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


<translate> I saw the dijarr freshwater perch there.


<translate> The girl's mother cooked food.


<translate> You all see the fingernail here.


<translate> The two women called to each other across the river, one from this side, one from the far side.

Jalbu jambul yirrka-wa wawubaja naka-naka, nyubun ngundu-mundu, nyubun kala-kalbay-mundu.


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


<translate> The old man said the kin-terms were used far beyond blood, so that a man would call his close friend brother, an old woman would call any young person of the right age child or grandchild, and a respected elder became everyone's uncle or aunt, and this stretching of the kin-words was not loose or careless but the very way the language folded new people into the family and made the whole community feel and act as one great kindred.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-karra manin mula-daji ngulkurr-baja, dingkar nyulu kunjal nyungu jawun yaba, mukul nyulu kunjal warru nyubun wungar-yukil karrkay jija baja, mukul yulmbarril-yamba bama wubulku nyungu kalnga mukul janan, yinya kuku-karra jilban nyulu kari ngangkal yambada nyulu bajaku yala kuku bama jirakal jawun-karra kajan jawun-karra wubulku nyubun-mabi milka-nyubun murnin.


<translate> The shoulder blade is there.


<translate> The two of them saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish here.


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

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


<translate> The women made new dilly bags and mended the old ones, and the girls learned the weave stitch by stitch.

Jalbu-jalbungku ngunyin jirakal ngaran, ngunyin ngadiku ngulkurr-bungan, maral-maral binalman yala buban-buban.


<translate> The black ants march in a long line carrying seeds and dead insects back to their nest, the old man said, and the old people watched them to learn where the food was.

Jabarrangkul karra marri-ba diburr minya wula-nya-jirr jana-mu janku-ka jarra-kulba, mukul-dingkar balkan, mukul-bama nyaji-nyaji binal wanja mayi wuna-nya.


<translate> In the morning the girls went to the river. They washed the clothes. Then they came back and put them in the sun.

Wunkuwingku maral-maral wawubajanga dungan. Jana kambi julurrin. Jana kadan baja, kambi wungara yijarrinda.


<translate> You and I saw the karranda tree there.


<glossary> kuljan ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> I drummed the water


<translate> You and I see the hole here.


<translate> That diwalngku migratory bird is here.


<translate> We told them about the honey and the crabs and the big eel.

Ngana jananda balkan: wunba, wurru-bulan, kubarr yalbay.


<translate> The child saw the stingray in the water.


<translate> Grandfather saw the candlenut tree.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said a group of people can be changed together, for a whole camp can slowly grow generous or slowly grow mean, slowly grow brave or slowly grow fearful, taking its temper from its leaders and its stories, so that changing a people is not done person by person but by changing the stories they tell and the deeds they praise, and she said this is why the old people guarded the stories so carefully, for whoever changes a people's stories slowly changes the people themselves.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama-wubul yindu-bungal nyubunji, bayan wubulku buban-buban dayal-bama-mal yambada buban-buban jakay-dandi-mal, buban-buban junkurr-mal yambada buban-buban yinil-mal, manil nyungu yala kuku-bama-muny kuku-jangkar-muny, bama-wubul yindu-bungal nyulu kari bama nyubun-nyubun yambada yindu-bungal kuku-jangkar jana balkalmuny murni jana yulmbarrilmuny baja, nyulu balkan yinya wanyurrinku bama mukul kuku-jangkar karrban junkurr bajaku, wanya kuku-jangkar bama nyungu yindu-bungal nyulu buban-buban bama nyulu-nyulu yindu-bungal.


<translate> They two saw the spear point there.


<translate> The broad leaf from the tree lay in the bag.


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


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


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


<translate> They saw the boxwood tree there.


<translate> The old man said the shortest road is not always the best road, for the shortest road may go through a flooded river while the longer road stays dry and safe.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jina buban bajaku kari yabarrka ngulkurr bajaku, jina buban nyulu jalungkarra dungay, jina kalbay-baja marral ngulkurr janay.


<translate> The pineapple-plant grows low and sharp-leaved in the open scrub, the old woman said, and its fruit is sweet but hard to reach past the spines.

Banabul bubu bada-ba wuna birra jarran-jirr madja-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyungu mayi jiba-wulay yamba mani buyun jarran-muny.


<translate> You and I see the charcoal here.


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


<translate> Hold the mudcrab from behind lest it bite your hand.

Kiju kudamundu karrba, nyulu yununy mara bayka-nyji!


<translate> The whole camp looked after him: the women bringing warm food and water, the children keeping his fire high, the old woman watching him through the nights.

Bayan wubulku nyungunka nyajin, jalbu-jalbungka nyunganka mayi wumbul bana wundin, karrkay-karrkayangka nyungu baya wangkar kujin, wulbumanangka nyulu nyajin kunarangkal wubulku.


<translate> The old man said: There is no one best spear, for the best spear for fishing is not the best for wallabies, and the best for a strong man is not the best for a boy.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Kalka nyubun ngulkurr bajaku kari janay, kalka kuyuka ngulkurr kari darrbaka ngulkurr, kalka dingkar junkurrka ngulkurr kari karrkayka ngulkurr.


<translate> The kalbariji tree is there.


<translate> You and I see the bamboo spear stick here.


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


<translate> The night was warm and the men went fishing with fire.

Kunarangkal wumbul, dingkar-dingkar kuyuku dungan bayaji.


<translate> The blood ran from the cut on the hunter's hand, and the old woman washed it.

Mula warrin balbi-bama-mu mara yaka-ny-muny, wulbumanangka julurrin.


<translate> Put the baby inside; the wind has found its evening voice.

Ngawa yijarri kanaka: muyarbu kuku wujurrmuny nyungu manin.


<translate> The old man made many kinds of spear: the fish spear, the war spear, and the fighting spear; each spear carried its own barb and its own point.

Mukul-dingkarangka kalka wubul bungan: yinba, kuyan, murrangkal; kalka-mu jinil, kalka-mu kurrajan.


<translate> The person there is pleasant.


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


<translate> The young men had a fishing contest to see who could catch the most fish before the sun was high.

Warru-warru kuyu karrbanya kinkan, wanya kuyu wubul bajaku karrbal wungar wangkar jananyjiku.


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


<translate> It was not the man who broke the billycan.


<translate> You see the sand whiting there.


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


<translate> Yesterday they stayed at the camp.


<translate> The dog was foraging through the food near the fire.

Kaya mayi-burr ngunja-n-ngunja-ji baya ngundu-ba.


<translate> They saw the black palm there.


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


<translate> You all see the blanket here.


<glossary> wanyurrinku ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Why did he laugh?


<translate> The fresh water snake is here.


<translate> You and I see the shellfish there.


<translate> You two see the smooth rock there.


<translate> He speared the fish from the bank, standing still, while the others swam in the deep water.

Nyulu kuyu daman daburri-mundu, janay janka, yindu janji-nya bana dajali-nga.


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


<translate> You and I saw the murma wasp there.


<translate> He sees the love handles here.


<translate> You all saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper there.


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


<translate> You two saw the jirabay lizard here.


<translate> You see the stony crossing there.


<translate> We see the kakaji mangrove tree there.


<translate> The broad leaves are used to wrap the meat before it is cooked in the ground.

Bindi birra minya nanda-nka, waju-nyji bubu-ngu.


<translate> The old man said a fire is never allowed to die on its own: someone always tends it, feeding it small in the day and banking it under ash at night, for a dead fire means someone was careless, and in the old cold country carelessness with fire could cost a life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya kariku nganga wula bawal: bama yabarrka nyulu kujil, daya buban wungara bajar bada wujurr, baya wula bama nyubun binal-kari, bubu kiway-kiway ngadikungu binal-kari bayabu wawu manilba.


<translate> By midday the bags were full of long fat yams, and the girls carried them home proud of their first good digging.

Wungar wangkar janan, ngunyin mumbay kawu kalbay wandulji, maral-maral wundin bayanba wawu-mini jana bakanmuny.


<translate> The sweet fruit is not yet ripe on the tree; sit and wait until the hot season comes again.

Mayi juku-ba kariku kulbul; bunda-l baya ngundu wumbul-wungar kada-nya.


<translate> The men hunted the kangaroo on the plain and the women dug for yams in the scrub.

Dingkar-angka mayarriji bubu dubar-a balbin, jalbu-ngka wukay madja-nga bakan.


<translate> The man made a spear from black palm.


<translate> Grandmother wove the bag from dillybag grass.


<translate> I saw the karrkil jumper ant there.


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


<translate> You two saw the kujuway pigeon here.


<translate> We saw the meat on the ground.


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


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


<translate> Pick up the fish before the birds come!


<translate> In the morning the men went up the rocky hill to hunt goanna among the warm stones.

Wunkuwingku dingkar-dingkar wangkar dungan manjalba, jadika nyajil-nyajin kulji wumbulba.


<translate> You and I saw the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<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.


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


<translate> That stinging vine is there.


<translate> You all see the karraway snail here.


<translate> The old people slept in the shade.


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


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

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


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


<translate> In the late afternoon, wind came from the sea.


<translate> You and I saw the julbal tree there.


<translate> They saw the small sticks there.


<translate> You saw the jiljay grub here.


<translate> You all saw the karunkurr crested pigeon there.


<translate> The green pigeon is hard to see among the leaves, the old woman said, for it is the very colour of the canopy, but its low soft cooing gives it away.

Bakamu birra-ba nyaji buyun, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu yala birra, yamba nyungu yirrka bada kima nyulu balka.


<translate> Auntie made a small dilly bag for the little girl.


<translate> The two of them took the little child along with them because it was feeling lonely.

Bula karrkay buban wundin muru, milka-bujarr-ma-nya.


