<translate> He sees the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> The young man went into the rainforest to spear a wallaby.


<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.


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


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

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


<translate> You two saw the kalkamuku snake here.


<translate> The woman put food on the ground.


<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.


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


<translate> You saw the karrkil jumper ant here.


<translate> He saw the mackerel sky here.


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

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


<translate> You all saw the spear barb there.


<translate> You and I see the nganyil haze there.


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


<translate> If rain comes tomorrow, we leave the road and stay at the camp.

Kaki kaba wunkuny kaday, ngana baral bawal, bayan-ba bundanday.


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

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


<translate> You see the sand whiting here.


<translate> The old men prepared the red ochre on the flat stone and mixed it with soft fat.

Mukul-dingkar-angka murbuy kulji jirakal-ba bungan, minya-jirr muru-ma-l.


<translate> In the morning the kookaburra calls loudly from the tree, and the whole camp wakes and knows the sun is coming.

Kururrungka wunkuwingku juku-ngu yirrkan yalbay, bama wubul dakan, binalman wungar kada.


<translate> The old woman said the frogs call in three different voices before the rain, and the old people could tell where the storm was by which voice sang loudest.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: yirku-yirku yirrka kulur yindu-yindu kaba kada-nyjiku, mukul-bama binal jarramali wanja wanyu yirrka junkurr bajaku.


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


<translate> The baby looked up at her mother's face with two bright dark eyes, and reached out her hand.

Ngawa nyungu ngamu walu wangkar-a nyajin, miyil jambul balbal ngungul-bu, mara wandin.


<translate> The little mudskippers climb out of the water onto the mangrove roots when the tide goes down.

Kuyu buban jalil-jalil bana-muny daka-l kajul-jina-nga yira bada dunga-nya.


<translate> That mungka-mungka tree is here.


<translate> Mother saw the rope on the ground.


<translate> They saw the butcherbird there.


<translate> You saw the kurranday seagull there.


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


<translate> They see the wankar tree there.


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


<translate> You all saw the murral tree kangaroo there.


<translate> They saw the murramu dingo here.


<glossary> yiljun ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-insect <usage_example> When the grasshopper sings, the wukay (type of yam) are ready


<translate> You see that kurunkal mangrove.


<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> You see the wangay vine here.


<translate> They saw the Moreton Bay fig tree there.


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the man scolded (him), (then left)


<translate> The hunter did not spear the wallaby, for it was too far away across the wide, open plain.

Balbi-bama-ngka kadar kari daman, nyulu kala-kalbay bajaku bubu ngalkal-burr.


<translate> You saw the jungarr marsupial native cat there.


<translate> I see the Leichhardt tree there.


<translate> You all saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird here.


<translate> I saw the nakawarra bee here.


<translate> I took the paperbark to camp.


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


<translate> You and I see the straw-necked ibis here.


<translate> The old woman asked her daughter: "What did the dog steal from the camp and carry off last night?"

Mukul-jalbu-ngku nyungu jalbu-karrkay babajin: Wanyu kaya-ngka bayan-muny ngakin, madja-ka wundin wujurr-muny?


<translate> The old woman said a person who listens well to the birds will never be lost or hungry in the country.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama nyulu buyi ngulkurr ngananka nyulu kariku bubu-ngu milka-wula, kariku dakwuy.


<translate> You all see the flat rock there.


<translate> Come up here to the high dry ground before the flood water rises in the night.

Kada-y wangkar-a yaluy bubu marral-ka, bana yalbay wandi-nyjiku wujurr-ba.


Wungar wangkar-wangkar, ngana bana nukal.


<translate> The old man did not go to the corroboree, for his legs were tired.

Mukul-dingkar warrma-ka kari dungan, nyungu jandal baja-burray.


<translate> We see the kurkunbay butcherbird here.


<translate> He wanted to go hunting for kangaroo, but the heavy rain fell and he stayed in the camp.

Nyulu wawu balbi-nka mayarriji-ka, yamba kaba kulngkul daran, nyulu bayan-ba bundan.


<translate> That man speaks Kuku Yalanji well.


<translate> You two saw the jungarr marsupial native cat here.


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


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

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


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


<translate> The men made the fish nets and the fishing spears, and the women made the dilly bags and the string.

Dingkar-angka makarr kalka bungal, jalbu-ngku ngunyin karra bungal.


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

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


<translate> The women filled their dilly bags with oysters and mussels at the low tide.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka ngunyin julul-bu mukirr-bu yajin-bungan ngajal-ba.


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


<translate> Don't eat that fruit — it is not ripe, and it will hurt your belly.

Kari yinya mayi nuka — nyulu kulbul-kari, jibar bambay-bungal.


<translate> The old man painted the bright ochre marks on the boy's chest with his own fingers.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru makirr julngkan, nyungu mara-bu jinbal-jinbal.


<translate> The kingfisher sits very still on a low branch over the still creek, the old man said, then dives like a fast spear and comes up with a small fish.

Dabuy dakil bada-ba bana-jandu janka wangkar-a janka bajaku bunda, mukul-dingkar balkan, yinyamun yala kalka bila bada daray, kuyu buban-jirr wandi.


<translate> Grandfather asked, the child answered, and then they laughed.

Kami babajin, karrkay balkan, bula yajarrin-da.


<translate> Mother took the grass from the ground.


<translate> Grandmother got loya vine leaves for the shelter.


<translate> The person there is beautiful.


<translate> He sees the bujabay tree here.


<translate> The cassowary is standing in the scrub.


<translate> They saw the striped water snake here.


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

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


<translate> We see the black beetle here.


<translate> You all see the sugar glider there.


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


<glossary> balkaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> there are are flowers now


<translate> The fresh water lily is here.


<translate> These two dogs look quite different: one is dark and big, the other bright and rather small.

Kaya jambul yinya walu-yindu: nyubun ngungul yalbay, yindu balbal jarra-buban.


<translate> The Torres Strait Island pigeon is standing in the scrub.


<translate> You saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard here.


<translate> I saw the karrkurr frog here.


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

Jungkalu julurrika wawubajanga, wundi baja!


<translate> The boy told a lie by the fire, saying that the big dog had taken the good hunting spear.

Karrkay-angka jurrin baya ngundu, nyulu balkan kaya yalbay-ngku kalka balbi manin.


<translate> You all see the outrigger canoe there.


<glossary> yiljun ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-insect <usage_example> When the grasshopper sings, the wukay (type of yam) are ready


<translate> You saw the karranda tree here.


<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.


<translate> The old woman said a child's why is a gift and an adult's why can be a weapon, for the same word asked with open wonder opens the world, but asked with a sneer to shame someone shuts it, and she taught that you should listen to the tone before you answer any why, and answer the wonder gladly but never reward the sneer, for the question is only as good as the spirit behind it.

Wulbumanangka balkan karrkay nyungu wanyurrinku nyulu daji mukul-bama nyungu wanyurrinku nyulu yinil-yamba, kuku nyubun babajin miyil-jangan-ji bubu kajal, yambada babajin bikirr-daji-bu bama nyubun bikirr-bungalka kajal, nyulu milbin yundu ngara kuku-nganja ngadiku yundu wanyurrinku nyubun kuku-yukil-manil, kuku-yukil-mani miyil-jangan wawu-minibu yambada kariku bikirr-daji dayal, kuku nyulu nganga yukil yala wawu ngundungu.


<translate> You saw the durra caterpillar there.


<translate> The green sea turtle was speared out beyond the reef by the best young hunter.

Yalnga warru ngulkurr-anda dama-jin, dulngku kudamundu.


<translate> The visitors reached the camp at dark, and the two families sat late by the fire sharing news.

Jawunkarra bayanba kadan wujurrbu, jana jambul baya ngundu bundandan, kuku balkanya kunarangkal.


<translate> The old man asked the young boys how many kangaroos they had caught in the thick scrub.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru babajin, wanjarrinya mayarriji jana madja-nga karrban.


<translate> The cassowary is standing at camp.


<translate> You all see the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> My dog bit the child, so the man hit it with a stick.

Ngayku kaya-ngka karrkay baykan, dingkarangka juku-bu kunin.


<translate> You two saw the freshwater eel here.


<translate> You and I see the morning star here.


<translate> I would have learned the old songs, a grown man admitted at the sad fire, I always meant to sit close by the old man next wet season, and the old woman did not soften it: the songs are not standing waiting somewhere, they lay as a fire in one body, so sit with your old people this wet season now, for the word later is the place where songs go to die.

Ngayu wulngku mukul binal-manyaku, bama-yalbay balkan wungar wawu-mumbuba, ngayu wawu-manin bundanka ngundu dingkaranda bana-wungar yinduba, wulbumanangka kari kuku kima-bungan: wulngku kariku janay wanjaba, jana wunan baya bangkarrba nyubunba, yalada bunda bama mukulanji bana-wungar nyiku, kuku 'yalada' nyulu bubu wanja wulngku dungay wulanka.


<translate> You all saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jadi goanna here.


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


<translate> Do not leave the food there lest the dog eat it.

Kari mayi yinyay bawa, kaya-ngka nuka-nyji.


<translate> They see the shellfish there.


