narmba-muny.


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


<translate> You see the dakaldakal trochus shell there.


<translate> You see the karrandal tree there.


<translate> The husband hunted, the wife gathered, the children carried, and the grandmother tended the fire — in this way one family fed itself through the dry season.

Dunyungku balbin, biwarangka mayi munjan, karrkay-karrkay wundin, babingka baya kujin — yala nyubun mula-mula nyungu-nka mayi dayan wungar marral-ba.


<translate> The old man is staying in the shade with the baby.


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


<translate> The two men talked together quietly all night about where the kangaroos had gone in the dry time.

Dingkar jambul muru balka-wa janka wujurr wubulku, mayarriji wanja dunga-nya marral-wungar-a.


<translate> His elder brother took a wife from the far southern country a long time ago.

Nyungu yaba manyarr bubu naka kalbay-muny manin, kalbay-muny.


<glossary> kidal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> Sweep the dirt


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

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


<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> You two saw the jika-birra tobacco leaf here.


<glossary> wanjaburr ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> WHich way did you come?


<glossary> yalamal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> don't do that


<translate> The hunter came back to the camp with much meat, but with a tired body and a weary spirit.

Balbi-bama bayan-ka kadan minya wubul-jirr, yamba nyulu baja-burray, wawu-wulay.


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


<translate> You all see the sugar glider here.


<translate> The two of them saw the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


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

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


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


<translate> The old grandfather sat with the children and named all the stars.

Mukul ngaji karrkay-nji bundan, dawar wubul burri-bungan.


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


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


<translate> Across the river is another dialect of the same country — visit politely.

Ngubar-ngubar bubu nyubun kuku yindu-ji buban: dungay yulmbarri-ji.


<translate> He saw the kalmbangarr black diver bird here.


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

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


<translate> The fire stick lay in the bag.


<translate> You saw the kinga caterpillar there.


<translate> The tired child would have slept right through the night, the old woman said, but the camp dogs barked and barked at something out in the dark.

Karrkay baja-burray wujurr narmba wuna-nyaku, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba kaya bayan-mu yirrka-yirrka ngumbu-ba yamba-nka.


<translate> The old women cooked food and everyone ate.

Kamba-kambangka mayi wayjun, jana wubulku nukan.


<translate> When they came to the deep crossing, the water was too fast to wade, so they walked upriver until they found a place where the river ran wide and slow, and there they crossed to the other side.

Jana bana bada-baja naka-nakanka kadanya, bana warri junkurr-baja marijinka, jana wangkar-mundu jilban wanja bana yalbay bunya warri wanjinya, yinya jana ngubara jilban.


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Where is your dog?


<translate> Don't take too much — leave some meat for the old people.

Kari wubul-baja mani — minya kanbal mukul-bama-nka bawa.


<translate> Mother saw the bird in the scrub.


<translate> We saw the woman only after she had come in from the garden with the yams, the old man said, and we did not know she had been away.

Nganjin jalbu nyaji-n, wawu-wala-nya-muny mayi-bubu-muny bambayal-jirr, mukul-dingkar balkan, nganjin kari binal nyulu dunga-n.


<translate> The two brothers helped each other carry the heavy turtle up the steep sand to the camp, the old man said, for neither could lift it alone.

Yaba-jarra jambul mara-dajil-wari ngawiya kulngkul jukar jarra-jarra-ka jarra-kulba-nka bayan-ka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyubun-bu kari wandi.


<translate> Come back safe, she said to the sea.

Nyulu jalunbu balkan: kaday baja ngulkurrku.


<translate> When the tide is high the sea covers the whole reef and the little sandy grounds.

Balar-nya jalun dulngku wubulku nandan, jukar bubu buban baja.


<translate> The old man walked up the river to the hinterland, while the young men went down to the sea.

Mukul-dingkar wangkar jilban wawubaja jibarr-ka, warru bada dungan jalun-ka.


<glossary> dumbarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He broke the cassette because he was angry


<glossary> bajaybajay ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My body is sore after the fly


<translate> You and I see the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> Why is that little child crying so hard in the night?