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


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> We see the tiger shark here.


<translate> You saw the bujabay tree there.


<translate> You all see the smoke there.


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


<translate> A pair of tall trees stood close together there, the same kind and the same great size.

Juku-bulal jarra-jarra yinyay muru janjanan, yala-karrajikur yalbay yala baja.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> The young man saw the moon outside.


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


<translate> The old woman said feeding people is the oldest love and the plainest, older than any word for love: before a mother can say she loves her child she has already fed it a thousand times, and long after fine words are forgotten the body remembers who fed it when it was small and helpless, so if you would show love and do not have the words, cook, and serve, and that is a language everyone understands.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama dayal wawu-jirray ngadiku bajaku yukil bajaku, kuku wawu-jirraymuny ngadiku: ngamu nyulu balka nyulu nyungu karrkay wawu jirray ngadiku nyulu yabarrka daya wubulku, kuku yukil milka-wulanmuny dumbay-mba bangkarr binalku wanyu nyulu daya nyulu buban junkurr-kari janay-mba, kaki yundu wawu-jirray milbinka yundu kuku murruji, waju, daya, yinya kuku bama wubulku binal.


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

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


<translate> Build the shelter here — the ground is dry.


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


<translate> He sees the death adder here.


<translate> The old woman said fear of a place can be changed into knowledge of it, and this was how the old people made a child brave, not by telling them there was nothing to fear in the dark scrub but by walking them through it again and again by day and then by dark and then in the middle of the night, until the unknown became known, the strange became familiar, and the terror that had ruled the child slowly changed into an easy confidence born of true knowing.

Wulbumanangka balkan yinil bubu nyubunmuny yindu-bungal binalku, yinya yala bama mukul karrkay yinil-kari-bungal, kari kukubu yamba-kari yinilka majaji wujurrba yambada jana jilba-bungal majanga jambulku jambulku wungarbu yalada wujurrbu yalada kunarangkalbu, binal-kari binal-mal, bubu yindu bubu-binal-mal, yinil nyulu karrkay junkurr-manin nyulu buban-buban yindu-mal wawu-junkurr binal yukilmuny wandinmuny.


<translate> He saw the wurrbu hornet there.


<translate> You see the cockatoo crest there.


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


<translate> The fat under the turtle is sweet and yellow, the very best food of all in the sea.

Ngawiya wandul jiba-wulay, mayi ngulkurr bajaku wubulku-muny, jalun-ba.


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


<translate> The big grey kangaroo stood up and looked at us.

Julmbanu yalbay warndin, nganjinan nyajin.


<translate> The green frog jumped from the flat rock into the muddy water and swam away down under the leaves.

Karrkurr balbal jalaman kulji-muny bana buyun-ka, janjin bada birra-burr.


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


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


<translate> The echidna rolls itself into a tight ball of spines when it is frightened and buries itself down into the hard ground faster than a person can dig, and the old woman told the children it is the wisest of the small creatures, for it never fights and never flees in panic, it simply becomes a thing that cannot be taken, and lives a long slow life because of it.

Ngangkin nyulu-nyulu junkurr-manil buban-buban jalngkun-yalbay nyulu yinilnya bubu junkurr-mundu bakan warri bamamuny, wulbumanangka karrkay-karrkay balkan nyulu binal yukil minya buban-bubanmuny, nyulu kariku kunin kari warri yinil-bu, nyulu nganga yamba manil-kari-manda, wawu kalbay bada kirrajin yinyamu.


<translate> We (not you) are going hunting now; you stay here with the women.

Nganjin niji balbi-ka dunga-y; yundu yaluy bunda jalbu-jalbu-nji.


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

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


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


<glossary> yungal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=transfer-possession <usage_example> Mother sent to me the store


<translate> That wurmbariji scrub tree is there.


<translate> The two old women told each other stories all the long afternoon.

Wulbuman bula kuku balka-n-balka-way, wungar bada wubulku.


<translate> A child who talks too much and never listens learns very little, the old man said.

Karrkay kuku-baka nyulu kari milka-jana-y, nyulu buban binalman, mukul-dingkar-angka balkan.


<translate> The grandmother said: never say the name of one who has died; call them 'ngalba', so their spirit rests and the family is not saddened.

Babingka balkan: bama wula-ny-muny nyungu burri kari balka; jana ngalba balka, nyungu dubu ngulkurr-ma, mula-mula kari buyun-ma.


<translate> Grandmother saw the bird outside.


<translate> When the biting sandflies and the march flies come thick in their season the camp burns green leaves to make a smoke that keeps them off, and the old people knew exactly which plants made the best insect-smoke, and they moved the camp to the breezy points away from the still swampy ground where the biting things breed in their millions.

Diri-diri baykal waja baja jana wungar nyungunga junkurr kadanya bayan juku jinbal kubu-manin bungan jana kala-kalbay karrbal, bama mukul binal juku wanyu kubu yukil bajaku bungal, jana bayan muyar-a murni-manin bubu-yaral janka-muny wanja minya-baykal wubul-yalbay jiwarril.


<translate> We see the light-coloured clothing here.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> We walked north along the river.

Ngana kungkarr jilba dungan wawubajanga.


<translate> The two men found the goanna's burrow at the base of the tree, one dug down carefully following the tunnel while the other watched the back exit, the goanna bolted out the hidden hole, they chased it, the first man caught it by the tail, they killed it quickly and cleanly, and then divided it fairly and carried the halves to two hungry families.

Dingkar jambul jadi-bubu juku badanga nyajin, nyubun buban-buban bakan juku-bubu wukurrin yindu dumbay-jina nyajil, jadi dumbay-bubu warrin wandin, jana wukurrin, dingkar ngadiku junkan-bu manin, jana warri ngulkurr-bu kunin, yalada yukil buban-manin daji-wan jawun-karra jambul dakwuynka.


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


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

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


<translate> The dogs cleaned up everything else.


<translate> He sees the jumper ant here.


<translate> The two snakes wrap around each other in the grass when they mate.

Jarba bula kaja-way bilanji-nga, dukurr-wungar-a.


<translate> I have not yet finished the strong dilly bag; I will finish the weaving tomorrow in the early morning.

Ngayu ngunyin junkurr kariku bungal; ngayu wungar kada-nya wunkuwingku bunga.


<translate> At dawn the dog followed the track.


<translate> They saw the julbal tree here.


<translate> We see the dabway bird here.


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

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


<translate> The husbands went out hunting at first light while the wives stayed to mind the children.

Dunyu-karra balbi dungan wunkuwingku, manyarr-karra karrkay-karrkay karrba bayan-ba bundan.


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


<translate> They saw the birinjil centipede here.


<translate> I see the freshwater crocodile here.


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

Yala-yalaku jarramali kadan, nyulu ngakijin


<translate> The child was grabbed by a crocodile.


<translate> The young men were afraid and did not know the way back, for the rain hid the land from their eyes.

Warru-warru yinil, kari binal yala bayanba, kababu bubu ngakin jana miyilmuny.


<translate> After three days the water went down and left new sand everywhere.

Bana dungan, jukar jirakal bawanda yiringkurr.


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


<glossary> badamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You bend your head down


<translate> The stones here are close together.


<translate> The child dropped the stone on grandmother's hand.

Karrkay-ngku kulji daray-manin babi-nda mara-nga.


<translate> The daughter's child is there.


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

Babi murnijin, karrkay-karrkay nyajinda, ngakijinya.


<translate> You and I saw the yalnga turtle there.


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


<translate> We see the kurrburrubun magpie here.


<translate> They saw the smouldering log there.


<translate> You see the yellow March fly there.


<translate> Which of you two will climb the tall tree to get the honey?

Wanjinya yubal juku kalbay daka-l, wunba mani-nka?


<translate> We did not find any fish at the reef today, for the tide was too high and rough.

Ngana kuyu dulngku-ngu kari warrmba-bungan niji, bana wangkar-baja junkurr-baja.


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


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


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


<translate> The daughter-in-law's clothes were drying by the fire.

Kambi kujiway-mbal-amu baya karangkal ngulkurr-man.


<translate> You two see the flames here.


<translate> He saw the jingajalka 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.


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


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


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


<translate> They saw the karrandal tree here.


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


<translate> He saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the jamal egg white there.


<translate> The moon rose over the open ground.


<translate> The old woman left the bag in the house.


<translate> The wives told the men: go and get some fish for the children!

Manyarr-karra-ngka dingkar yalaman: Dunga-y kuyu mani-nka karrkay-nka!


<translate> You all saw the shooting star here.


<translate> They heard the hiccoughs there.


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


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


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

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


<translate> I saw the kurranday seagull there.


<translate> The women went straight for the yam grounds.


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

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


<translate> They saw the bush fire here.


<translate> The lady apple tree is there.


<translate> The black diver bird is here.


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


<translate> The younger brothers all went hunting, but the elder brother stayed in the camp.

Yabaju-karra balbi-ka dungan, yambada yaba bayan-ba bundan.


<translate> We saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> The old woman said the greatest grief and the greatest duty could both fall on the same kin at once, as when a mother must prepare her own dead child for burial, and the kin-system did not spare a person such things but it did surround them, for no one bore the hardest duties alone, the sisters and the mother's sisters and the cousins all gathering close, so that even the heaviest sorrow was carried on many shoulders and never on one back alone.

Wulbumanangka balkan wawu-mumbu yalbay yamba-yukil yalbay jambul wandiman karra nyubunku nyubunji, ngamu nyulu nyungu-nyungu karrkay wula-mabi murni-manil bunya-nka, jawun-karra kari bama nyinya-mundu kima-manin yambada nyulu jana wabarr-manin, wanya kari yamba-yukil dandi bajaku nganga karrbal, babarr mukul-warra bangunji baja wubulku ngunduku bangkan, wawu-mumbu junkurr bajaku baja jarrba wubulku karrban kari nyubun jarra nyubunbu nganga.