<translate> Work first, story after — that one little order built every camp on this river.

Murni-ngurr, kuku-jangkar badaku, murni-jinabu buban yinyabu bayan nyubun-nyubun bungan wawubajanga.


<glossary> janbay-janbay ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> You people are cheeky


<translate> Maybe he will go, maybe not.


<translate> We see the older sister here.


<translate> The paperbark lay on the ground.


<translate> You all see the mukukanka tree there.


<translate> The men did not catch any fish, so they came back to the camp hungry.

Dingkarangka kuyu kari karrban, jana bayan-ka mayi-kari kadan.


<translate> Chop it there, where the wood opens.


<translate> That milbarakal tree is there.


<translate> You saw the spear point there.


<translate> They saw the kawa ants there.


<translate> Who ate my fish that I left there by the fire?

Wanyangka ngayku kuyu nukan baya-nga, ngayu yinya-nga bawan?


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

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


<translate> This one travels light: firestick-with, water-with, knife-with — and that is all.

Yanya jilbal yamba buban-ji: baya-juku-ji, bana-ji, naybu-ji, yinya wubulku.


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


<glossary> milka ngabal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> God will give them judgement


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


<translate> You all see the tree snake there.


<translate> Grandmother put the spear in the shade.


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


<translate> You see the yellow March fly here.


<glossary> wunay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> Are there any wallabies there?


<translate> The man saw the stinging tree.


<translate> Angry words are true the way floodwater is wet — real, and no good for drinking.

Kuku dukul-wuri-ji manubaja yala jalungkarr yaru: manubaja, yambada mumbu nukanka.


<translate> Grandmother left the stone on the road.


<translate> Get up! The sun has come up.


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


<translate> The woman saw the scrub turkey outside.


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


<translate> The hunters came one after another out of the dark scrub, each carrying a big fat kangaroo.

Balbi-bama jururr kadan madja ngungul-muny, nyubun-nyubun mayarriji yalbay wandul wundin.


<translate> The eagle is bigger than the crow, and it can carry a snake up to its high home.

Wandi jarra-yalbay waja-ka, nyulu jarba wangkar bayan-ka wundil.


<translate> I saw the murramu dingo here.


<translate> I see the Leichhardt tree here.


<translate> The two men are talking to each other.


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


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


<translate> Mother saw the bark in the bag.


<translate> A song is learned tail-first, the old woman surprised the girls: you catch first of all the line that everybody sings, then the verses climb on one by one, and by the time you hold the head of the song, its tail is already family, and that is why nobody forgets a song learned this way.

Wulngku binal-mal bada-ngurr, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin: yundu manil ngadiku kuku bama wubulkubu badimuny, yalada wulngku-yamba dakal nyubun-nyubun, yalada yundu dukul wulngkumuny karrbal, bada nyulu jawun ngadiku, yinya wanyurrinku bama kariku milka-wulal wulngku yalabu binalmanmuny.


<translate> You saw the fire stick here.


<translate> You see the mungari kaori pine there.


<translate> He sees the fingernail here.


<translate> The wood there is not smooth.


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

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


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


<translate> They saw the jinkalmu snake here.


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


<translate> He saw the yikari hardened beeswax there.


<translate> When you eat the sweet turtle fat, it warms your whole body on the cold, cold night.

Yundu ngawiya wandul jiba-wulay nuka-nya, nyulu yunu bangkarr wubulku wumbul-bunga-l, wujurr ngiki-ba.


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


<translate> Mum boiled the water for tea.


<glossary> baja ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> do you have more?


<translate> They saw the yikari hardened beeswax there.


<translate> You all see the murrkul tree there.


<glossary> bajaku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> They got very much food from the store


<translate> The black crow is standing outside.


<translate> The old man was deaf in one ear, so you had to speak on his good side.

Mukul-dingkar milka-kari nyubun-ba, yundu nyungu milka ngulkurr karangkal balka.


<translate> You see the big spear there.


<translate> After the cyclone the country lay beaten down, and the young people cried at the sight of it, but the old woman walked through that country naming the living: this root will rise again, these many seeds were standing ready for exactly this, that hollow tree fed the fire but its own children stand all around it, so she said: the country is not broken, it is becoming-first again, and that work this country knows best of all.

Wadjalmuny bubu wunan bada yala kuninmuny, warru-warru badin nyajinya, yambada wulbuman jilban bubu-burr yinya, juran kunjanya: bangkan yala nyulu wandil baja, diburr wubulku janan yinyaka nganga, juku dimbirr yinya bayaka dungan yambada kangkal nyungu janay ngundu wubulku, yalada nyulu balkan: bubu nyulu kari dumbarrijin, nyulu ngadiku-mal baja, yinya murni bubu-bu binal yukil bajaku.


<translate> The children fell asleep listening to the old stories, and the fire burned low and warm in the cold night.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan kuku ngadiku milka-jananya, baya buban wajun wumbul kunarangkal kiwaymba.


<translate> Mother put water on the child's hand.

Ngamu-ngku bana yijarrin karrkay-anda mara-nga.


<glossary> dukurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Rain is coming. Put the baby inside.


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


<translate> You and I saw the sandfly there.


<translate> The two leaders sat down facing each other and talked together for a long time, watching each other with careful words, each trying to understand the other before deciding whether to trust.

Mala-bama jambul nyubun-nyubun yaral bundan, balka-wan kalbay, jana nyubun-nyubun nyaji-nyaji-way kuku nyaji-nyajiji, wubulku yindu binalka manu-baja-bunganka ngadiku.


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


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


<glossary> karangkal ; type=adjective ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> I sat alongside the road


<translate> The dog held the bone with its teeth.


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

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


<translate> This spear and that spear over there are the same; both are straight and hard and sharp.

Kalka yinya kalka yinyay yala, jambul jinbal junkurr jinbal-baja-ku.


<translate> The one without a spear cannot hunt the big kangaroo, and the one without a net catches no fish.

Kalka-kari-ngka mayarriji yalbay kari balbi, makarr-kari-ngka kuyu kari manil.


<translate> We see the jirimandi coconut tree here.


<translate> They see the freshwater eel here.


<translate> That small conical shellfish is there.


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


<translate> The axe is on the open ground.


<translate> Maybe-words keep the camp honest: say nguba when the track is old, and nobody falls in the water off your firm word.

Kuku-nguba bayan yukil karrbal: balka 'nguba' jina mukulnya, bama nyubun kariku daray bananga kuku-dandimuny yundumuny.


<translate> I carry the child lest he cry.

Ngayu karrkay jarrakulba-l, banbadi-nyji.


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


<translate> You and I see the mulumu dove there.


<translate> Grandfather saw the wood on the ground.


<translate> You two see the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> That young man is very strong.


<translate> The old woman is telling the girls about the women's places.

Wulbumanangka maral-maral balkal, bubuku jalbu-jalbunku.


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


<glossary> bangka-bangkangal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> the children sang loudly


<translate> Grandad said: they will fight again tomorrow night.

Kamingka balkan: jana kuniway baja wunkun.


<translate> Get the spear to hunt the wallaby, and bring the dog to chase it!

Kalka mana, kadar damanka; kaya wundi, kanganka!


<translate> When a hunter came back with a big catch, the old man said, the first thing done was not to eat but to divide: the best portions to the old and the sick who could not hunt, the working shares to the hunters and their families, and the hunter who killed it often ate last and least, for the honor was in the giving, and a stingy hunter soon found no one glad to see him return.

Balbi-bama minya yalbaybu kadanya, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yamba ngadiku kari nukal yambada buban-manda: minya yukil mukulnka buyun-bamanka jana murruji balbil, kirraji-minya balbi-bamanka jawun-karranka baja, balbi-bama nyulu kunin yabarrka dumbay-mba nukal buban baja, wawu-junkurr dajilba, balbi-bama kulun buban-buban bama nyubun kari wawu-mini nyulu nyunbanya nyajinka.


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


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

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


<translate> I saw the jimu grasshopper here.


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


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


<translate> If you see the crocodile, do not go down to the water.

Kaki yundu bilngkumu nyajil, yundu kari bana-ka bada dunga-y.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash tree is big.


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

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


<translate> The old woman saw the child's mouth.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay ngandal nyajin.


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


<translate> Don't shout so loudly near the camp, or you will frighten the little sleeping children!

Kari yirrka-y yalbay-bu bayan ngundu! Yundu karrkay-karrkay yinil-mani-l!


<translate> Cover the meat, in case the march flies come and spoil it in the heat.

Minya nanda, kunka waja kaday nyulu bambay-bungal wumbul-a.


<translate> The man came with a wallaby.


<glossary> yiljun ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-insect <usage_example> When the grasshopper sings, the wukay (type of yam) are ready


<translate> That tree kangaroo is there.


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


<translate> You and I see the mudcrab there.


<glossary> ngingal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> Don't taste that dog (he'll) bite (you)


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


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

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


<translate> They saw the bamboo spear stick here.


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


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


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


<translate> We see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> You all saw the baringkan small bird there.


<translate> We saw the jingajalka tree there.


<translate> We saw the kalburiji bee here.