Wanyurringku karrkay buban yinya badil dandi-baja wujurr-ba?


<translate> Grandmother got firewood, lit a fire, and then cooked fish.

Babi-ngka baya manin, baya wajun, kuyu wajun-da.


<glossary> wanjaburr ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> WHich way did you come?


<translate> The old woman said a person with a home country and a person cut off from theirs carry themselves differently for the whole of their lives, for the one rooted in country stands on something that cannot be taken, while the landless one, however successful, carries a hollow that nothing else quite fills, so the old people fought hardest of all to keep every family tied to its own ground.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama bubu-ji bama bubu-nyungumuny kajan yindu-yindu karrbal wawu wubulku kalbay-mba, bubu-ji nyulu yamba nyubun kari manilmuny wangkar janan, yambada bubu-kari, ngulkurr yala, nyulu janku karrbal yamba yindu nyubun kari yukil buwal, bama mukul kuni-way junkurr bajaku jawun-karra wubulku nyungu bubu-mundu kajanka.


<translate> The old woman said the country teaches the change-words better than any grammar, for a child who watches a tadpole change into a frog, a grub change into a beetle, a seed change into a tree, a flood-scoured plain change into a meadow of flowers, learns in the bone that changing from one thing utterly into another is the deepest ordinary magic of the world, and needs no telling that a person too, given time, can become something they now can barely imagine.

Wulbumanangka balkan bubu milbil kuku yindu-mabimuny yukil kuku-milbil wubulmuny, karrkay nyulu nyaji kubu-kubu yuday-mal, jambun ngirran-mal, diburr juku-mal, bubu bana-yalbay-bu yurrin nganka-ji-mal, nyulu binalman bajibaymba yindu yamba nyubunmuny yamba yindunka wubulku nyulu yamba dukurr bajaku bubumuny, kari kuku-junkurr bama baja, wungar dayan, yindu-mal yamba nyubun nyulu nyiku kari bajaku milka-nga nyajilmuny.


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


<translate> The reef is full of life; fish, shellfish, and crabs all live there together.

Dulngku mayi-nji yajin; kuyu, mukirr, wurru-bulan baja, jana wubul yinyay muru wunay.


<translate> You see the scrub wallaby here.


<translate> They see the ngamu-murramu dingo there.


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


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


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

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


<translate> You all see the posterior there.


<translate> Father saw the rope on the ground.


<translate> The children sat near the fire while rain fell.

Karrkay-karrkay baya ngundu-ba bundan, kaba daran.


<translate> The young man asked father about water.


<translate> The old man said a wound left alone changes for the worse, festering and spreading, but a wound tended changes for the better, closing and healing, and the whole difference is only in whether a knowing hand intervenes, so he taught that this is true of far more than wounds, that a small quarrel left alone festers into a feud while a small quarrel tended heals into a stronger bond, and that the wise are simply those who tend the small wounds early.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan baji bawal yindu-mal mumbuku, buyun-mal yalbay-mal, yambada baji murni-manin yindu-mal yukilku, nandaji yukil-mal, yindu-yindu nyulu nganga mara binal-ji kadanmuny, nyulu milbin yinya kuku-yukil bajimuny ngulkurr-baja, kuni-way buban bawal buyun-mal kuni-way yalbay-mal, kuni-way buban murni-manin yukil-mal jawun junkurr-mal baja, binal-bama nyulu nganga jana nyulu baji buban murni ngadiku.


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


<translate> The child put the spear in the shade.


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

Store nandajinjiku, yalanguwimburr dunday


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


<translate> The manta ray is big like a blanket and glides slowly through the deep water.

Yidi yalbay yala kambi, janji kiray-baja bana dukurr-ba.


<translate> That kurunkal mangrove is there.


<translate> You all see the mukukanka tree there.


<translate> You two see the fire stick here.


<translate> He saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<translate> The bird is standing in the scrub.


<translate> You saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> The young man climbed the tree first, knocked the ripe fruit down, the others gathered it below, and then they all shared it by the fire.