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


<translate> You see the turtle spear point here.


<translate> You and I see the small conical shellfish here.


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


<translate> Don't eat it yet — wash it first, little one.

Kari nuka nyiku, julurri-ka-rr, bubanku.


<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 two of them see the ngurrkul fig tree there.


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


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


<translate> The young man went off to hunt without his spear, and so he came home with no meat.

Warru balbi-ka dungan kalka-mundu, nyulu bayan-ka kadan minya-kari.


<translate> He hunts the very same way his father did, the old people said — quiet feet, patient eyes, and one true throw of the spear.

Nyulu balbi yala-rrku nyungu nganjan balbin, mukul-bama balkan — jina janka, miyil bundan, kalka nyubun dama-l nguymal.


<translate> The shoulder and the arm of the strong young man are big, for he throws the spear every day.

Warru junkurr binda wakuy yalbay, nyulu kalka daman wungar-wungar.


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


<translate> You saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> You two see the bandicoot there.


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


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


<translate> You all see the nakawarra bee here.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


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


<translate> I saw the branches on the tree.


<translate> You two saw the shooting star there.


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


<translate> You see the dukul-mukul lizard here.


<translate> You see the yawarr palm here.


<translate> The women wove the string dilly bags to carry the yams and shellfish home.

Jalbu-ngka ngunyin karra-bu bungan, wukay minya baja bayan-ka wundi-nka.


<translate> You saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> You see the red king parrot there.

Yundu karrambil ngala-ngala yinyay nyajil.


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

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


<translate> Homesickness backwards is love — you only ache for what once fed you.

Bilamal muku-jinabu nyulu wawu: yundu kaka manil nganga yambamuny yununy mayi-dayanmuny.


<translate> You and I see the freshwater turtle there.


<translate> The two women carried the water back to the camp in the big bark containers, one behind the other.

Jalbu jambul bana wundin bayan-ka dakil yalbay-mba, nyubun nyubun kudamundu.


<translate> The first fish was small, but the second was much bigger, and the third was the biggest of all in the deep pool.

Kuyu nyubun buban, yamba kuyu jambul-mu yalbay bajaku, kuyu jambulumbul-mu yalbay wubulku-muny bana dajali-ba.


<glossary> jarmbil ; type=noun ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> The boat is drifting


<translate> The two of them see the karraway snail here.


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


<translate> The old man said: If you follow the law of the country, then the country will keep you; if you break it, then the country will not.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Kaki yundu bubumu kuku milka-janay, bububu yundu kujil; kaki yundu murnil, bububu kari.


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


<translate> Give the meat with the bones to the dogs, but the good meat without bones to the old people.

Minya bajibay-jirr kaya-nka daya, yamba minya ngulkurr bajibay-kari mukul-bama-nka.


<translate> You two see the windbreak there.


<translate> In the morning the two families shared a big meal, and all the children played together.

Wunkuwingku jawunkarra jambul mayi yalbay nukan, karrkay-karrkay wubulku kinkan baja.


<translate> Every food has its season and its country, the old man said, showing it on his hand: the junjun fruit in its own days, the black bean after the pods drop, the fat fish when the wind turns — and a person who eats with the calendar never eats the country empty.

Mayi nyubun-nyubun wungar-ji bubu-ji nyungu-nyungu-ji, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, mara nyungu milbinya: junjun wungara nyungu-nyungu, baway diburr badanmuny, kuyu wandul-ji muyar murninya, bama nyulu nukal wungar-jinanji nyulu kariku bubu nganga-bungal.


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

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


<translate> Little by little the old man grew stronger, and after many days he could sit up, and then eat by himself, and at last walk a little in the sun.

Buban-buban mukul dingkar junkurrmanda, wungar wubul kudamundu nyulu bundan, yalada nyulu-nyulu nukan, ngadiku jilban buban wungara.


<translate> When they brought the dugong back to the beach, the whole camp came down to help pull it from the water.

Jana biwuy wundinya baja jalun ngundu, bayan wubulku bada kadan mara-dajinka, biwuy banamuny kulbanka.


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


<translate> You see the grass tree here.


<translate> Do not touch that sacred thing — desist — for it belongs to the old law of the country.

Balu, yundu yinya yirmbal kari damal; yinya kuku mukul bubu-mu.


<translate> The blue spotted fantail ray is here.


<translate> Do not be jealous of your brother's spear; make your own good straight one from hard wood.

Kari ngujan yunu yaba-mu kalka-ka, bunga-y yunu ngulkurr jinbal juku junkurr-muny.


<translate> You two see the kalmnbagarr diver bird here.


<translate> The wives went down together to gather the shellfish along the reef while the husbands hunted the turtle beyond it, the old woman said.

Manyarr-karra bada muru dunga wurrul mani-nka dulngku-ba, dunyu-karra ngawiya balbi-balbi-nya dulngku-muny, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> The woman's back is sore from carrying the baby.


<translate> You all see the shooting star here.


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

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


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

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


<translate> The woman saw the Leichhardt tree.


<translate> The Moreton Bay ash tree is good.


<translate> The old man said: take what you need, leave the mother, and there will be turtles for your children's children.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kanbal mana, ngamu bawa, ngawiya janay karrkaymu karrkayka.


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


<translate> I heard you calling out in the dark, the old woman said, and I came quickly with a hot firestick to find you.

Ngayu yununy milka-janay, yundu yirrka-yirrka-nya ngumbu-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngayu bila kaday buri wumbul-jirr yundu mani-nka.


<translate> You two see the wankar tree here.


<translate> We saw the meat on the ground.


<translate> The child asked the girl about meat.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the ngawurr-ngawun crocodile here.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


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


<translate> You saw the dawa-dawa magpie there.


<translate> You two saw the makaji onion plant here.


<translate> You saw the bajabaja lizard here.


<translate> Grandmother cooked food and then slept. After that she went to the river.

Babi-ngka mayi wajun, warngku wunan-da. Wawu-yinya-muny, nyulu wawubaja-nga dungan.


<translate> The father asked the young hunter: "How did you come back so quickly from the far hills today?"

Nganjan-angka warru balbi-bama babajin: Yundu wanjarr kada-ny-baja buyun-buyun jamba kala-kalbay-muny?


<translate> Gather the dry bark and grass to make the fire burn hot and bright.

Dumbul dandi, kumul dandi bangka, baya wumbul junkurr-bu waju-nka.


<translate> You all see the kookaburra there.


<translate> The man's foot left a deep track in the wet sand by the edge of the wide river.

Dingkar jina jukar buyun-ba dajali nanda, wawubaja jirrbu ngundu.


<translate> We saw the marril ti tree here.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


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


<translate> This place is just the same.


<translate> That dog never wandered at night again.


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


<translate> You and I see the duck here.


<translate> Build the fire up high before you sleep, the old woman told the children, just in case the hard cold comes down on us in the middle of the night.

Buri yalbay bunga warngku-nyjiku, mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, nganganjirrka ngiki junkurr ngana-nga kada-nya wujurr jarra-ka.


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

Nyulu karrkay madjanga dungan, nubijinkuda


<translate> The old man went to the sea with the baby.


<translate> The old people stayed at camp.


<translate> Mother told the child to eat quietly.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay-nka balkan, janka nuka-nka.


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

Kaykay-kaykay nurra baka; ngayu milka-burray


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


<translate> The young man asked grandfather about meat.


<translate> The spear, this one, lay there.


<translate> You two saw the balarri queenfish there.


<translate> The canopy of the tree is big.


<translate> Lightning! The children got frightened.


<translate> They saw the black spotted dart there.


<translate> You saw the yalnga turtle here.


<translate> Grandfather sees the freshwater eel.


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


<translate> A flood is the river remembering its whole country, the old man said from the high ground: it walks out of its own bed and visits every low place that was ever its own, so never build the baby camp or the story camp on the flood's old roads, for the high ground keeps the long things.

Jalungkarr nyulu wawubaja milka-binalku bubu nyungu wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bubu wangkarmuny, nyulu jilbal bayanmuny nyungu-nyungumuny nyajil bubu bada nyubun-nyubun nyungu ngadikumuny, yalada kari bunga bayan ngawamuny bayan kuku-jangkarmuny baralba mukulba jalungkarrmuny, bubu wangkarbu karrbal yamba kalbay.


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


<glossary> nganku ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> He went too quickly, I didn't finish my letter

Nyulu ngankuku dungan ngayu letter kariku kunbay-manin


<translate> The men cut a canoe-tree, carved it out with fire and axe, and dragged it to the water; it took a whole moon, and when it floated all the camp came to see.

Dingkar-dingkarangka marrakan-juku yakan, baya-bu, warrbi-bu yakan, bana-nga yiringkan; kija nyubun dungan, marrakan yaru-ba jana-nya, bama wubul nyaji kadan.


<translate> You see the forest kingfisher there.


<translate> He was so frightened in his liver that he could not move or call out to anyone.

Nyulu jiba-yararri baja, nyulu kari jilba-l kari balka-l bama yindu-nka.


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


<translate> You two see the barramundi here.


<translate> The old woman is not angry with the children; she only speaks quietly and tells them the true story.

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-karrkay-nka kari kuli-ma-l; nyulu janka balka-l kuku yukil dajin.


<translate> I want to eat now, said the hungry child, but the old man said you must wait, for the meat is not yet cooked right through.

Ngayu wawu niji nuka-nka, karrkay dakuy balkan, yamba mukul-dingkar balkan yundu bunda, minya kari-rrku waju-n narmba.


<translate> Suddenly the kingfisher dived straight down into the water and caught a small fish.