<glossary> kayil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> People hooked out crabs


<glossary> jindi ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-fish <usage_example> We gathered the green ants in dishes


<translate> He saw the jiwurrmal pheasant cuckoo there.


<translate> My old grandfather always spoke the true language of this country, never the words of the strangers.

Ngayku kami mukul kuku yukil bubu yinya-mu balka-nya, kari kuku bama yindu-mu.


<translate> The mungka-mungka tree is there.


<translate> The old woman cannot see the small track now, for her tired eyes are old and weak in the dark.

Mukul-jalbu jina buban kari nyaji-l niji, nyungu miyil warngku-warngku mukul ngungul-ba.


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


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


<translate> You see the stony crossing here.


<translate> When the sun went down it became cold, so the children moved close to the fire and warmed themselves.

Wungar bada dunga-nya, kiway-man, karrkay-karrkay kunjin ngundu kadan, jana wumbul-ma-jin.


<translate> The people painted their own bodies with red ochre, yellow ochre and black charcoal for the big dance.

Bama-ngka nyungu-nyungu murbuy makirr ngunjil-ji julngkan, warrma yalbay-ka.


<translate> That is women's food, the old woman said, and the swamp always gives it in the wet season.

Wulbumanangka balkan: yanyu jalbumu mayi, walngkabu dajil yabarrka buluriji.


<translate> That satin bower bird is here.


<translate> The old man watched the track with his eyes.

Mukul-dingkar-angka jina nyajin miyil-bu.


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

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


<translate> Whose track is this in the sand? It is a big man's track. And where does it lead? It leads down to the water, then it turns and goes into the scrub.

Wanyamba jina nyiku jukar-a? Nyiku jina dingkar yalbay-mu. Wanjabu nyulu dungay? Nyulu bana-nka bada dungay, murni baja madja-nka dungay.


<translate> You and I saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> You saw the jila beeswax here.


<translate> You two see the sugar glider here.


<translate> You saw the karrkurr frog here.


<glossary> dukurr ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> Rain is coming. Put the baby inside.


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

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


<translate> The women gathered broad leaves to put under the food in the fire.

Jalbu bindi bangkan, mayi bada baya-nga wuna-nka.


<translate> We see the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> This vine has small sweet berries that the children want to eat.

Yanyu maya-nga jidu buban jiba-wula-wula wunay, karrkay-karrkay-angka wawu nuka-l.


<translate> You two see the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> Grandmother went to the sea with the baby.


<translate> You two see the flames here.


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


<translate> The fire is hotter than the water.


<translate> You and I see the dukul-dukul bush there.


<translate> He sees the kangaroo rat there.


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


<translate> The bird is standing at camp.


<translate> I see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> You saw the bajabaja lizard there.


<translate> The friend laughed at the girl.


<translate> Grandfather cried out: "Yes!"


<translate> Those clothes belong to that old woman, not to you.

Yinya kambi yinya-mba wulbuman-mu, kari yunu.


<translate> Mother saw the moon outside.


<translate> You saw the karrmbil parakeet here.


<translate> I am afraid of the wild angry man, who lives alone up in the dark country.

Ngayu yinil kuli-baka-nka, dingkar kuli yinya wunay nyubun-bu wangkar bubu ngungul-ba.


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


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


<translate> That mother's older sister is there.


<translate> Without is not empty, the old man corrected the boy who mocked: the man without a spear may be carrying knowledge, the camp without noise may be full of thought — so read the kari twice before you say one bad word.

Kuku '-kari' nyulu kari nganga-yamba, mukulungku dingkarangka buban murnin yukil, nyulu yajarr-manya bamanka: dingkar kalka-kari nyulu binal wundilnya, bayan kuku-kari nyulu milkabu-baykal-ji, yalada nyaji 'kari' jambulku kuku-mumbu balkanka ngadiku.


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


<translate> A child's mother's brother is a man of special weight, the old man said — he is the one who teaches the boy the hard law and speaks to him sternly.

Karrkay-mu kalnga dingkar junkurr, mukul-dingkar balkan — nyulu karrkay binal-bungal yalaku dandi, nyunguny balka kuli-bu.


<translate> The men keep on spearing all day long, but they catch nothing at all.

Dingkar wubul dama-n-dama-ji wungar wubulku, kari mani.


<translate> The men speared mullet in the shallow water.

Dingkar-dingkarangka ngalkun daman bananga bubanba.


<translate> The grandmother said: while you are young, learn the songs, because when the old people go, they take what they did not teach.

Babingka balkan: yundu warru bunda-nya, burri kuku binal; mukul-mukul dunga-nya, jana wundil jana kariku milbin.


<translate> The two of them saw the walkarr goanna there.


<translate> Granny told one more story. Then everyone went to sleep.

Babingka kuku nyubun balkan baja. Jana wubulku warngku wunanda.


<translate> They see the jingajalka tree here.


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


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


<translate> You two saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> The children love their grandmother the best of all, the old woman said, for she is gentle and kind and always has both food and a good story ready.

Karrkay-karrkay babi kuru wubulku-muny, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu ngulkurr janka, marri mayi kuku ngulkurr-jirr karrba.


<translate> Long, long ago the old people lived in this country, and their fathers lived here before them.

Ngadi kalbay-muny mukul-bama bubu yinya-ba wuna, nyungu nganjan yinyay wuna jana kariku.


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


<translate> This stone is very heavy, so we cannot carry it far and must break it here.

Nyiku kulji kulngkul-baja-ku, ngali kari kala-kalbay wundinka, nyiku-bu dumbarrinka.


<translate> You see the corkwood pine here.


<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.


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


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> I saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


<glossary> yiljun ; type=noun ; domain=fauna-insect <usage_example> When the grasshopper sings, the wukay (type of yam) are ready


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


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


<translate> The children collected the yellow and the red ochre from the special place in the cliff.

Karrkay-karrkay murbuy makirr baja bubu yindu-muny bangkan, kulji kalbay-muny.


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

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


<translate> The eel lives in the deep waterhole and comes out only at night to feed on the small fish.

Mawul bana-dukurr-ba wunay, wujurr-ba nyulu kadan kuyu buban nukanka.


<translate> You two saw the torch there.


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

Jana blanket ngaran kaykay-kaykay wunanka


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


<translate> That strong person is there.


<translate> The old woman said the ground itself remembers the feet of all who walked it.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka balkan bubu nyulu-nyulu jina bama wubul jilba-nya milka-bu bayka-l.


<translate> The big shark swims beyond the reef where the water is very deep.

Yaburr yalbay janji dulngku kudamundu, wanja bana dukurr-baja.


<translate> The dog saw the snake. It ran away.


<translate> The young man is like his father.


<translate> The old man made them shake hands and share food, and by night they were laughing together again.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jana mara karrbamanin, mayi dajiwan, kunarangkal jana yajarrin baja jambulku.


<translate> The man saw the bloodwood tree.


<translate> The dog jumped from behind the tree.


<translate> The old woman put more firewood on the fire, and the flame grew big and bright.

Mukul-jalbu-ngka baya-juku baja wajun, baya yalbay-ma-l balbal-baja.


<glossary> walngkal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> The log is floating on the water


<glossary> mambarril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> He turned him over to the police


<translate> The two brothers-in-camp shared the meat between each other after the hunt.

Dingkar jambul daji-way minya, balbi-ny-muny.


<translate> They saw the walmbaji peacemaker there.


<translate> We dug yams all morning, and now the dilly bag is full of food and heavy.

Ngana bambayal bakan wunkuwingku wubulku, niji ngunyin mayi-nji yajin kulngkul.


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


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


<translate> We see the kalkuri tree here.


<translate> The child asked father: "Did the dog come?" Father said: "No."

Karrkay nganjan-anda babajin: "Kaya kadan?" Nganjan-angka balkan: "Kari."


<translate> The path climbed steeply into the ranges, and they went slowly, stopping often to catch their breath, until at last they stood on the ridge and could see the whole country spread out below them.

Baral wangkar-mundu dakan junkurr, jana buban-buban dungan, jana kanban kalka, dukul dungay, dumbaymuny jana yumalba janay bubu wubulku nyajil jana bada.


<translate> The old woman rubbed the sweet white fat on her face and her long grey hair before the big meeting.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku wandul balbal walu mungka-ka murnin, muru yalbay kariku.


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


<translate> The young men raced to be first up the tall nut tree: one reached the lowest branch first, climbed steadily to the top, knocked down the ripe cones to the ones waiting below, they gathered them into bags, carried them to the grinding stones, roasted and pounded them into meal, and then made a great feast that fed the whole camp that night.

Warru-warru yilba-wan juku-mayi kalbay wangkar-mundu ngadiku: nyubun juku-mara badanga ngadiku kadan, wangkar-mundu murni dakan, mayi-kulbul bada yilban bama jana bada bundanmu, jana balji-bu bangkan, kulji-nyurrba-mundu jarrakulban, dindan nyurrban mayi-manda, yalada nukal-yalbay bungan bayan wubulku dayan yinya wujurr.


<translate> They saw the bark belt there.


<translate> The old man showed the boy how to know each bird by its call alone, without seeing it in the tree.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay binal-bungan buyi nyubun-nyubun kuku-bu binalka, juku-ngu nyaji-kari.