Warru ngadiku juku dakan, mayi kulbul bada yilban, yindu bada munjan, jana muru daji-wanda kunjinba.


<glossary> warmbill ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The people don't believe the Pastor


<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> I see the black cockatoo here.


<translate> He sees the waterfall there.


<translate> The greedy one took the last piece without asking.

Bamabu jumbunbu mayi-daji bada manin babaji-kari.


<translate> Father called the young man: "Go!"


<translate> The old woman said the river washed the body clean and the swimming washed the mind clear, and a person came out new both ways.

Wulbumanangka balkan: banabu bangkarr julurril, janjilbu milka dayirrmanil, bama badi jirakal jambulku.


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


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


<translate> We two, not you, see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> The child's eye is sore and red from the smoke of the fire, and it weeps water all the day long.

Karrkay miyil kaka kulbul baya kubu-muny, bana miyil-muny bada wanarri wungar wubulku.


<translate> We see the burnt patch of grass there.


<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> We two, not you, see the shin there.


<translate> You all saw the sea turtle there.


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


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

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


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


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

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


<translate> The woman asked grandfather about news.


<translate> The woman washed grandmother's shin.


<translate> The children looked up at the many stars and asked the old man many questions about the sky.

Karrkay-karrkayangka dawar wubul nyajin wangkar, mukul dingkar babajin wubulku wangkarka.


<translate> They see the wangku tree there.


<translate> They see the milbarkal tree here.


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


<translate> When the baby was born, the whole camp was glad.

Ngawa balka-ji-nya, bama bayan wubul ngulkurr.


<translate> You saw the fire stick here.


<translate> The old woman said a life with gratitude and a life without it are lived in two different countries though the person never moves, for the grateful one wakes each day into a world full of gifts while the ungrateful one wakes into a world of lacks and grievances, and the strange thing, she said, is that the two may own exactly the same things, and only the seeing is different.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-mini-ji-janay wawu-mini-kari-janay jambul bubu yindu-yindungu wunay bama nyulu kariku murninya, wawu-mini-ji nyulu wandin wungar nyubun bubu-mundu daji-yamba-ji, yambada wawu-mini-kari nyulu wandin bubu-mundu yamba-kari mumbu-ji, yamba yindu, nyulu balkan, jambul nyulu yamba nyubun yala karrbal, nganga nyaji-jarray yindu-yindu.


<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> You and I saw the jiwal-jiwal kingfisher there.


<translate> The little ones are asleep — talk quietly.

Ngawa-ngawa warngku wunay — wunbuku balka!


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


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

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


<glossary> wurril ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> Don't sit on the edge of the boat, sit right

Yundu wurril kari bunday boatbu. Junkayku bunday.


<translate> He saw the walkarr goanna there.


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


<translate> They saw the jumper ant there.


<translate> Has the water become cold enough to drink? Not yet — leave it in the shade a while, and when it is cool we will fill the coolamons.

Bana kiway-man nuka-nka? Kariku — wabarrba bawa nganga, bana kiway-ma-nya ngali dubal yajin-bunganka.


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


<translate> The dog ran down to the river.


<translate> The boy told the old man in a whisper because the baby was sleeping near the fire.

Karrkay mukul-dingkar-nka yayngkarabu balkan, ngawa warngku wunan baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> You two saw the mawal bee here.


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


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


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> The stones are not close together.


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


<translate> The old woman said even sorrow can slowly change into something else if it is allowed to, for the sharpest grief, which at first can only wound, changes over years into a tender ache, and the tender ache changes into a warm remembering, and the warm remembering becomes at last a kind of quiet company, so that the very same love that became agony at the loss becomes, if given time and not fought, a gentle abiding presence, the dead one changed from a wound into a companion.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-mumbu baja buban-buban yindu-mal yamba yindumuny kaki nyulu yindu-manilmuny, wawu-mumbu junkurr bajaku, ngadiku nyulu nganga buyun-manil, yindu-mal wungar wubulku kaka kimaku, kaka kima yindu-mal wawu-milka wumbulku, wawu-milka wumbul yindu-mal bada bajaku jawun wunbu nyubunku, kuru nyubun nyulu kaka-manin bada-ngamuny nyulu yindu-mal, kaki wungar dayan kuniway-kari, jawun kima janay, wula-bama yindu-manin bajimuny jawunku.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> This spear is broken: the point is gone, the barb is bent, and the bamboo shaft has snapped; I will make a new one from that bamboo.