Dabuy jinbal-baja bana-ka bada dungan, kuyu buban karrban.


<translate> The black tip shark is there.


<translate> The grub that lives in the big ant bed is good to eat when it is roasted on the fire.

Jambun jawurraji-ba wuna-l, mayi ngulkurr baya-nga wajun-nya.


<translate> The old woman said: the dilly bag holds the whole camp's food; without it we could carry nothing; learn to weave, girls, or the family will go hungry.

Mukulungku balkan: ngunyin-ju bayan-mu mayi wubul karrbal; ngunyin-mundu ngana maru-maru wundil; jalbu-karrkay, wukurril binal-ma, kari bama dakwuy.


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


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

Nyulu karrkay mambarrin schoolbu dunganka


<glossary> dayirr ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> After washing th clothes are very clean


<translate> When the old people tell the story of the old days, my heart feels sad and I want to cry.

Mukul-bama-ngka kuku balka-nya mukul wungar-mu, ngayku wubul jiba-badi, ngayu wawu badi-nka.


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


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


<translate> You all saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<translate> The man swept the ground at camp.


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


<translate> You all saw the bakay snake there.


<translate> The boy learned that his own body was his first home and his oldest friend, and he looked after it well for the rest of his long life.

Karrkayangka binalman nyungu bangkarr nyungu bayan, nyungu yaba ngadiku bajaku, nyulu ngulkurr nyajin nyungu wawu kalbay wubulku.


<translate> The child went to the shade with a stick.


<translate> I see the rock python there.


<translate> When the sun was high, the women dug yams in the ground and filled two dilly bags, laughing and talking the whole time.

Wungar wangkar janan, jalbu-jalbungku wukay bakan bubungu, balji jambul mumban, yajarrinya balkanya.


<translate> The two women looked at each other and chatted happily by the fire.

Jalbu bula nyaji-way, balka-way ngulkurr baya karangkal.


<translate> The language gives every group its own small door, and the one who chooses the right door says welcome without saying it.

Kukubu bama-karra nyubun-nyubunka baral-ngandal buban dayal nyungu-nyungu, bamabu ngandal yukil manilmuny 'yulmbarri' balkal balkal-kari.


<translate> The young man sang a happy song as he walked the long track home with plenty of meat for his family.

Warru wulngku wawu-mini badin jilba-nya jina kalbay-burr, minya jirray nyungu jawun-karra-nka.


<translate> You and I see the scorpion there.


<translate> You two saw the karrkurr frog there.


<translate> The policeman did not see me because he was asleep.

Buliman-angka nganya kari nyajin, nyulu warngku-wuna-nya.


<translate> The men built a low bark humpy to keep the whole family dry through the wet season.

Dingkar-angka wurun warrur-bu buban bungan, jawun-karra wubul kaba-muny.


<translate> The old man said the family is the first country a child knows, and if that country is warm and safe and just, the child will look for warmth and safety and justice in the wider world, and will know them when they find them.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jawun-karra bubu ngadiku karrkay binal, kaki yinya bubu wumbul marral yukil, karrkay wumbul marral yukil bubungu yalbay nyajil, binal jana nyajinya.


<translate> Your mother is calling you now; go quickly to her humpy beside the fire.

Yunu ngamu yununy kunja-l niji; jinbal-baja dunga-y nyungu wurun-ka, baya ngundu.


<translate> If food is there, take the bag.


<translate> They saw the corkwood tree there.


<translate> On the last evening of the long gathering everyone worked together to prepare the farewell feast: the hunters brought in the last of the smoked meat, the women uncovered the great earth ovens full of food, the young ones carried it all to the central ground, the old ones took the honored places, we ate and gave thanks and named the ones who had travelled far, we sang the parting songs as the fire burned low, and then at dawn the many families packed and scattered back to their own countries carrying the whole gathering inside them.

Kunarangkal bada bajaku bangkarr-yalbaymu bama wubulku nyubun-nyubunji kirrajin bawa-mayi bunganka: balbi-bama minya kubu-manin bada bajaku daya, jalbu kurrma yalbay kajan mayi buwanba, warru-warru dukurr-bu wubulku jarrakulban, mukul bubu-yukil manin, ngana nukan wawu-mini balkan bama kala-kalbaymuny jilbanmu burri, ngana bawa-jangkar balkan baya bada dunganya, yalada muduwajungu jawun-karra wubulku murni-manda nyungu bubu-mundu wandin bangkarr wubulku dukurr-bu jarrakulban.


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


<translate> He saw the karranda tree there.


<translate> We see the ground lizard there.


<translate> The children ate until they were satisfied, and then fell asleep by the fire.

Karrkay-karrkay nukan wawu-daray, wunanda baya ngundu.


<translate> The old woman stayed at the camp.


<translate> Uncle tied the canoe to the big log.

Kalngangka marrakan kajan jukungu yalbayngu.


<translate> The person there is skilled.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> The old woman warmed herself and the sick child by the fire all night.

Wulbuman wumbul-bunga-ji, karrkay bambay wumbul-bungan baya-nga wujurr wubulku.


<translate> The spear-thrower is on the ground.


<translate> They two see the wooden sword there.


<translate> We came to camp and rested. At daybreak we got up.

Ngana bayan-ka kadan, wunanan-da. Muduwajuny ngana wandin.


<translate> This clothing is light-coloured.


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


<translate> The grey March fly is there.


<translate> The two of them see the ridge pole here.


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


<translate> Grandfather saw the stingray.


<translate> I see the jajikal screw palm there.


<translate> A pair of women came to camp.


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


<translate> You all see the kurrburrubun magpie there.


<translate> The two of them saw the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> The old people talked and talked about the law of the land until the bright morning light came.

Mukul-bama kuku bubu-mu balka-l-balka-n, wunkuwingku balbal kada-nyjiku.


<translate> The old woman said cooking is the everyday magic of changing one thing into another, for the raw becomes the cooked, the hard root becomes the soft meal, the bitter seed becomes the sweet paste, the tough meat becomes the tender feast, and she said a woman who truly understands these changes — what heat and water and time and roasting each do to a food — can feed her family well from plants that would poison or defeat a person who did not know how to change them.

Wulbumanangka balkan waju nyulu wungar nyubun-nyubun yindu-bungal yamba nyubun yindunka, jani-kari jani-mal, bangkan dandi mayi kima-mal, diburr ngambuy jiba-wulay-mal, minya junkurr kima-mal, nyulu balkan jalbu nyulu yindu-manin yinya bajaku binal wanyu wumbul bana wungar dindal nyubun-nyubun mayinka murninmuny nyulu jawun-karra yukil dayal mayi-muny nyulu bama kunil bawal binal-kari yala jana yindu-bungalmuny.


Karrkay-karrkay wawu jirray kinka-n-kinka-nka.


<translate> I set the fish net in the creek, waited on the bank, and when the mullet came I pulled the net up full.

Ngayu makarr wawubajanga yijarrin, wawubaja-nga bundan, ngalkun kada-nya, ngayu makarr yajin maninda.


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


<translate> They saw the turtle spear point here.


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


<translate> The old woman smiled while she watched the children bathe in the cool waterhole.

Mukul yajarrin, nyulu karrkay-karrkay nyaji-nya, jana bana ngundu janji-nya.


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


<translate> He sees the large mud clam there.


<translate> I saw the nyumbirr beeswax there.


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

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


<translate> I hit myself on the foot by mistake.


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

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


<glossary> ngaral ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters are building a house

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngaral-ngaral


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


<translate> Come home first, argue later — the old woman's rule for weather and for anger both: when the sky darkens or the blood rises, get to safety first, and settle the rest when the storm has passed.

Bayanka kada-ngarr, kuku yindu, wulbumanmu kuku jarramalika dukul-wurika baja: jiri ngungul-manya, wawu wandinya, yukilka kada-ngarr, yamba yindu murni jarramali dunganyjiku.


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


<translate> The child asked mother about the mango.


<translate> Grandmother takes green ants in order to get better.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


<translate> I would have eaten that fish, the old man said, pushing it far away, but it is rotten, and he told the boys: the smell said no before the tongue said yes, so when the two speak differently, believe the elder brother, for the smell has kept this family alive longer than the tongue has.

Ngayu minya yinya nukanyaku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, nyulu jurrngan kala-kalbay, yambada nyulu kabu, nyulu buban-buban milbin: jilabu balkan kari nyabil balkanya yuwu ngadiku, kaki jambul yindu-yindu balkal, kuku-junkurr-mana yaba, jilabu jawun-karra karrban juran kalbay-baja nyabilmuny.


<glossary> julbarr-warri ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I slipped in the mud


<translate> You see the ngurrkul fig tree there.


<translate> The old man's chest was broad and strong, and his song was loud.

Mukul-dingkar nyungu damu yalbay junkurr, nyungu burri yalbay-baja.


<translate> They came, got food, and then went.


<translate> The mother called the sleeping children and told them to come quickly to the morning fire.

Ngamu-ngku karrkay-karrkay warngku wuna-nya yirrkan, balkan jana kada-y buyun-buyun baya-ka.


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


<translate> The old man chose a big straight tree near the river to carve a new canoe.

Mukulungku dingkarangka juku yalbay manin wawubaja ngundu, marrakan jirakal yakanka.


<translate> They see the bandicoot here.


<translate> That younger sister is here.


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


<translate> You and I saw the scorpion here.


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


<translate> The women are talking about the children.


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

Jana jinbalku dungan, buwunda bana minji-kangan


<translate> You saw the jangkan swift here.


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


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


<translate> The old man said: The storm gives three warnings — the windless air, the dim light, and the silence of the animals — heed the first and you are safe, heed the third and the storm already has you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jarramalibu kuku kulur milbil, muyar-kari, wungar ngungul, minya wunbu, ngadiku milka, yundu yukil, kulur milka, jarramalibu yundu kanga.