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


<translate> The men searched around for the net in the scrub.

Dingkar-dingkar makarr-ba nubi-nubi-ji madja-nga.


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

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


<translate> The children learned never to put a hand into a dark hole or a hollow log, the old woman said, for that is where the snake and the scorpion wait in the day.

Karrkay-karrkay binalman mara janku ngumbu-ba walmba-ba baluda wandi, mukul-jalbu balkan, wanja jarra biringal-jirr wungar-a wuna.


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


<translate> The two of them see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> You and I see the running water there.


<translate> So the old man taught the boy the whole shape of learning, the old woman said: want to know, try with your hands, ask the old people, remember it all, and never forget where you come from.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka karrkay binal-ma-l narmba binal-bungal, mukul-jalbu balkan: wawu binal-ma-nka, mara-bu babal, mukul-bama nyaji, narmba binalku, baluda milka-wula wanja-muny yundu kada-n.


<translate> You all see the waterfall here.


<translate> Mum put the honey in the water.


<translate> In the cold season the morning dew lies white on the grass, and the old people sit close by the fire.

Bulur-iji bulur balbal jikan-ba wuna wunkuwingku, mukul-bama janka bundan baya ngundu.


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


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


<glossary> jakay-jakayku ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> He fell headlong


<translate> The two hunters followed the kangaroo tracks all day, up the river and into the dry hinterland.

Balbi-bama jambul mayarriji jina wukurrin wungar wubulku, wangkar wawubaja jibarr marral-ka.


<translate> We hear a song from far away.


<translate> That suitcase is small, but it is heavy.


<translate> Inside the dark tree the little snake lay curled up, hiding from the hot midday sun outside.

Dukurr juku ngungul-ba jarba buban murru wunay, wungar wumbul dindarra-muny janka ngalkal.


<translate> Who is coming to the fire tonight? — All of you, both of them, and me: the whole word-family.

Wanya kaday bayaka wujurrba? Yurra wubulku, bula jambul, ngayu baja: jawun-karra kukumuny wubulku.


<translate> You two see the spear thrower here.


<translate> You all see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree here.


<translate> The person here is truthful.


<translate> We keep that story for the right time.


<translate> The old man is blind now — his eyes are stale and white — but he still knows all the old stories.

Mukul-dingkar miyil-burra niji, nyungu miyil balbal, yamba nyulu kuku mukul narmba binal.


<glossary> muwul ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> That man is from Mossman, he's living secretly with his relation (so the Manager won't know)

Nyulu bama Mossmanmun, nyulu muwulku bundanday jawunyunji


<translate> The flowers fell from the tree.


<glossary> kulay ; type=noun ; domain=human-generic-classifier <usage_example> Don't commit adultery


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

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


<glossary> karangaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=hunting-fishing-gathering <usage_example> The man stalked the wallaby


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

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


<translate> The young man went secretly.


<translate> The whole high ground would have burned, the old man still shows the black trees, from one small fire left sleeping, so hear the oldest fire law twice: the fire you light is your own child until it is completely dead, and a fire has no younger brothers, every single one is firstborn trouble.

Bubu wangkar wubulku wajunyaku, mukulungku dingkarangka yabarrka milbil juku ngumbu, bayamuny nyubunmuny bubanmuny bawanmuny wunanya, yalada milka-janay kuku baya mukul bajaku jambulku: baya yundu wajunmuny nyulu kangkal yundumuny nyulu wulanyjiku bajaku, baya nyulu yabaju-kari, baya nyubun-nyubun nyulu yamba-mumbu ngadiku-wandinmuny.


<translate> The little child was very afraid of the big black dog that barked loudly at the camp.

Karrkay buban yinil bajaku kaya yalbay ngunjil-ka, kaya yirrkan yalbay-bu bayan-ba.


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


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

Bamangka nganya bambay-bungun, dikarrda. Doctorangka dikarr manin


<translate> The children learned to weigh and to measure and to count, but most of all they learned to know when to stop, which is the hardest measure of all.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman dandi nyajinka, kalbay nyajinka, wubul nyajinka, yambada wubulmuny jana binalman wanja bawanka, yinya dandi bajaku wubulmuny.


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the man scolded (him), (then left)


<translate> Teach me how to make fire, the boy said to the old man, and I will never be cold in the night again.

Nganya binal-bungal buri bunga-nka, karrkay mukul-dingkar-nka balkan, ngayu kari ngiki wujurr-ba yindu-baja.


<translate> They wanted to go; meanwhile wind was coming.


<translate> He saw the jumper ant there.


<glossary> kalbarr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> They're going together (because they're intereted in each other)


<translate> The bush curlew cries out in the black of the night, the old woman said, a long sad wailing call, and the children pull the blankets over their heads.

Kuyir wujurr ngumbu-ba yirrka, mukul-jalbu balkan, yirrka marri jiba-badi, karrkay-karrkay bilangkurr walu-ba wandi.


<translate> We two, not you, see the kalmnbagarr diver bird here.


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


<translate> He gave the fish to his mother.


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


<translate> When the family shared the meat, the old woman made sure each person got a fair share, not more and not less than the others.

Jawunkarra minya daji-wanda, wulbumanangka nyajin bama wubulku minya yukil manin, kari wubul-baja, kari buban-baja yindumuny.


<translate> You see the wurarr-wurarr dragonfly here.


<translate> The black crow is standing outside.


<glossary> kaka ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The river is salty, not fresh water


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


<translate> We looked for the dog everywhere but couldn't find it.

Ngana kayanda nubi-nubijin, kari nyajin.


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

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


<translate> Which way is home? the smallest one asked — and everyone pointed the same way without looking up. That is a camp.

Wanjaburr bayan? bubanbu bajakubu babajin, bama wubulkubu milbin jina nyubunbu nyaji-kari wangkarku: yinya bayan.


<translate> They saw the axe at the camp.


<translate> You two saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> You all saw the waterfall here.


<translate> We see the kuji-kuji tree here.


<translate> The dugong feeds on the sea grass in the shallow water near the shore.

Biwuy jalun-bilanji nuka-l bana buban jalun karangkal.


<translate> The two of them saw the biru-biru rainbow bird there.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> The children learned every water bird by name, the old woman said, the brolga and the goose and the ibis and the plover, and where each one feeds and nests.

Karrkay-karrkay bana-buyi wubulku burri binal, mukul-jalbu balkan, kulbal jamarbina birmba juril-juril-jirr, wanja nyubun-nyubun nuka buyi-bubu bunga-nya.


<translate> I see the stony crossing here.


<translate> The old man taught the boys how to cut up the wallaby the right way, giving each part of the animal to the right person by the old law of sharing.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay milbin darrba yala yakanka ngulkurr, minyamu walu wubulku bama yukilka dajinka kuku ngadiku daji-waymu.


<translate> Ask your old grandfather about the country of your people, for he alone still knows the old stories.

Babaji yunu kami mukul-da bubu yunu bama-mu-ka, nyulu nyubun-bu binal kuku mukul kariku.


<translate> Which do we do first, the nets or the firewood? — The nets, the rain is close.

Wanjaku ngana murnil ngadiku-ngurr, makarr yambada baya-juku? Makarr, kaba ngundu.


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

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


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


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

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


<translate> We see the dijarr freshwater perch here.


<translate> We saw the fire from far away.


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


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


<translate> Grandmother shared out the yams, and the children ate.

Babi wukay-mba wambi-jin, karrkay-karrkay nukan.


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

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


<translate> Grandfather cried out: "Yes!"


<translate> When the old woman speaks, her tongue is quick and her words are always straight and true.

Mukul-jalbu balka-nya, nyungu nyabil jinbal, nyungu kuku jinbal ngulkurr baja.


<translate> You see the river mist here.


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

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


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mawul freshwater eel there.


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

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


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


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

Nyulu kulji daray-manin karrkay-anda jina-nga.


<translate> The child said: "My head aches."

Karrkay-ngku balkan: "Ngayu dukul baykal."


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


<translate> The old man speared a big stingray and cut off its dangerous tail.

Mukul-dingkarangka yawu yalbay daman, nyungu banda bambay nyandan.


<translate> The cherry-like tree is there.


<translate> The snake bit the dog on the nose.


<translate> When the cold season ended, the family moved camp and went up the river to the hill country.

Buluriji dunganya, jawunkarra jurrkijin, wawubaja wangkar dungan bubu manjalka.


<translate> You all saw the balarri queenfish there.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> I see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> The canoes slid out onto the flat sea.


<translate> The children caught the small lizards among the warm rocks in the midday sun.

Karrkay bajuy buban karrban kulji wumbul-a, wungar dukul-ba.


<translate> That witchetty grub is here.


<translate> As a child I used to eat wallaby meat.

Ngayu karrkay-nyja-ku minya kadar nuka-l-nuka-n.


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


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


<translate> Uncle knows how to make canoes.


<glossary> yimbalji ; type=noun ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> He went with a message


<translate> You and I saw the waterfall here.