Nyiku kalka murrnga-jin: kurrajan kari, jinil buyun, dara murrngan; ngayu nambarr-bu kalka baja bungay.


<translate> Why did they choose her to speak? — Because she is ears-with, patience-with, and hurry-without.

Wanyurrinku jana nyulu manin balkanka? Nyulu milka-ji, wawu-karrba-ji, warri-warri-kari.


<translate> The old man said the sea turtle is very old, older than the oldest person, and it carries the shape of the world on its patterned back.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: ngawiya wulman bajaku, wulman bama wulman narmba-muny, nyulu bubu-mu walu muku-ba jarra-kulba.


<translate> You all see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> I see the grandfather there.


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


<translate> The old woman said: When my legs finally stop, do not grieve that I can no longer travel, for I have already walked more country than most, and every step of it is still inside me; on the last night, sit me facing the road we came in on, and let me look down it one last time before I go.

Wulbumanangka balkan: Ngayku jadal dukul mara-kunbanya, kari walu-jirrbu-jirrbu ngayu kari jilbal, ngayu yabarrka bubu jilban wubul-baja bama wubulmuny, jina wubulku ngayku dukurrbu karrbal; wungar bada bajakungu, ngayu bunda baral nyaji-mundu ngana kadanmu, ngayu nyaji bada nyubun dumbay ngayu dunganka ngadiku.


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


<translate> You all saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<glossary> bajaybajay ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> My body is sore after the fly


<translate> Turn the meat over — it's burning!


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

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


<translate> You saw the boomerang there.


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


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


<translate> The little ji loves company, the old man played with the words: a spear-owner is spear-with, an angry man is anger-with, a flowering tree is flower-with, and a married man walks wife-with — the ji is the tier-together of words.

Kuku buban '-ji' wawu-manil jawun, mukulungku dingkarangka kukubu yajarr-man: bama kalka-ji, bama kuli-ji, juku nganka-ji, dingkar dunyu-bama biwar-ji jilbal, '-ji' nyulu kaja-bama kukumuny.


<translate> We saw the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> Cousins of the opposite moiety may marry one another, the old man said, but cousins of the same one moiety are as brother and sister to each other.

Bangunji mandi yindu-mu dunyu-mani- nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba bangunji mandi nyubun-mu yala yaba babarr-jirr.


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


<translate> I saw the jabil lizard here.


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


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


<translate> We saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> Don't take the other man's net without his word, even to save a short time, even in the small rain, the old man said, flat as a stone, for a thing taken without a word slowly becomes a bad thing, and the river is long, but the talk about you is longer.

Kari mana makarr dingkarmuny yindumuny kuku-mundu nyungu, wungar bubanku baja, bana bubanba baja, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan dandi yala kulji, yamba maninmuny kuku-mundu nyulu buban-buban yamba-mumbu-mal, wawubaja nyulu kalbay, yambada kuku yundumuny nyulu kalbay-baja.


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


<translate> Mum is grinding the zamia nuts.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> Long ago the old people used to cook the meat and fish in the hot stones of the ground oven.

Kalbay-muny mukul-bama minya kuyu baja waju-l-waju-n kulji wumbul-ba bubu-ngu.


<translate> They left a small opening on the side away from the wind, so the smoke could go out but the rain could not come in.

Jana muyar kudamundu buban bawan, kubu badil, yambada kaba kari walanyji.


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


<translate> The old woman cooked the goanna whole in the hot ashes, the old man said, turning it once, and its white flesh is sweeter than any bird or fish.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku jadi narmba kubu wumbul-ba waju, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyubun-bu jurrki, nyungu minya balbal jiba-wulay buyi kuyu wubulku-muny.