<translate> The baby slept without a blanket.


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


<translate> That black diver bird is here.


<translate> We will stay at the camp; perhaps a friend will come.

Ngana bayan-ba bundanday, nguba jawun kaday.


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


<translate> The old woman left the dog up there.

Wulbuman-angka kaya bawan wangkarwangkar.


<translate> The old people of two camps sat together for many days to arrange a marriage between a young man and a young woman.

Kamba-kamba bayan jambulmuny bundandan wungar wubulku, warru maralji wunayka balkanya.


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


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


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


<translate> The mother said: You all did well, and now you must be hungry, so come and eat, and tell me everything again while you eat.

Ngamungka balkan: Yurra ngulkurr ngaran, yurra nyiku dakwuy, kada, nuka, ngayku yambayamba balka baja nukanya.


<translate> When the men came back from hunting, the children ran to see whose wallaby was the biggest, and they laid them on the ground and compared them one against another.

Dingkar-dingkar balbilmuny kadanda, karrkay-karrkay warrin nyajinka wanyamba darrba yalbay bajaku, jana bubungu yijarrin nyubun-nyubunji nyajin.


<translate> My head hurts — I'll lie down in the shade.

Ngayu dukul kaka — ngayu wabarrba wunay.


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


<translate> Grandmother asked the child about a bone.


<translate> We two, not you, see the mungka-dirka fur here.


<translate> The old woman said the sky with cloud and the sky without cloud each carry their own reading: the clear cloudless sky at the wrong season means the hard dry is deepening and the waterholes must be watched, while the sky heavy with cloud may mean the rain that saves or the storm that destroys, so a person must read not just cloud-or-none but the whole shape and color and movement of it.

Wulbumanangka balkan jiri ngurrban-ji jiri ngurrban-kari nyubun nyubun nyungu-nyungu ngaral: jiri jirakal ngurrban-kari wungar yukil-karinga jina-kiway junkurr-manda bana-janku nyajinka, yambada jiri ngurrban junkurr-ji nyulu bana wula-manil yambada jarramali murni-manil, bama nyulu ngaral kari nganga ngurrban-yamba-kari yambada jarrba nganja-jarray murni baja wubulku.


<translate> The black crow is standing in the scrub.


<translate> I see the bronze wing pigeon here.


<translate> I saw the bayil jungle perch there.


<translate> He does not do bad things; he does good things.

Nyulu kari buyun-damal; nyulu ngulkurrku bunday.


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


<translate> Get up now from the soft bark bed, for the bright morning sun has already climbed above the hills.

Wandi niji dakil-muny, wungar balbal wunkuwingku wangkar-wangkar dakan niji jamba-muny.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


<translate> Mother came outside with clothes.


<translate> The child is like her mother.


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


<translate> You all see the flat rock there.


<translate> Grandmother told the girl to look after the baby at the shallow water, and the girl held that job like a hot coal in her two hands, never looking away, for the old law of the water is short: the one who watches a child must be older in the eyes than in the years.

Babingka maral balkan, ngawa kujinka bana bubanba, maralangka murni yinya karrban yala ngunjil wumbul marabu jambulbu, kariku nyajin yinduku, kuku mukul banamuny nyulu buban: bama nyulu karrkay nyajil, nyulu mukul-baja miyilba wungarmuny.


<translate> They saw the marrabal ti tree there.


<translate> The old woman had only three teeth left, so she could not eat the hard, dry wallaby meat.

Mukul-jalbu dirra kulur karrba niji, nyulu kari minya marral junkurr nuka-l.


<translate> Some places far away are just the same as this country, the old man said — the same trees, the same birds, the same red earth.

Bubu kanbal kala-kalbay yala-rrku yinya bubu-ngu, mukul-dingkar balkan — juku nyubun, buyi nyubun, bubu kulbul nyubun.


<glossary> ngurrbal ; type=noun ; domain=sky-weather <usage_example> I couldn't see, the heavy fog oblterated (the view)

Ngayu kari nyajin, ngurrbalda yalbaynja kanbin


<translate> The two of them saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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


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


<translate> The karraway snail is there.


<translate> Shame and small-fear are neighbours; greet them differently.

Murru-kaday yinil-buban jambul bayan-jawun: yulmbarri jana yindu-yindubu.


<translate> You see the ngalkarran tree here.


<translate> When he was close enough he stood up and threw his spear hard, striking the kangaroo in the side.

Nyulu ngundumanda, wangkar janan, kalka junkurrku yilban, mayarriji mirrimar daman.


<translate> The hunter lost his good axe in the flood; he made a new one, but the new stone was soft and the edge broke; he traded two dilly bags for a hard axe-stone from the ranges.

Balbi-dingkarangka nyungu warrbi ngulkurr jalungkarr-ba bawan; nyulu warrbi baja bungan, yambada kulji baja kima, murrngan; nyulu ngunyin jambul bubu-wuyar-mu kulji dandi-ji dajiway.


<translate> Every wind has a name and a load, the old woman said: the north wind carries the wet on its back, the west wind carries the dry country, the sea wind carries the smell of the low tide, and the cold wind from the high country carries the dew that whitens the morning grass.

Muyar nyubun-nyubun kuku-ji yamba-ji baja, wulbumanangka balkan: muyar kungkarrmuny bana-wungar wundil mukungu, muyar kuwamuny bubu marral wundil, muyar jalunmuny jila wundil ngajalmuny, muyar kiway bubu wangkarmuny bulur wundil, nyulu jikan kambar-bungal muduwajuny.


<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.


<glossary> durru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> I stubbed my toe on a stone


<translate> That old story was told to all the children by the grey-haired woman by the fire.

Yinya kuku mali mukul-jalbu-nda balka-jin karrkay-karrkay-ka, baya karangkal.


<lexeme> the point between Kangkiji and Kaway


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


<translate> You two see the dalngarri flames here.


<translate> I thought he had come back, but he is staying at the camp.

Balu nyulu kadan-baja, kari nyulu bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> It took a whole day's work to make the nuts good to eat, but they were rich food for the cold season.

Wungar nyubun kirrajin barka ngulkurrmanka, yambada mayi junkurr ngulkurr buluriji.


<translate> The child got fruit from the tree.


<translate> The woman wove the bag from dillybag grass.


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

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


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

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


<translate> Burn grass tree lest thunder come.


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


<translate> Go up for the seeing, come down for the water — knowledge walks both roads every day.

Dungay wangkarku nyajinka, kaday badaku bananka: binal jilbal baral jambul wungar nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> The women dug a ground oven near the camp.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngku kurrma bakan bayan ngundu-ba.


<translate> They saw the karrmbil parakeet there.


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


<glossary> kanban ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> I was hit by the mistake by the child


<translate> He saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> We saw the marril ti tree there.


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


<translate> The scrub wallaby is small and quick, and it hides among the vines.

Bimbarrbay buban bila, karra-nga ngakiji.


Yinya-ngka kubarr-angka yalbay-ngka maral baykan.


<translate> He sees the durral tree there.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> You see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> We see the rock python here.


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


<translate> The girl laughed at grandmother.


<translate> The young men painted themselves and danced the corroboree all through the night.

Warru wubul julngka-jin, warrma wuri-l-wuri-l wujurr wubulku.


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<translate> If the child's body is tired, he sleeps.

Kaki karrkay bangkarr bajaburray, nyulu warngku-wunay.


<translate> They saw the empty box here.


<translate> You all saw the bayil jungle perch here.


<translate> You two came from the mountains; I saw you two at the river; I gave water to you two; and your camp is near mine.

Yubal bubu wangkara-muny kadan; ngayu yubalan wawubajanga nyajin; ngayu bana yubalanka dayan; yubalanga bayan ngayku ngundu.


<translate> Bright lightning flashes up over the mountain and lights up the whole dark night sky.

Balbay jiri wangkar-a jinbal-baja daka-l, jiri wujurr wubulku ngulkurr nyaji-ji.


<translate> Dig the roots, and do not break the shoots!


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


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

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


<translate> We two, not you, see the mirrki kidney bird here.


<translate> Don't tease the jealous one; that fire eats teasing like dry grass.

Kari yajarr-bunga bama ngujan-ji: bayabu yinyabu yajarr nukal yala jikan marral.


<translate> The women pounded the nuts and cooked the food in the hot ashes.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka darka nyurrban, mayi nulu wumbul-ba wajun.


<translate> This new baby looks exactly like her mother did when she was a very small child long ago.

Ngawa yinya walu yala nyungu ngamu, ngamu karrkay buban-nya kalbay-muny.


<translate> The child wants to hide, but mother saw him.

Karrkay wawu ngaki-ji-nka, kari ngamu-ngku nyunguny nyajin.


<translate> He sees the sugar glider here.


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


<translate> We see the large mud clam there.


<translate> You hear the barking sound here.


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the bayil jungle perch here.


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


<translate> The man saw the fish net at the sea.


<translate> The children climbed the branches of the big tree to look out over the country.

Karrkay juku yalbay-mu dakil-ba dakan, bubu nyaji-nka wubulku.


<translate> The camp measures its wealth on cold nights: count the fires, then count who is welcome at every one of them.

Bayanbu yamba-ji nyungu kunjal wujurrba kiway-kiwayba: kunja baya, yalada kunja wanya yulmbarrinmuny baya nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> The old woman saw the frog outside.

Wulbuman-angka yirku-yirku ngalkal-ba nyajin.


<translate> You and I see the toadfish there.


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


<translate> That black tip shark is here.


<translate> The turkey is scratching in the leaves.


<translate> Grandfather's upper leg is sore.


<translate> I saw the kalngkan small mullet there.