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

yundu workmunbu kalkandijika, kari kulbajika


<translate> The old woman said a person can be changed for a whole life by a single moment, for one act of unexpected kindness at a low hour, one cruel word that cut too deep, one narrow escape from death, one glimpse of a great truth, can turn a person onto a wholly new path, so that alongside the slow changes that take years there are these sudden changes that take a heartbeat, and a wise person honors both the long river and the lightning.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama yindu-bungal wawu wubulku wungar nyubunbu, nyubun murni wawu-jirray kanban-kari mumbu-wungara, kuku-mumbu nyubun nyulu yakan dukurr bajaku, nyubun wula-muny warri-manin, nyaji nyubun kuku-yukil yalbaymuny, nyulu bama yindu-bungal baral yinduku bajaku, yindu buban-buban nyulu wungar wubulku manil jambulmuny yindu warri yinya nyulu wawu-warri nyubunbu manil, binal-bama nyulu jambul yulmbarril wawubaja kalbay balbay baja.


<translate> The old man said the fastest way and the best way are often not the same, and a wise person learns to tell the difference and to choose the best.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yala junkurr bajaku, yala ngulkurr bajaku, yabarrka kari nyubun, bama binal binalmal jambulku murninka, ngulkurr maninka.


<translate> I see the small sticks here.


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


<translate> The little child is laughing and jumping around the warm fire in the cool evening.

Karrkay buban yajarri-l jalama-l-jalama-l baya wumbul murru-murru wujurr-ma-nya ngiki-ba.


<translate> I saw the smouldering log here.


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


<translate> You two see the mullet here.


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


<translate> You two see the nyumbil coolibah tree here.


<translate> The old man said the deepest kind of help makes the other person stronger, not weaker: do not carry a person who can learn to walk, but walk beside them until they can, and then let them walk, and then let them carry you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: mara-daji-way bada bajaku nyulu bama yindu junkurr-manil, kari junkurr-kari-manil: kari bama jarrakulba nyulu jilbay binalmanka, yambada nyungu ngundu jilba nyulu binalmuny, yalada nyulu jilbay bawa, yalada nyulu yundu jarrakulba bawa.


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

jana kuljubu jarba kunin baja, kunin baja


<translate> Grandfather brought leaves from the house.


<translate> The two of them see the wurarr-wurarr dragonfly here.


<translate> He saw the mulumu dove here.


<translate> A person who knows the sea never drowns and never goes hungry, for the sea is a good mother to those who honour her.

Bama nyulu jalun binal kari bana wulay, kari dakwuy yabarrka, jalun ngamu ngulkurr bama nyungu ngulkurr-bungal.


<translate> The grasshoppers came in a great cloud and ate the new grass of the plain.

Jimu wubul-baja kadan, bilanji buban nukal bubu-ngu.


<translate> The two men carried the heavy log down to the water and left it there on the muddy bank.

Dingkar jambul walmba kulngkul bada wundin bana-ka, yinyay nanda-n daburri buyun-ba.


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


<translate> In the early morning the old man rises with the sun and walks down to the cool river to bathe.

Wunkuwingku mukul-dingkar wungar-jirr wandin, bana ngiki-ka bada jilban janji-nka.


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


<translate> The man saw the snake outside.


<translate> If the water is too cold, the children will not swim in the creek.

Kaki bana ngiki-baja, karrkay kari wawubaja-nga maraji.


<translate> The rain did not come, and the ground stayed hard and cracked.

Kaba kari kadan, bubu dandi-baja wunay dumbarri-nya.


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


<translate> I see the small conical shellfish here.


<translate> The magpie screeched again and again at the little dog, guarding its eggs on the ground.

Dawa-dawa-ngka kaya buban yirrka-y-yirrka-y, diburr bubu-ngu nanda-l.


<translate> The women cried, and the tears ran down their faces for the dead old man.

Jalbu badil, milbal jana-mu walu-ngu bada warrin, mukul-dingkar wula-mu.


<translate> The old man walked from the camp, along the beach, towards the river mouth in the early morning.

Mukul-dingkar bayan-muny jilban, jukar-burr, maku wawubaja ngandal-ka wunkuwingku.


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


<translate> Father put the shield on the ground.

Nganjan-angka kunjuri bubu-ngu yijarrin.


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


<translate> The dry wind came early that year and the grass dried out.


<translate> Watch the sky in the wet season, for the big storms build first, and a person who starts for home when the first dark appears will beat the rain, but one who waits will not.

Jiri nyaji jarramali-wungara, jarramali yalbay yinya kambal ngadiku, bama nyulu ngungul ngadiku wandinya bayanka dunganmuny kaba yaral-manil, yambada bama nyulu maku-janay kari.


<translate> You see the spotted eagle ray here.


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


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


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


<translate> You and I see the snail there.


<translate> Granny put the little ones to bed.

Babingka ngawa-ngawa yijarrin, warngku wunanka.


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


<translate> The old woman said the simplest and most powerful question in the whole language is are you all right, asked with real attention and a willingness to hear a true answer, for it opens a door that a person in trouble is often desperate for someone to open, and she said a people where anyone will stop and truly ask this of anyone is a people that no sorrow can quietly swallow.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku kima junkurr bajaku kuku wubulmuny yundu yukil, babajin milka-yukilbu wawu kuku-yukil yukil ngaralbu, nyulu bubu kajal bama mumbu-mundu nyulu nganga wawu-junkurr bama nyubun kajalmuny, nyulu balkan bama wanja bama nyubun janan kuku-yukil-bu babajil kuku yinya bama nyubunmuny nyulu bama wawu-mumbu nyubun kari dandi-bu nukalmuny.


<translate> The old woman's eyes were weak now, and she could not see the far tracks.

Wulbuman-mu miyil bambay-baja niji, nyulu kari jina kalbay-mba nyajil.


<translate> The old man chopped a straight piece of hard wood to make a good new fighting spear.

Mukul-dingkar-angka juku jinbal junkurr nyandan, murrangkal ngulkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> We see the sucker fish here.


<translate> You see the clay pipe there.


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


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


<translate> The rich old man had many dogs, two strong young sons, and a big camp full of food.

Yinya mukul-dingkar mani-ji, nyungu kaya wubul, warru junkurr-ji jambul, bayan yalbay mayi-jirr.


<translate> Come here, my child, and sit by the fire with me.

Kada yaluy, ngayku karrkay, baya karangkal bunda nganya-nji.


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


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


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


<translate> The rain stopped. The children ran outside. The whole camp was wet.

Kaba dungan. Karrkay-karrkay ngalkalba warrin. Bayan dunamanyarrku.


<translate> Who is looking after the little ones today?


<translate> You two see the toadfish there.


<glossary> baja-burray ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> I'm tired after the walkabout


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

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


<translate> They saw the karrkil jumper ant there.


<translate> We all, not you, see the large mud clam there.


<translate> Did you two make peace? Yes, we talked together a long time, we saw each other's side, and now we help each other again.

Yubal ngulkurr-man? Yuwu, ngali yalbay wungar balka-wan, ngali nyaji-wan, ngali mara-daji-way baja.


<translate> The boomerang lay in the bag.


<translate> The old man stood behind the tall tree, watching the two strangers walk across the open ground.

Mukul-dingkar juku kalbay kudamundu janay, bama yindu jambul naka-naka jilba-nya bubu ngalkal-ba.


<translate> Big brother speared two fish; little brother got none.

Yabangka kuyu jambul daman; yabajungku yamba-kari manin.


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


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


<translate> The ground was really slippery.


<translate> He knows how to spear fish in the deep water of the river.

Nyulu binal kuyu dama-nka wawubaja bana-dukurr-ba.


<translate> They stayed at the house after feeding chickens.

Jana bayan-ba bundan, wawu-jukijuki-muny mayi dajin.


<translate> You and I saw the jamal egg white here.


<translate> The grandmother taught the girl: if you gather food, leave some, so the country will feed your children.

Babingka jalbu binalbungan: kaki yundu mayi munja, bada baja bawa, bubu nyulu karrkay-karrkay dayanka.


<translate> They followed the tracks up from the water.


<translate> Mother laughed at grandmother.


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

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


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


<translate> That mungari kaori pine is there.


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


<glossary> balibali ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The house is leaky, the water is coming in


<translate> The snake went into the ground.


<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


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


<translate> The young man became sick yesterday.


<glossary> nulngkun ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> That girl has big breasts


<translate> I did not eat the fish; I ate the good meat and the sweet ripe fruit instead by the fire.

Ngayu kuyu kari nukan; ngayu minya ngulkurr mayi kulbul jiba-wulay nukan baya ngundu.


<translate> They saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> The children gathered the ripe seeds that had fallen down under the great old tree.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka diburr kulbul bangkan, juku yalbay mukul bada dara-nya-muny.


<translate> The woman laughed at father.


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


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


<translate> The women collected firewood before the rain.

Jalbu-jalbungku baya bangkan, kaba kadanyjiku.


<translate> The corkwood pine has soft light wood, good for carrying a long way.

Dili-juku juku kima kulngkul-kari, ngulkurr wundinka kalbay.


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


<translate> The seagulls follow the fishing men all day, the old man said, crying and wheeling over the fishing men, waiting for the scraps thrown on the water.