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

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


<translate> Father saw the charcoal in the shade.


<translate> The newly cleared scrub is here.


<translate> The Banabila people's dogs are fierce.


<translate> Grandmother put water on the old man's shin.

Babi-ngka bana yijarrin mukul-dingkar-anda bibar-a.


<translate> You and I see the mirrku kidney bird there.


<translate> The cockatoo crest is there.


<translate> You all see the charcoal here.


<translate> They saw the hickory tree there.


<translate> The fish spear is at the camp.


<glossary> ngura-nyajil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I'm jealous of that girl with a new dress

Ngayu yinya ngura-nyajin jalbu kambiji jirakalji


<translate> They saw the spotted eagle ray there.


<translate> People might talk about you.


<translate> The old man said never take the small fish or the mother fish, for the sea gives forever only to those who leave enough behind.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: kuyu buban baluda mani, kuyu ngamu baluda mani, jalun dajil wubulku-nka nyubun-bu bama kanbal wuna-nya-nka.


<translate> Grandmother boiled the hairy yam in water.


<glossary> dirrmbay ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-bird <usage_example> He will put the message in his ear


<translate> The men carried the long spears in one hand and the heavy shields in the other, ready for the fight.

Dingkar-angka kalka kalbay mara nyubun-ba karrban, kunjuri kulngkul mara yindu-ngu.


<translate> And so another day in the camp came to its end, the same as ten thousand days before it and ten thousand still to come.

Yalaku wungar yindu bayanba dungan baja, yala wungar wubul ngadiku, yala wungar wubul kadanyjiku baja.


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


<translate> They saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


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

Jana kaykay-kaykay janjanay jakalba school


<translate> There are lots and lots of ripe fruits on that tall tree; go and gather plenty for us all.

Mayi kulbul jirray juku kalbay yinya-nga; dunga-y bangka wubul ngana-nka.


<translate> You saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


<translate> You two see the sea turtle here.


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


<translate> The man took the bark from the ground.


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

Hankangka wawu yungal-yungal motorka jirakalka


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


<translate> The old woman called the children: "Sit down!"

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karra kunjan: "Bunda-y!"


<translate> You all saw the jingajalka tree here.


<translate> You and I saw the murrabal barramundi there.


<translate> That woman wants to go with a fishing line, but she is sick.

Jalbu yinya wawu badur-iji dunga-nka, kari nyulu bambay.


<translate> You saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> The dog did not follow the tracks, for the rain had washed them away.

Kayangka jina kari wukurrin, kaba-ngka julurrin-muny.


<translate> Grandad watched the clouds all day and said the big rains would come before the moon was full.

Kami ngurrban nyajin wungar wubulku, balkan: kaba yalbay kaday, kija yalbaymanyjiku.


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

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


<translate> The dogs found an echidna but left it alone.


<translate> The children learned to greet a stranger properly: look them in the eye, say your name and your people, ask their name and their people, and find the relative you share, for everyone shares a relative if you look far enough.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman bama yindu ngulkurr nyajinka: miyilba nyaji, nyungu burri nyungu bama balka, nyungu burri nyungu bama babaji, jawun yundu daji-way nyaji, bama wubulku jawun daji-way kaki yundu kalakalbay nyajil.


<translate> At midday the children rested in the shade.

Wungar wangkar-wangkar, karrkay-karrkay wabarr-ba wunanan.


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


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


<translate> By the middle of the day the hunters came back, and the smell of cooking rose from every fire in the camp.

Wungar wangkar jananya, balbibama kadan baja, mayi wajunmu kubu wandin baya wubulkumuny bayanba.


<translate> The old woman knew which yams were good to eat straight away and which had to be soaked and roasted a long time to make them safe.

Wulbumanangka binal kawu wanya nukanka ngulkurr, wanya bananga yijarrinka wayjunka kalbay ngulkurr-manka nukanka.


<translate> The fire is rather small now; put some more dry wood on it before the cold night comes down.

Baya jarra-buban niji; juku marral yindu yijarri baya-ba, wujurr ngiki kada-nyjiku.