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


<translate> As the day cooled the women prepared the evening food, and the children came back tired and hungry from their play.

Wungar kiwaymanda, jalbu-jalbungku mayi yilay-yilaymu ngaran, karrkay-karrkay kadan baja baja-burray dakwuyji kinkaymuny.


<translate> The dog went into the scrub.


<translate> Grandmother made a bag from loya cane.


<translate> We see the corkwood pine there.


<translate> The mother asked her children at dark: "Where have you all been all day, and when did you last eat?"

Ngamu-ngku nyungu karrkay-karrkay babajin wujurr-ba: Yurra wanjabu wungar wubulku, wanjawanja yurra nukan kariku?


<glossary> wuljil ; type=adjective ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> They emptied out (the bee's nest) into the bucket


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


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

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


<translate> This bandicoot meat is soft and good.


<translate> The children chased each other around the big fig tree in the afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay kanga-way dukal-juku yalbay kudamundu, wungar bada.


<translate> The old woman said the mangrove world is a garden that most inland people never learn to read, for its trees give timber that does not rot in salt water, its mud holds the crabs and the shellfish, its roots shelter the young fish, and its bark and leaves make dyes and medicines, so the coastal people held a whole body of tree-knowledge the inland people simply lacked.

Wulbumanangka balkan juku-bana-bubu nyulu bubu-mayi bama-bubu wubulku kariku ngaralmuny, nyungu juku dayal juku kari bana-mula kilban, nyungu bada kiju wurrul baja karrbal, nyungu bangkan kuyu buban wabarr-manil, nyungu warrur birra baja mula-daji kalbal baja bungal, jalun-bama karrban juku-binal yalbay bubu-bama nganga bawanmuny.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> The echidna is digging with its claws.


<translate> The angry man hit the dog hard with a heavy stick, and it ran off crying into the scrub.

Dingkar-angka kuli-ji kaya kunin junkurr juku kulngkul-bu, kaya badi wanarrin madja-ka.


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


<translate> From the high rock the two hunters watched the kangaroos feeding far below on the open plain.

Kulji wangkar-mundu balbi-bama jambul mayarriji nyajin nuka-nya bada-bada bubu-ba.


<translate> Bring your spears and our two dogs — the big animals are in the yam ground again.

Kalka yurramuny mana, kaya ngalimuny baja: minya yalbay juwal-bubungu baja.


<translate> Father saw the bird outside.


<translate> The old man showed the boys how to make fire, spinning a hard stick fast between his hands on a soft log.

Mukulungku dingkarangka dabal milbin baya ngaranka, juku junkurr murnijin jinbalku maranga jukungu.


<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.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


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


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


<translate> The mothers carried the sleeping children to their beds and covered them warm, and the camp grew quiet.

Ngamu-ngamungka karrkay-karrkay warngku wundin dubalka, wumbulbu nandan, bayan wunbumanda.


<translate> The pebble there is not round.


<translate> The old woman said the person who prepares for the worst is not gloomy but wise, for they alone are free to enjoy the best, having already made peace with whatever may come.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama nyulu yamba mumbu bajakuka ngaranmuny kari walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, yambada binal, nyulu nganga kaja-kari wawu-mini janayka yamba ngulkurrji, nyulu yamba wanya kadanyji wunbu-mandanya.


<translate> Cut the meat, roast it on the coals, and share it among the children just before the old people arrive.

Minya yaka, ngunjilba dinda, karrkay-karrkay daji-way mukul-mukul kada-nyjiku.


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


<translate> I saw the kawarr bloodwood tree there.


<translate> You all see the archerfish here.


<translate> The two of them saw the kandal maggot there.


<translate> You see the casuarina pine here.


<translate> The frightened children whispered together in the dark, afraid of the strange noise outside the camp.

Karrkay-karrkay yini-yini yayngkar muru ngungul-ba, jana yinil nyurra yindu bayan-muny.


<translate> The candle nut tree flowers white in the wet season, before it gives its rich round nuts.

Bilar nganka balbal, kaba-wungar-a nganka-ma-l, baja diburr yalbay daji.


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


<translate> They saw the light-coloured hair.


<translate> You and I see the tongs here.


<translate> I take a stick in case a dog bites the child.

Ngayu juku wundil, kunka kaya-ngka karrkay bayka-nya-mun-ku.


<translate> The old man kept his good knife wrapped in soft paperbark inside the woven dilly bag.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu naybu ngulkurr warrur kima-ba kajan, ngunyin-ba karrban.


<translate> I thought he had come back, but he is staying at the camp.

Balu nyulu kadan-baja, kari nyulu bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> A tree that feeds everyone is a good tree, he said, and a person who shares like that tree is a good person.

Juku bama wubulku nukamanil juku ngulkurr, nyulu balkan, bama nyulu dajil yala juku bama ngulkurr.


<translate> You two see the love handles there.


<translate> The dugong-hunter must know the tides and the sea-grass beds and the moon, the old man said, for the hunt is the whole knowledge of the sea.

Biwuy-balbi-bama binal yira wayul-jirr kija-jirr, mukul-dingkar balkan, balbi jalun-mu binal narmba.


<translate> Grandad washed the fish by the water while granny made the fire, and soon everyone was glad for the food.

Kamingka kuyu julurrin bananga, babingka baya wajunya, jana wubulku wawu-mini mayika.


<translate> The man saw the remains dilly bag on the ground.


<translate> My little brother can swim across the big river now.


<translate> The sky is the one book that never wears out and never lies and never closes, said the old man, and it is open to everyone who lifts their eyes.

Jiri nyubun kuku kari dumbarril yabarrka, kari warmbijil, kari nandal yabarrka, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, bama wubulku nyajil miyil wangkar manilmuny.


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


<translate> The dilly bag lay on the ground.


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

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


<translate> Right hand for the spear, left hand for the shade — both employed, neither jealous.

Jurrubiji kalkanka, jakuji wabarrka: jambul murni-ji, ngujan-kari.


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


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


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


<translate> They see the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> They saw the jama tree here.


<translate> Put the baby in the shade — the sun is hot.

Ngawa yijarrika wabarrba — wungar wumbul!


<translate> The woman saw the candlenut tree outside.


<translate> You see the grandmother here.


<translate> The two of them saw the wurrbu hornet here.


<translate> I left the camp and went to the river.


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

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


<translate> We see the death adder there.


<translate> You all saw the scorpion there.


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


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


<glossary> juwa ; type=temporal ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We are ready to go walkabout, you are taking too long a time

Nganjin ready jilba dunganka, yundu juwaku bundanday


<translate> We see the large mud clam here.


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


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


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


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


<translate> This hill is big, but that far mountain is much bigger, the old man said, pointing across the wide and open plain.

Yinya jamba yalbay, yamba jamba kala-kalbay yinya yalbay bajaku, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu ngalkal yalbay-burr mangkal-mani.


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


<translate> They put the paperbark on the ground.


<glossary> junkali ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Nyulu junkali


<translate> My old grandfather was a hinterland man, one of the people of the high, dry inland country.

Ngayku kami mukul jibarr dingkar, nyulu bubu wangkar marral jibarr-warra nyubun.


<translate> I saw the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> You saw the small sticks there.


<glossary> walku ; type=adverb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I went right past the house


<translate> You and I see the house here.


<translate> The two of them see the large mud clam here.


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


<translate> The fish are jumping in the river this morning.

Wunkuwingku kuyu-kuyu jalamal wawubajanga.


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


<translate> The woman lit a small fire, let it burn down to good coals, mixed the ground seed-flour with water into a firm dough, shaped it into a flat round loaf, raked a clean hollow in the hot ash, laid the damper in and covered it, turned it once, and then lifted it out golden and fed the whole family.

Jalbu baya buban wandiman, wula bada dungan ngunjil yukilku, jarra-nyurrban bananji murni-manin jarray-manda, damba jirakal-manda buban-buban, bajar wumbulba birra karra, damba daya wangkar-manin, murni-manin nyubun, yalada wangkar-manin jani jawun-karra wubulku dayanda.


<translate> The young man took the club to camp.


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


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


<translate> Whose is that long fighting spear leaning against the old man's little humpy?

Wanya-mba murrangkal kalbay yinya, mukul-dingkar-amu wurun-ba janay-nya?


<translate> The old man said: I have lived a long life in a hard country, and I have seen friends die who were braver and stronger than me, and the only reason I am still here is that I was careful when it counted.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Ngayu kalbay wawu bundan bubu dandinga, ngayu yaba wulan nyajin jana wawu-junkurr-baja ngayamuny, junkurr-baja ngayamuny, ngayu nyiku nganga janay nyubun kuku nganga: ngayu nyaji-nyaji wanja yamba dandi.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> When the coast people and the rainforest people met to trade, they laid their goods on the ground facing each other — shells and fish for stone and other things — and gave to each other until both were satisfied.

Jalunji bama majaji bama nyaji-wanda daji-wayka, jana nyungu yamba bubungu yijarrin nyubun-nyubun yaral, kuyu jalunmu kulji yamba yindu baja, jana daji-wan jambulku wawu-mini-manyjiku.


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


<translate> The little child watched everything from behind its mother, saying nothing and not moving at all.

Karrkay buban narmba nyajin ngamu kudamundu, kuku-kari, kari warri.


<translate> Watch the little children closely by the fire, lest the hot red coals burn one of them.

Karrkay-karrkay nyaji-l-nyaji-l junkurr baya ngundu, ngunjil kulbul wumbul-angka nyubun waju-nyji.


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


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


<translate> You two see the shooting star there.


<translate> Grandmother saw the bark at camp.


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

Wungar dungan, yabajungku daman kulur nguymal.


<translate> You two saw the boomerang there.


<glossary> kuljan ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> I drummed the water


<translate> Grandmother cooks food before the child gets hungry.