Dirrmbay kuyu-bama-nka jana-jana wungar wubulku, mukul-dingkar balkan, yirrka-yirrka kuyu-bama wangkar-a jurrki, mayi dara-nya bana-ba bunda.


<glossary> kana ; type=noun ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> we are sitting inside the house


<translate> The young man whistled, and the dog came and stayed close beside him.

Warru-ngku kuwimbur yirrkan, kaya kadan, nyulu warru ngundu-ba bundanday.


<translate> The child ran down to the water, jumped straight in, and swam across to the other side.

Karrkay bana-ka warri, bada dungan, janji-l yindu-mundu.


<translate> The man saw bark in the shade.


<translate> The boomerang lay on the ground.


<translate> The old man said the whole point of learning the change-words well is to become a person who acts on the world rather than only being acted upon, for the child and the fool say only that things happened to them, the water got cold, the food got burnt, the plan got ruined, while the grown and the wise can say what they made happen, I warmed the water, I saved the food, I mended the plan, and he said growing up is largely the slow shift from the first kind of speech to the second.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku yindu-mabimuny yukil binalman nyulu bama-manilka nyulu bubu murnil kari nganga nyulu-nyulu murninmuny, karrkay dingkar milka-kari balkal nganga yamba jana yindu-maninmuny, bana kiway-manin, mayi wajun bajaku, kuku-manin buyun-daman, yambada bama-yalbay binal-bama balkal wanyu jana yindu-bungan, ngayu bana wumbul-bungan, ngayu mayi karrban, ngayu kuku-manin yukil-bungan, nyulu balkan warru-mal nyulu buban-buban yindu balkal ngadikumuny jambulku.


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


<translate> Put the black beans in water, then grind them, and grind before the sun stands high, the old woman taught the girls the old word-road, then wash the meal in the running water for many days, for the tree that feeds you in the hungry time asks first for patience in the full time.

Baway bananga yijarrika, yalada yurri, yurri wungar wangkar jananyjiku, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban kuku-baral mukul milbin, yalada mayi julurrika bana warrinya wungar wubulku, bawaybu yununy mayi-dayal wungar dakwuyba, nyulu babajil ngadiku wawu-karrbaka wungar jakalba.


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


<translate> You saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> This one is the flying fox, she said. This one is the two brothers.

Yanyu kambi, nyulu balkan. Yanyu yaba yabaju.


<translate> We came to the house, closed the house, and then slept.

Ngana bayan-ka kadan, bayan nandan, warngku wunan-da.


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

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


<translate> I see, but I came from up there.


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


<translate> The children caught many little lizards in the rocks and carried them home to the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay bajuy buban wubul kulji-ba karrban, bayan-ka wundin.


<translate> You two see the dalngarri flames here.


<translate> I heard the word with my ear.


<translate> You and I saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> The man bailed water from the boat.


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


<translate> He sees the ghost crab here.


<translate> Give the food to them, for they have travelled a long way.

Mayi jananka daji, jana kalbay-muny jilban.


<translate> You saw the karrkil jumper ant here.


<translate> If rain comes tomorrow, we leave the road and stay at the camp.

Kaki kaba wunkuny kaday, ngana baral bawal, bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> If rain comes, we will close the house.


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


<translate> My father was the strongest and the fastest hunter of all the men of his own time.

Ngayku nganjan nyulu balbi-bama junkurr bajaku jinbal bajaku, dingkar wubulku nyungu wungar-muny.


<translate> You see the grandfather here.


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


<translate> The grandfather made a little carrier for the child and cut his mark into the wood.

Kamingka karrkayka balji buban yakan, nyungu jina jukungu yakan.


<translate> They saw the jangkan swift 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> The young man will not go without that one.


<translate> The fish is for tonight, the yams for tomorrow, and the honey for the day your uncle comes.

Kuyu wujurrku, juwal wunkunyku, wunba wungarku kalnga kadanya.


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

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


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


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


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


<translate> All night long the bush curlew cries out its sad and lonely call near the camp.

Kuyir wujurr wubulku banbadi-l, bayan ngundu yirrka-y.


<translate> That red king parrot is there.


<translate> They saw the large round oyster there.


<translate> You all see the mountain there.


<translate> He taught them to cover themselves at night against the cold, to keep themselves dry in the rain, and to warm themselves at the fire when they came in wet.

Nyulu jana milbin nanda-jinka kunarangkal kiwaymuny, nyulu-nyulu marraljinka kabanga, wumbuljinka bayanga jana yaru kadanya.


<translate> You all saw the jumul-jumul grass seeds there.


<glossary> kaka ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> The river is salty, not fresh water


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


<translate> You all saw the jadi goanna here.


<translate> He sees the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> You two see the waterfall here.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> He saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> You saw the kungkun snake there.


<translate> You two see the house there.


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


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


<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> The scrub hen's young rise alone in the warm ground and must find their own food from the very first day.

Jarruka nyungu karrkay bubu ngiki-kari-nga nyubun daka-l, nyungu-nyungu mayi milbinka wungar-nyubunmuny.


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

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


<translate> You saw the kalngkan small mullet here.


<translate> They lit a big fire on the beach and cooked the fish there.

Jana baya yalbay wajun jukara, kuyu wayjunda yinyay.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the wuba red ochre here.


<translate> It got up, the dog did; pay attention!


<translate> The old people tell the dreamtime story about the mountain and the river.

Kamba-kambangka ngujakura balkal manjalka wawubajaka.


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

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


<translate> The young man laughed at grandmother.


<translate> The little gecko clings to the bark wall of the shelter and eats small insects at night.

Bilbil-bilbil buban bayan-ba karrba-l, minya buban wujurr-ba nuka-l.


<translate> The old woman fed the sick child soft food, a little at a time into his mouth.

Wulbumanangka karrkay bambay mayi kima dajin, buban-buban ngandal-ba.


<translate> Do not run on the hard, sharp stones with your bare feet, child, or you will fall and hurt yourself.

Balu, karrkay, yundu kulji junkurr-ba kari warri jina buban-bu, yundu dara-y kaka-ma-nyji.


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

Ngayu jungkalu bana-ji wundil, kunka bana kari baral-darr.


<translate> They saw the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> They saw the sucker fish there.


<translate> My cross-cousin and I joke and laugh together, we share everything, and we hunt as one — that is the way of cousins.

Ngayku kambanmu ngali yajarr-wan, ngali wubul daji-way, ngali nyubun balbil — yinya bangunji-mu kuku.


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

Bulimanangka nyungun jururr-jururr kunin


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


<translate> We see the black beetle there.


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


<translate> I saw the mirrki kidney bird here.


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


<translate> We gave the old people the best fish.

Ngana kuyu ngulkurr bajaku dajin kamba-kambanda.


<translate> The little one who had cried for water was the first to fall asleep, full and happy at last.

Karrkay buban, nyulu banaka badin ngadiku, warngku wunanyarr, mayiji wawu-mini.


<translate> The angry man threw his spear hard into the ground and walked away without a single word.

Dingkar kuli-bu kalka nyungu daman bubu-ngu junkurr, jilban kuku-kari nyubun-bu.


<translate> A large crowd of people stayed there.


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

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


<translate> You two see the frill necked lizard here.


<translate> Tomorrow we go to the river.


<translate> Grandfather saw the black scrub goanna.


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


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


<translate> He sees the black bream here.


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


<translate> That jinjajalka tree is there.


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


<translate> The child washed grandfather's body.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


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


<translate> The children caught the little soldier crabs and the periwinkles and the small fish in the shallows all afternoon, and the old woman let them, for she said this is how the hand and the eye learn the water, and the child who plays at catching the small easy things by the shore grows into the hunter who can take the big hard ones out on the open reef.

Karrkay-karrkay wuli-wuli kunkun kuyu buban baja bana-buban manin kunarangkal wubulku, wulbumanangka bawan jana, nyulu balkan yinya yala mara miyil baja bana binalman, karrkay nyulu marijil minya buban yukil jalun-ba maninka nyulu balbi-bama-manda nyulu minya yalbay junkurr manil jalun-ba yaralba.


<translate> Grandfather left the grass at camp.


<translate> An argument broke out at the fire, and the old woman stopped it by asking the two men one question each: to the first she said, what did you actually see with your own eyes, not what you were told; and to the second she said, what did you actually do, not what you meant to do; and by the time each had answered honestly the quarrel had already dissolved.

Kuni-way wandin baya ngunduku, wulbumanangka kajan nyulu dingkar jambul babajin kuku nyubun nyubunku: ngadiku nyulu balkan, wanyu yundu nyaji nyungu miyilbu, kari yundu balkanmuny; jambulku nyulu balkan, wanyu yundu murni, kari yundu murnilku wawu-manilmuny; jana nyubun nyubun kuku-yukil-manin ngadiku kuni-way bada-manin.


<translate> You two see the swallow here.


<translate> The owl asked its one question all night and accepted no answers.

Kalkuybu kuku-babaji nyubun babajin wujurr wubulku, kuku-balkan nyubun kari manin.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> You two see the posterior here.


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

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


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


<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> We see the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> Are you angry with me? — Not angry, little one; worried. They wear the same face at first.