<translate> Show it with your hand in the sand first of all; some words are only believed with a face.

Milbi marabu jukara ngadiku-ngurr: kuku nyubun-nyubun walu-ji nganga manubaja-bunganmuny.


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

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


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


<translate> What did you make today? — A digging stick for mother, and a smaller one for my little sister, so she leaves mother's one alone.

Wanyu yundu bungan nyiku? Juku bakalmuny ngamunka, buban-baja jinkurrku ngaykumunyku, nyulu ngamumuny bawanka.


<translate> They saw the murramu dingo here.


<translate> Today we're going to the dance.


<translate> Watch those two at the corroboree — the old people live again in their legs for the length of one song.

Nyaji bula malkarriba: bama mukul juran-mal baja jandalba bulamunyba wulngku nyubun kalbayku.


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


<translate> The chatterbox talks all day but does not hear the old people.

Kuku-baka wungar wubulku balkal, yamba mukul-bama kari nyajil.


<translate> The children stood watching the old man cooking the goanna in the hot ashes, the old woman said, waiting hungrily for the sweet meat.

Karrkay-karrkay janjanay nyaji-l-nyaji-n, mukul-dingkarangka jadi waju-l-waju-nya kubu wumbul-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, dakuy-bu bunda minya jiba-wulay-nka.


<translate> They do not know the language nowadays.


<translate> The two of them saw the kukur rat there.


<translate> Give the spear to that one — he is the best hunter here.

Kalka yinyay-anda daji — nyulu balbi-bama ngulkurr-baja yaluy.


<translate> You two saw the spring there.


<translate> The old woman said the shark is the boss of the reef and must be respected: do not swim when the water is dark, and never carry bleeding fish through the deep channel.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: bilmbin dulngku-mu maja, yararri-jirr: baluda maraji bana ngumbu-ba, kuyu mula-jirr baluda jarra-kulba bana dajali-burr.


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


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


<translate> You see the corkwood pine here.


<translate> Where did you leave the digging-sticks yesterday, the old woman asked the girls, for we must dig the yams now before the day grows too hot.

Yurra baka-juku wanjabu bawan yilay? mukul-jalbu-ngku jalbu-jalbu nyajin, ngana bambayal baka-nka niji wungar wumbul-ma-nyjiku.


<translate> You two saw the kungkun snake here.


<translate> The old man said: You will spend your whole life learning to live inside your own heart and you will never fully master it, but the trying is itself the good life, and the person who stops trying is already half dead.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu wawu kalbay wubulku binalmal nyungu wawu dukurr bundanka, yundu murruji yukil kujil, yambada kirrajil nyulu-nyulu wawu ngulkurr, bama nyulu kirrajil bawal wulay buban baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the yalnga turtle there.


<translate> I saw the jayju kangaroo rat here.


<glossary> milka-daray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The young man and girl did wrong in the bush

Bulu maral and warru milka-daran duduymbu


<translate> You see the scrub wallaby there.


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


<translate> They saw the black palm here.


<translate> You all saw the yarrka bee there.


<translate> So many stars filled the whole night sky, far more than all the people of this country.

Dawar wubul jiri wujurr-ba, jarra-wubul bama narmba bubu yinya-mu.


<translate> They two see the fish there.


<translate> The mother bird covers her many eggs on the branch, sitting in the cool shade all day.

Buyi-ngka diburr wubul dakil-ba nanda-l, wabarr ngiki-nga bunda-l wungar wubulku.


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


<translate> The old man said if you cannot decide between two paths, sleep one night at the fork, and in the morning your feet will know what your head could not, for the body carries an older wisdom than the mind, and it does not argue, it simply leans, and you have only to notice which way you lean.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu murruji binal baral jambulmuny, wuna nyubun wujurr baral jambul-mandanga, muduwajungu nyungu jina binal wanya nyungu kaba murruji binalmu, bangkarr wawu-binal ngadiku-baja karrbal milkamuny, nyulu kari kuni-way, nyulu nganga bada janji, yundu nganga nyaji wanya-mundu yundu janjil.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


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