Babi-ngka mayi wajul, karrkay dakuy-ma-nyjiku.


<translate> The magpie sings a beautiful song in the morning, the old woman said, and it is a bold bird that will chase even the dog away from its nest-tree.

Dawa-dawa wunkuwingku-ba wulngku ngulkurr yirrka, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu buyi junkurr, kaya juku nyungu-mu-muny kanga.


<translate> Grandfather put the bark at camp.


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


<translate> Granny made soup from the mullet.


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


<translate> My digging stick is somewhere around here, but I cannot find it in the long grass.

Ngayku juku wanjabu, yamba ngayu kari warrmba-bungan jikan kalbay-ba.


<translate> The old woman keeps digging and digging for the hairy yams on the sandy ridge.

Mukul-jalbu wukay-ku baka-n-baka-ji, bubu jukar-a.


<translate> The two of them saw the mulumu dove there.


<translate> Never follow a bird into the deep scrub alone, said granny, but the boy was already fast asleep.

Babingka balkan: kari buyi wukurrika madja badaka nyulurrku; yambada karrkay warngku wunan baja.


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


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


<translate> That night the boy could not sleep for thinking of the hunt, and he asked his father a hundred more questions in the dark, until at last he slept.

Yinya kunarangkal karrkay murruji warngku wunay balbi milka-bu baykanya, nyulu nyungu dingkarka babaji wubul balkan wujurrbu warngku wunanyjiku ngadiku.


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


<glossary> badamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> You bend your head down


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


<translate> You all see the bujabay tree here.


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


<translate> He saw the kurmba-kurmba lizard there.


<translate> When they were old themselves, they would teach their own children the same signs in the same sky, unchanged since the beginning.

Jana kambamanda baja, jana nyungu karrkay-karrkay milbil yala nyubun jiri nyubunba, kari murninmuny ngadikumuny.


<translate> I left the camp and went to the river.


<translate> The old woman was coming from up there with a dog.

Wulbuman wangkar-mundu kaya-nji kankadan.


<translate> If the sun is hot, the children stay in the house.

Kaki wungar wumbul, karrkay-karrkay bayan-ba bundanday.


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

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


<translate> Everyone carried something back to camp: yams, honey, and one big eel.

Jana wubulku bayanba wundin: wukay, wunba, kubarr yalbay nyubun.


<translate> The elder sister carried her tired little sister on her back when the small one could walk no further on the long journey, the old woman said.

Babarr-angka jinkurr buban baja-burray muku-ba jarra-kulba, karrkay buban jilba-nka kari-rrku jilba wumbul-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> You all see the kakarr grass there.


<translate> The wet season is here, said grandad.


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


<translate> I see the kurrija octopus here.


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> The sand crabs dig many little holes along the beach, and the old woman knows a crab lives in each one.

Ngalngal janku buban wubul bakan yalmba-nga, wulbuman binal ngalngal nyubun-nyubun-ba wunay.


<glossary> yamba ; type=noun ; domain=shelter-dwelling <usage_example> I am going home


<translate> We saw the bujabay tree here.


<translate> You two saw the kungkun snake there.


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


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


<translate> You and I saw the wakuka bird there.


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


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


<translate> You all saw the spring there.


<translate> You saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


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


<translate> The child put the bag there.


<translate> This is the best fishing place of all, for the water is deep and the fish are many and big.

Nyiku kuyu-balbi bubu ngulkurr-baja-ku wubul-ku, bana dukurr, kuyu wubul yalbay baja.


<translate> You and I see the king parrot there.


<translate> Two sorries mend faster than one: the sorry of the mouth, and the sorry of the changed hands.

Dukul-kulnkul jambulbu murnil warri-baja nyubunmuny: dukul-kulnkul ngandalmuny, dukul-kulnkul maramuny yindu-manmuny.


<translate> Remember to watch the water all the time while you glean on the reef, the old man warned the children, or the fast tide will catch you far out.

Binalku bana nyaji-nyaji-nka dulngku-ka bangka-nya, mukul-dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay-nka balkan, yira bila yundu kala-kalbay-ka mani-nyji.


<translate> Father saw the shallow water.


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


<translate> They saw the murma wasp there.


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


<translate> You see the black spotted dart there.


<translate> The children keep eating at the food all day.

Karrkay-karrkay mayi-nga nuka-n-nuka-ji wungar wubulku.


<translate> You and I saw the fighting spear there.


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

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


<translate> You two see the small sticks there.


<translate> The night was warm and the men went fishing with fire.

Kunarangkal wumbul, dingkar-dingkar kuyuku dungan bayaji.


<glossary> bubu ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> his country is Shipton's Flats


<translate> He tied the sharp stone blade to the wooden handle with tight, strong cord of twisted bark.

Nyulu kulji naybu juku-ka kajan karra junkurr-bu, karra dakil-mu murninmuny.


<translate> The boy searched around for the spear at the creek.

Karrkay kalka-nga nubi-nubi-ji yilki-nga.


<translate> You all see the kurrkal shortcut there.


<translate> They got mussels and threw them.


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


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

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


<translate> You see the light-coloured hair.


<translate> You all see the wulku fig there.


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


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


<translate> The children carried food to the old people who could not walk to the fire, as they were taught.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mayi wundin kamba-kambanka, jana murruji jilba dungay bayaka, yala jana milbinya.


<translate> And the same stars still shine on the children tonight that shone on the first people long ago, and that is a kind of forever.

Dawar nyubun balbajil karrkay-karrkayka nyiku, yala balbajinmuny bama ngadiku, yanyu yala yabarrka.


<translate> They saw the baringkan small bird here.


<translate> You all saw the kaya-kaya dogs there.


<translate> You all see the queenfish here.


<translate> People shouted from down there.


<translate> We see the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<translate> The little bandicoot with sharp claws dug a deep hole down under the roots of the big tree.

Kulngu buban mara junkurr-jirr janku dajali bakan juku yalbay bada-nga.


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


<translate> They see the jumper ant here.


<translate> That child went down. That one dived.


<translate> Who taught you to weave a dilly-bag as fine and tight as this one, the old woman asked the young girl, turning it over in her hands.

Wanya-ngka yununy binal-bungal ngunyin ngulkurr junkurr yinya yala jaba-nka? mukul-jalbu-ngku jalbu warru nyajin, mara-bu jurrki.


<translate> Grandmother saw the blue-tongue lizard.


<translate> Leichhardt fruit from that tree is good to eat.

Mayi kabal yinya-muny juku-muny ngulkurr nukaji.


<translate> The old woman gathered the salt from the dried rock-pools at the top of the beach, the old man said, and traded it far inland for stone and ochre.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku kalkil bana-mabi marral-muny jukar wangkar-a bangka, mukul-dingkar balkan, bubu kala-kalbay-ka daji kulji murbuy-jirr.


<translate> You see the bamboo stick there.


<translate> The old woman said a mother-in-law and her son-in-law, kept carefully apart by the avoidance rule, could still work together for the family across that distance, each providing for the same grandchildren, each honoring the other precisely by keeping the respectful gap, so that theirs was a bond expressed not through closeness but through a lifelong careful courtesy, and the old people said this distance protected a peace that too much closeness might have broken.

Wulbumanangka balkan biwul nyungu dunyu-karrkay, jibarr-jibarrbu ngundu-kari-manin, jambul nyubunji jawun-karra bungal yinya-mundu, jambul dayal jija nyubun-nyubunku, jambul nyaji-wayka yulmbarril jibarr-jibarr karrbalbu, karra jana nyungu nyulu kari ngundu-mundu yambada wawu-kalbay yulmbarril kima-mundu, bama mukul balkan jibarr-jibarr yinya kaka-kari karrban ngundu bajaku kajalmuny.


<translate> You two see the swamp there.


<translate> Grind the seeds while I fix the fire.


<translate> Who taught you all this song? — Our two grandmothers; we hold it for their sake and for yours.

Wanyabu yurraniny wulngku yanya milbin? Babi ngalimuny jambul: ngana karrbal jananka yurranka baja.


<translate> The children found a turtle on the sand. They put it back in the sea.

Karrkay-karrkayangka ngawiya nyajin jukara. Jana yijarrin baja jalunbu.


<translate> You all saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish here.


<translate> You all came with us to this country in the wet season.

Yurra ngananji kadan yanyu bubu-ka bana-wungar-a.


<translate> The food is taste-without today — put in a little meat.

Mayi nganja-kari nyiku, minya buban daya.


<translate> The old man woke the boys before dawn and pointed to the morning star low in the east.

Mukulungku dingkarangka dabal wandimanin muduwajunyjiku, kurrubijal milbin bada nakanga.


<translate> The old woman said a garden of yams tended and a patch left untended diverge quickly, for the tended ground gives back tenfold what is put in while the neglected ground returns to scrub, and this is the deepest law she knew of all living things, people and plants and country alike: what is cared-for grows, and what is care-less withers, and there is no third way.

Wulbumanangka balkan juwal-bubu kuji-ji bubu kuji-kari warri janji, kuji-ji bubu dayal wubul-baja wanya bada yijarrinmuny yambada kuji-kari bubu majaji-mundu nyunbal, yinya kuku bada bajaku nyulu binalmuny yamba wula-mabi wubulku, bama mayi bubu baja yala: yamba kujin jarral, yamba kuji-kari yinil-manda, kari kulur baral.


<translate> As the sun rose, the scrub turkeys were scratching in the leaves, and the bandicoot ran back to its hole.

Wungar wangkara dunga-nya, diwan birranga bakan, ngumbi bubungu warri baja.


<translate> The scrub hen scratches up a great mound of leaves and earth, the old man said, and lays her young deep inside where the rotting leaves keep them warm.