Yundu dukul-wuri ngaykunka? Kari dukul-wuri, bubanku: wawu-buyun. Jambulbu walu nyubun karrbal ngadiku.


<translate> We see the exposed place there.


<translate> A great grey boulder sits all alone in the middle of the wide dry river bed.

Kulji yalbay nyubun-bu wawubaja marral kalbay dindarra-nga bundan.


<translate> Tomorrow, if the sea is good, we cross.

Wunkun, kaki jalun ngulkurr, ngana dungay burrira.


<translate> The young man had a feed of food and then kept eating more.

Warru mayi-nga nuka-jin, baja nuka-n-nuka-ji.


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


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


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


<glossary> balkaji ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-function <usage_example> the baby was born yesterday


<translate> You two see the mayfly there.


<translate> You two see the kalkurr yam here.


<translate> I went down to the salt water to catch mullet, but a stingray lay in the shallows, so I speared it instead.

Ngayu jalunba dungan, ngalkun karrbanka, yambada yawu bana bada wunan, ngayu yawu daman.


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


<translate> Stop and give up now; leave that heavy log where it lies, it is too big to move.

Balu niji! Bawa juku kulngkul yinya, nyulu yalbay-baja wandi-mani-nka.


<translate> He saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The children asked the old woman the question children everywhere ask about the past: what was it like before, when you were small, was it better or worse, and did you have the things we have; and she was careful to answer truthfully, neither painting the old days as a golden time nor as a hard darkness, for she said a child who is lied to about the past cannot understand the present or choose the future well.

Karrkay-karrkay wulbuman babajin kuku karrkay bubu wubulku babajil ngadiku-mundu: wanyu yala ngadiku, yundu buban janay-mba, yinya yukil-baja mumbu-baja, yundu yamba ngana karrbal karrbanmuny; nyulu wawu-karrbabu kuku-yukil-manin, kari ngadiku-wungar makirr-wungar yala kari wujurr-dandi yala, nyulu balkan karrkay nyulu ngadiku-mundu kuku-mumbunmuny nyulu kari nyikuku binal yambada wungar-kadal yukil manilmuny.


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

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


<translate> Where is your father? He went with my uncle; the two of them will come back tomorrow; bring the meat to them when they arrive.

Wanja nyungu nganjan? Nyulu ngayku kalnga-ji dungan; bula wunkun kada baja; minya bulanka wundi bula kada-nya.


<translate> The boomerang lay in the shade.


<translate> You all see the ridge pole here.


<translate> The children were afraid of the dark and did not want to sleep away from the warm fire.

Karrkay-karrkay yinil ngungul-ka, jana kari wawu warngku wuna-nka baya wumbul-muny janka.


<translate> A pig has torn up the soak — pig tracks, pig diggings, pig manners.

Bikibikibu bana-buban bakan wubulku: jina bikibikimuny, bakal bikibikimuny, murni-jina bikibikimuny.


<translate> You two see the wubun hump here.


<translate> I see the kalbariji tree here.


<translate> Grandfather went deaf slowly, and the camp changed too, without one big meeting: the talk became face-with, the hands became word-with, and the children learned that language is a country with many roads in.

Kami milka-dudu-man buban-buban, bayan yindu-man baja kuku-yalbay-kari: kuku walu-ji-man, mara kuku-ji-man, karrkay-karrkay binalman kuku nyulu bubu baral-ji wubul-ji walanka.


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


<translate> Grandmother sang; meanwhile the children listened.

Babi-ngka wulngku badin, karrkay-karrkay nyajin-kuda.


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

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


<translate> You and I see the mackerel sky here.


<translate> The marrabal ti tree is here.


<translate> Father left the rope on the ground.


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


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

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


<translate> The sea-urchin has sharp black spines that break off in the foot, the old woman warned, so watch the reef-floor and step only on the bare rock.

Jalan jarran ngumbu junkurr-jirr jina-ba dumbarri, mukul-jalbu balkan, dulngku bada nyaji, kulji balbal-ba nyubun-bu jina wandi.


<translate> They heard the thunder here.


<translate> The baby kept crying and crying, so the mother kept holding it close to her warm breast.

Karrkay buban banbadi banbadi, ngamu-ngku karrba-l-karrba-l bibi wumbul ngundu.


<translate> The son or daughter is there.


<translate> That story is told the same today as it was long ago, the old woman said, and its deep bones have never changed at all.

Yinya kuku-jangkar balka niji yala-rrku kalbay-muny, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyungu bajibay dajali kari yindu-mal bajaku.


<translate> The many-pronged fish spear is here.


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

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


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is standing in the scrub.


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


<glossary> dalbarril ; type=noun ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the man scolded (him), (then left)


<translate> You two go ahead; we two will follow with the bags.

Yubal dungay ngadiku-ngurr, ngali wukurril balji-ji.


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


<translate> They see the murrkul tree there.


<translate> I saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> The old man spoke the old language well, his tongue never stumbling on the hard words.

Mukul-dingkarangka kuku ngadiku ngulkurr balkan, nyungu nyabil kari kuku dandi-nga daranya.


<translate> He saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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


<translate> Every spear has its own work, the old man opened the bundle: kalka for the fish, dikarra for war, yinba for the small water, yirrmba the many-toothed for the low tide — and the man who brings the wrong spear brings home a story instead of dinner.

Kalka nyubun-nyubun murni-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji, mukulungku dingkarangka yinya ngalkal-bungan: kalka kuyunka, dikarra kuniwaynka, yinba bana-bubanka, yirrmba dirra-wubul-ji ngajalka, bama nyulu kalka mumbu wundil nyulu wundil bayanka kuku-jangkar, kari mayi.


<translate> We saw the fish in the water.


<translate> You and I saw the yiki owl here.


<translate> They see the jawurraji ant bed there.


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


<translate> The tree roots are down below.


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


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


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


<translate> They saw the charcoal there.


<translate> The woman saw the young man's eye.


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


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


<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> The old man asked the boy a riddle that had no single answer: if you could ask the very first ancestor one question, and only one, what would you ask, and why that one above all the others? And the boy thought for three days, and the answer he finally gave, and the way he had wrestled with the choosing, told the old man more about the boy than any test of strength or skill ever could.

Mukulungku dingkarangka buban babajin kuku-kuda nyubun-kuku-daji-kari: kaki yundu babaji ngadiku-bama ngadiku bajaku kuku nyubun, nyubun nganga, wanyu yundu babajil, wanyurrinku yinya wubulmuny? Buban milkabu baykan kulur wungar, kuku-yukil nyulu ngadiku dayan, yala nyulu jarra-manin manilmuny, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan ngulkurr-baja bubanmuny yamba nyubun junkurr janka-yukil baja nyajilmuny.


<translate> You two saw the jumper ant here.


<translate> You see the turtle spear point here.


<translate> After the rain a big rainbow stood in the sky, one foot in the sea and one on the hill.

Kaba-muny yiril yalbay jiri-nga janay, jina nyubun jalun-ba, nyubun manjal-ba.


<translate> For whom did you carry this food so far? I carried it for my old mother; she cannot walk to the river any more, so I bring the fish to her camp.

Wanyanka yundu nyiku mayi kala-kalbay wundin? Ngayu ngayku ngamu mukul-ka wundin; nyulu wawubaja-nka kari jilbay, ngayu kuyu nyungu bayan-ka wundil.


<translate> The two of them saw the bayil jungle perch there.


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


<translate> The dog swam across the river after the boys.


<translate> You two saw the bajalji python here.


<translate> Fire is a living thing, said the old woman; feed it and keep it and it serves you, neglect it and it dies or turns on you.

Baya yamba wawuji, wulbumanangka balkan; nukamani, kuji, baya yununda kirrajil, bawa, baya wulay, yununda dukul-wuri baja.


<translate> The two of them saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


<translate> The two went west and came to the mountain top.


<translate> We saw the man after he had entered the house.

Ngana dingkar nyajin, wawu-wala-nya-muny bayan-ka.


<translate> Grandmother saw the Torres Strait pigeon outside.


<translate> The women and children hunted bandicoots in the daytime, following their small tracks through the long grass to the burrows where they slept.

Jalbu-jalbu karrkay-karrkay kulngu balbin wungara, jina buban jirrkuman jikan kalbaymba, bakanka wanja jana warngku wunay.


<translate> The old woman said the greatest medicine of all was not any plant but the care of the people, and that no one healed well who healed alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan mayi kakawarri yalbay bajaku kari mayi nyubun, yambada bamamu nyajil, bama kari ngulkurr kakawarrimal nyulu nganga kakawarrinya.


<translate> That messmate tree is there.


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


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

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


<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> The old man said the fire outlives the cook, and this is the comfort of the old: the fire I light tonight my grandchildren will feed when I am gone, the recipes I cook they will cook, the place at the fire I sit will hold another old one after me, and so a person does not really end but passes their place at the fire to the next, and the fire itself never goes out.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya waju-bama ngangan-baja janay, yinya mukulmu wawu-mini: baya ngayu nyiku kunarangkal wandiman ngayku jija-jija daya ngayu dunganya, mayi ngayu wajul jana wajul, bubu baya ngunduku ngayu bundal mukul yindu karrbal ngaymuny, yinyabu bama kari nganga dumban yambada nyungu bubu baya ngunduku nyubunku daji, baya nyulu-nyulu kariku wula.