Jarruka birra bubu-jirr yalbay bubu-mabi baka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu karrkay julbi dajali-ba wandi, birra kabu wumbul karrba.


<translate> The grasshoppers went up from the dry grass as the children ran through it, and the birds followed to eat them.

Jimu jikan marralmuny wangkara dungan karrkay-karrkay jilba-nya, dikal wukurrin nukanka.


<translate> "Whose little dilly bag is this, the one lying here by the fire in the cold morning?"

Wanyamba ngunyin buban yala, wuna-nya baya ngundu ngiki wunkuwingku?


<translate> We see the ngarkay waterhen here.


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


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


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


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


<translate> He sees the archerfish there.


<translate> Send the message with two mouths — one forgets, and two correct each other.

Yimbal yunga ngandal jambul-ji: nyubun milka-wulay, jambul murni-wal.


<translate> The old man said a warning with respect and a warning with contempt do opposite work though both point at the same danger, for the respectful warning is heard and heeded while the contemptuous one only shames and hardens the person against it, so he taught the young that to correct another well is a great skill, and to correct them badly is worse than not correcting them at all.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kuku-milbil yulmbarril-ji kuku-milbil bikirr-daji-ji yindu-yindu murni jambul nyubun yinil-mundu jarra baja, yulmbarril-ji kuku ngaral kirrajil yambada bikirr-daji-ji nganga bikirr-bungal junkurr-manil bama yinya-mundu, nyulu warru milbin bama yindu yukil murni-bungalka janka-yukil yalbay, mumbu murni-bungalka nyulu mumbu-baja kari murni-bunganmuny.


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


<translate> Grandmother's shoulder is good.


<translate> You all saw the outrigger canoe there.


<glossary> wanjarr ; type=interrogative ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> How much water should I get?


<glossary> bijal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=ingestion-consumption <usage_example> The child licked the icecream cone


<translate> The stones there are not close together.


<translate> The woman asked me for food.


<translate> You all see the wulku fig there.


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


<translate> They followed the winding river upstream, wading through the shallows where the water ran fast over the stones, and the old man walked in front reading the footprints of those who had passed before them.

Jana wawubaja wukurrin wangkar-mundu, jana bana buban naka marijin wanja bana warri kuljinga, mukulungku dingkarangka ngundu jilban jina nyajil bama jana ngadiku dunganmu.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> Learn the country and the country will carry you home, he said, wherever you go.

Bubu binalmaka, bububu yunu wundil bayanba, nyulu balkan, wanjaka yundu dungay.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


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


<translate> The old man said: everything we own we make with our own hands — the spear, the bag, the net, the canoe; a person who cannot make his tools is poor, even if he holds many things.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: ngananga yamba-yamba wubul ngana mara-bu bungal — kalka, balji, makarr, kaljan; bama yamba-yamba bunga-l kari-bama buyun, wubul karrba yaba.


<translate> The two young men both loved the one beautiful girl, and so their hearts were not good together.

Warru jambul wawu jirray maral ngulkurr nyubun-ka, yamba bula wubul kari ngulkurr baja.


<translate> Why do the old people say lest so often? a girl asked, and the old woman showed her on her fingers: eat slowly lest the food stand in the throat, watch the sky lest the storm catch you, give meat to the others lest the camp grow cold, and then she said: the little word lest is a shelter built out of other people's sorrows.

Wanyurrinku bama mukulungku balkal kuku 'nyji' wubulku bajaku? jalbu-buban babajin, wulbumanangka birribu milbin: nuka buban-buban mayi jananyji manungu, nyaji jiri jarramalibu yununy maninyji, minya daya bamanka yindunka bayan kiway-manyji, yalada nyulu balkan: kuku buban 'nyji' nyulu bayan murninmuny wawu-mumbumuny bama yindumuny.


<translate> One man walked into the dry country track-without and came back name-with — they call him Bana-Binal now, water-knower, for he read the country the old way: thirst-with but fear-without.

Dingkar nyubun jilban bubu marralku jina-kari, kadan baja kuku-ji: bamangka nyulu kunjal 'Bana-Binal' nyiku, nyulu bubu nyajin yalabu mukulbu, bana-dakwuy-ji yambada yinil-kari.


<translate> Grandmother put the spear in the shade.


<translate> You all see the jellyfish here.


<translate> The old men threw spears for fun.

Mukul dingkar-dingkar kalka yilban, kinkanya.


<translate> The children want the sweet honey and the soft honey bread most of all.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka wunba jiba-wula-wula, kawar kima-baja, wawu manil wubulku baja.


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> they are camping out


<translate> That kuji-kuji tree is there.


<translate> You see the yinkunji fig tree here.


<translate> You and I see the barracuda there.


<translate> The children carried the little bags and the dogs carried nothing.

Karrkay-karrkayangka balji buban jarra-kulban; kaya-kayangka yamba-kari.


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


<translate> Pick up the fish before the birds come!


<translate> The children all belong to the moiety of their father, not their mother.

Karrkay wubul nganjan-mu mandi-nga, kari ngamu-mu.


<translate> You two see the thigh there.


<translate> We see the woomera butt here.


<translate> The old man taught the boys never to kill the little birds for no reason, only to take what the family will eat.

Mukul-dingkarangka karrkay balkan buyi buban kari yarkin-bungalka, minya jawun-karra nuka-nka nyubun maninka.


<translate> They see the freshwater eel here.


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


<translate> The young man is always angry.


<translate> I see the older brother there.


<translate> You and I see the smoke here.


<translate> We (not you) went far to the north; we hunted many days; the country was different to us; and we were glad to come back to our own place.

Nganjin kala-kalbay kuwa-mundu dungan; nganjin wungar wubul balbin; bubu nganjinanka yindu; nganjin ngananga bubu-mundu kada baja, ngulkurr-man.


<translate> Cook the meat before the children come!

Minya wayju, karrkay-karrkay kadanyjiku!


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


<translate> By midday the sun was warm again and the children ran out to play in the fresh clean country.

Wungar wangkar wumbul baja, karrkay-karrkay warrin ngalkalba, kinkan bubungu jirakalba.


<translate> You and I saw the bajalji python there.


<translate> The stones are close together.


<translate> The father made his daughter a small water-shell to carry water; she filled it at the spring, held it carefully, and did not spill a drop all the way home.

Nganjangka jalbu-karrkay-nka milbar buban bana-nka dayan; nyulu jirka-nga yajin-bungan, ngulkurr karrban, kariku bana daran bayan-ba.


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


<translate> The very strong man lifted the pig.

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


<translate> When you are angry, that is dukul-wuri, and anger is like fire: a small one warms the camp and cooks the food, but a big one burns everything down and leaves only ash.

Yundu dukul-wuri janay, dukul-wuri yala baya: buban bayan wumbulmanil, mayi wayjul, yambada yalbay yamba wubulku wajun, nulu nganga bawal.


<translate> Strip the bark from the tree to make a good strong dilly bag.

Dumbul juku-muny mani, ngunyin ngulkurr junkurr bunga-nka.


<translate> The old woman said a woman with the plant knowledge and a woman without it live in two different worlds, for the one who knows the plants walks through the scrub seeing food and medicine and craft everywhere she looks, while the one without that knowledge sees only green sameness, so she spent whole years passing the plant lore to the girls, name by name and use by use.

Wulbumanangka balkan jalbu mayi-binal-ji jalbu mayi-binal-kari jambul bubu yindu-yindungu wunay, mayi binal-ji nyulu majaji jilbal mayi kalbal janka-yukil baja nyajil wanja nyulu nyajilnya, yambada binal-kari nyulu jinbal nyubun-baja nyajil, nyulu wungar wubulku buwan mayi-kuku jalbu-buban-mundu, kuku nyubun kuku nyubun yukil nyubun yukil nyubun.


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

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


<translate> The old woman said every language has its own words, but a good listener hears carefully.

Mukul-jalbu balkan, kuku yindu-mu kuku yindu, yamba bama milka-dandi-ngku ngulkurr nyajil.


<translate> We see the boxwood tree here.


<translate> You see the big clam shell here.


<translate> You all see the wankar tree there.


<translate> I saw the dukunjulu golden whistler there.


<glossary> kuljan ; type=noun ; domain=ceremony-magic-song <usage_example> I drummed the water


<translate> The child dug the ground with a stick.


<glossary> durru ; type=noun ; domain=body-part <usage_example> I stubbed my toe on a stone


<translate> "Who are those people walking up the sandy beach towards our camp in the early morning light?"

Wanya yinya bama jilba jukar wangkar ngaliny bayan-ka wunkuwingku balbal-ba?


<translate> The kookaburra laughed first at my empty net, then at my full one — some watchers never change.

Kururrungkabu yajarr-man ngadiku-ngurr makarr nganga-yambaka ngayku, yalada jakalka baja: bama-nyaji nyubun-nyubun kariku yindu-mal.


<translate> Is the old woman getting better? Yes, she was very sick, but she drank the green-ant medicine and now she is becoming well again.

Mukul ngulkurr-mal? Yuwu, nyulu bambay bajaku, yambada nyulu yangka-mayi nukan, nyulu kakawarri-mal baja.


<translate> You all see the spring there.


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


<translate> Granny got up at dawn and lit the fire. The billycan boiled. She drank her tea alone.

Muduwajuny babi wandin, baya wajunda. Jungkalu wumbulman. Nyulu diyi nukan nyulurrku.


<translate> The girls practiced folding the bark into water carriers.


<translate> The casuarina pine is there.


<translate> My back is sore from digging the deep yams in the hard dry ground all morning, the old woman said, and I must rest now.

Ngayu muku kaka, bambayal dajali baka-l-baka-nya bubu junkurr marral-ba wunkuwingku, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngayu niji bundanday.