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

Jana wubulku jurrkijin, wangkar kudamundu kuljinga.


<translate> You hear the rattling sound here.


<translate> The old woman said the longest journey any person makes is not across country but across a life, from the first breath to the last, and the same rules hold: go steadily, carry little, help those you meet, learn the way from those ahead of you, and leave good signs for those behind.

Wulbumanangka balkan: jilbal kalbay bajaku bama nyubun bungal kari bubu naka-naka yambada wawu naka-naka, wawu ngadikumuny wawu bada bajakunku, kuku nyubun karrbal: yaba dunga, buban jarrakulba, bama yundu nyaji-wanmuny mara-daji, baral binal bama wangkarmuny, wari yukil bawa bama dumbay-mba.


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


<translate> You saw the durra caterpillar here.


<translate> You two see the yarrka bee here.


<translate> The old man said a person with self-control and a person without it are tested most not in hardship but in plenty, for anyone can be careful when there is little, but only the person with real self-command stays measured and fair when the food is heaped high and the easy road lies open, so watch a person in their good times to know their true character.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bama nyulu-nyulu-karrba-ji bama nyulu-nyulu-karrba-kari nyaji bajaku kari dandi-ngunduka yambada wubul-ngunduka, bama wubulku murni buban-buban janji yamba buban janay-mba, nyubun nganga bama nyulu-nyulu-karrba-ji junkurr nyulu bunda yukil kaki mayi wubul-yalbay wangkar baral yukil naka-naka wunay-mba, nyaji bama nyungu wungar yukilba binalka nyungu janka bajaku.


<translate> The spider hangs its wide strong web across the narrow path in the early morning, the old man said, and the first person through the scrub walks right into it.

Malal nyungu jinbal yalbay junkurr jina buban-ba wandi wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, bama nyubun madja-burr jilba jinbal-ka daka.


<translate> Grandmother boiled the hairy yam in water.


<translate> I saw the jungka wild cherry tree here.


<translate> You and I saw the freshwater eel there.


<translate> How many days will you stay at the other camp before you come home?

Wanjarrinya wungar yundu bayan yindu-ngu bundal, kada-nyjiku?


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


<translate> You and I see the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> They see the dilly bag there.


<translate> In the late afternoon they came back home.


<translate> You all see the munungkul ground pigeon there.


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


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


<translate> They saw the older sister here.


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


<translate> The dog bit the young man's arm.


<translate> Where did the frogs go? When the water dried up, the frogs went quiet and buried themselves in the mud.

Wanja yuday dungan? Bana bada-nya, yuday kuku-kari, jana bubungu ngakiji.


<translate> He sees the frill necked lizard there.


<translate> The little boy's tooth came out today, and he showed his mother the small white tooth in his hand.

Karrkay buban dirra bada dungan niji, nyulu ngamu dirra buban balbal mara-ba nyaji-mani.


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


<translate> The witchetty grub is fat and white, and it is good to eat raw or cooked.

Mujurr yalbay ngumbu-kari, ngulkurr nuka-nka kabu-kari wajun.


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


<translate> The old woman took a long detour around the flooded creek.

Wulbuman murni-ji wawubaja bana-yalbay kudamundu, kalbay-baja.


<translate> You and I saw the jungu-jungu white ant eggs here.


<translate> Who is that man standing by the fire? He is a stranger from the north. Do you know him? No, I do not know him; ask the old man, he knows everyone.

Wanya yinya dingkar baya ngundu janay? Nyulu bama yindu kuwa-muny. Yundu nyunguny binal? Kari, ngayu nyunguny kari binal; mukul-dingkar babaji, nyulu bama wubul binal.


<translate> He caught a fish first, then speared a turtle.

Nyulu kuyu-ngurr manin, ngawuya daman-da.


<translate> I see the kubu-kubu tadpole there.


<translate> The old people listen to the birds all through the day to know the time and the news: the magpie sings up the dawn, the friarbird grows loud when the trees flower, the pigeons come in to drink at the same hour each evening, and a bird that calls out of its proper time is telling the camp that something has changed in the country.

Bama mukul buyi ngaran wungar wubulku binalka wungar kuku-jarrakay baja: dawa-dawa muduwaju wulngku-badin, jaka junkurr-manin juku nganka-mandanya, bakamu kadan janga-nka nyubun wungar kunarangkal wubulku, buyi nyulu balkan nyungu wungar yukil-karibu nyulu bayan balkan yamba nyubun bubungu yindu-mandanmu.


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


<translate> The turtle is big and heavy; four men carried it up onto the beach.

Yalnga yalbay kulngkul; dingkar jambul-jambul wundin jukar wangkar-ka.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The men searched around for the net in the scrub.

Dingkar-dingkar makarr-ba nubi-nubi-ji madja-nga.


<translate> They saw the forest kingfisher there.


<translate> You saw the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> I asked my elder brother where the fat kangaroos were feeding in the long dry season.

Ngayu yaba-nda babajin, mayarriji wandul wanja nukal marral-wungar-a.


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


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


<translate> You all saw the murrabal barramundi there.


<translate> The children learned that to receive help gracefully is as important as to give it, for a person who will only give and never receive holds themselves above others, and true community needs everyone sometimes to be the one who is carried.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman mara-daji maninka dandi yala dajinka, bama nyulu nganga dajil kari manil nyulu-nyulu bama yindu wangkar karrbal, bama nyubun yukil wawu bama wubulku kanbalka nyubun jana jarrakulbanmuny.


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


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


<translate> The old woman said a woman had a special tie to her brother's children, especially to a brother's daughter, and would take a close hand in raising her, teaching her the women's knowledge, watching over her marriage, so that just as the mother's brother shaped the boys, the father's sister shaped the girls, and every child thus grew up with a guiding hand reaching across from the other side of the family, from the parent's own brother or sister.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu nyungu yaba nyungu karrkaynka karra-kima karrbal, yaba nyungu jalbu-karrkaynka bajaku, nyulu mara ngunduku manil dingkar-manilba, milbil jalbu nyungu binal, nyajil nyungu dunyu-manilba, yala kalnga buban dingkar-manin, mukul jalbu-buban dingkar-manin, karrkay wubulku yala warru-manda mara-yukil-ji jilban yindu-mundu, ngamu-nganjan nyungu yaba yambada babarr-mundu.


<translate> We see the jirimandi coconut tree there.


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

Ngayu minya kari manin, kuyungku kari bajaku baykan


<translate> Father saw the black crow in the scrub.


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


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


<translate> He sees the scrub goanna here.


<translate> How many children live there?

Wanjarrinya karrkay-karrkay yinyay bundanday?


<translate> The old man said the wise never stop asking whether they are wrong, for the moment a person becomes certain they know everything is the moment they stop learning and start to fall behind, so he made a practice of asking himself where might I be mistaken about this, what would someone who disagreed say, what have I not tested, and this steady self-questioning, he said, is the whole difference between an elder and merely an old fool.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan binal-bama kariku bawal babajinka jana mumbu-manda, wungar bama nyulu kuku-junkurr-manda nyulu yamba wubulku binal nyulu bawal binalmanka wandin bada-mundu jilban, nyulu bungan yamba nyulu-nyulu babajinka wanja ngayu mumbu-manda yinya-mundu, wanyu bama nyulu kari nyubun-manin balkalmuny, wanyu ngayu kari nyajin, yinya nyulu-nyulu-babaji junkurr, nyulu balkan, nyulu bada bajaku mukul dingkar ngangkal mukul yindu-yindumuny.


<translate> You see the bush fire there.


<translate> The old woman said the zamia taught patience above all things, for a hungry person who ate it too soon would be sick for days, and only the patient one ate well.

Wulbumanangka balkan: barka milbin wunbu yamba wubulmuny, bama dakwuy nyulu ngadiku nukan bambaymal wungar wubulku, bama wunbu nganga ngulkurr nukal.


<translate> You see the didgeridoo here.


<translate> You and I see the liver there.


<translate> The boy was proud and asked: Did I do well, father, and did I keep quiet enough, and will you take me hunting again tomorrow?

Karrkayangka wawu-yalbay babajin: Ngayu ngulkurr ngaran, ngayu wunbu ngulkurr janay, yundu ngayu balbinka wundil baja wunkun?


<translate> The bird that calls its own name in the scrub at midday is the one the old people listen for, the old woman said, for it tells where the wild honey is.

Buyi nyungu burri madja-ba wungar wangkar-wangkar-a yirrka-nya, mukul-bama milka-janay, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu balka wanja ngamurr wuna-nya.


<translate> You see the mukukana tree there.


<translate> That satin bower bird is there.


<translate> The woman left the fire stick on the ground.


<translate> You all see the mukukanka tree here.


<translate> The grasshoppers came in a great cloud and ate the new grass of the plain.

Jimu wubul-baja kadan, bilanji buban nukal bubu-ngu.


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


<translate> The snake is on the open ground.