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

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


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


<translate> If a snake is close by, the children stay in the house.

Kaki jarba ngundu janay, karrkay-karrkay bayan-ba bundanday.


<translate> Between the two camps runs a track worn deeper than either — the road is the third camp.

Dindarraba bayan-jambulmuny jina warril dukurr-baja jambulmunybu: baral nyulu bayan kulurku.


<translate> They saw the axe in the bag.


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


<translate> The rain came in the night. The river got big. We stayed in the camp.

Kunarangkal kaba kadan. Wawubaja yalbayman. Ngana bayanba bundandan.


<translate> The old man said watch how a person treats those who can teach them nothing and give them nothing — the child, the stranger, the very old — for that, and not how they treat the powerful, is the true measure of their heart.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: nyaji yala bama nyulu jana ngaral jana nyulunka murruji milbil murruji dajil, karrkay, bama yindu, mukul bajaku, yinya, kari yala nyulu junkurr-bama ngaral, bamamu wawu dandi yukil.


<translate> Turn the blanket before you lie down, and turn it again in the morning, the old man told the boys at the cattle camp, lest the snake sleep where you want to sleep, for the small piercing creatures love a warm dark camp that somebody else has built.

Kararr murni, yalada wuna, murni baja muduwajuny, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin bulki-bayanba, jarba wunanyji wanja yundu wawu-manil wunanka, minya bakal-bama buban jana wawu-manil bayan wumbul wujurr bama yindubu murninmuny.


<translate> This one's spear is longer than mine, and it throws farther.

Yalu-mbu kalka kalbay-baja ngayku-mu-baja, kalbay-mba bujan.


<translate> The old man said to the child: "Sit down!"

Mukul-dingkar-angka karrkay-anda balkan: "Bunda-y!"


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


<translate> The dukul-mukul lizard is there.


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


<translate> The men repaired the old canoe together before the fishing season: they turned it over and found the split down one side, they cut out the rotten wood, they shaped a new piece to fit exactly, they bound it in with cord and sealed it with wax and resin, they let it dry two days in the shade, they tested it in the shallows for leaks, and then took it out loaded for the first real fishing of the year.

Dingkar-dingkar marrakan mukul murni-manin nyubun-nyubunji kuyu-wungar ngadiku: jana muku-mundu murni-manin kaka nyubun janka nyajin, jana juku kilba-manda dakan, jana juku jirakal murni-manin yukilku kajanka, jana karra-bu kajan jila kanunjul-bu karra, jana wabarrba jambul wungar wunanka bawan, jana bana buban-ba bana-walu nyajin, yalada buwan badan kuyu ngadiku yukil wungarmu.


<translate> The bark of the paperbark tree is soft, and we use it to wrap the cooked meat.

Buyku warrur kima, ngana minya baya-ba nuka-nya kaja-nka mani-l.


<translate> You two see the spear thrower there.


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

Ngawa yijarrika wabarrba — wungar wumbul!


<translate> The rhinoceros beetle is there.


<translate> We saw the freshwater turtle here.


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


<translate> The old man taught the children which snakes were good to eat and which were deadly, for the difference was life and death and there was no room for a mistake.

Mukulungku dingkarangka karrkay-karrkay milbin jarba wanya nukanka ngulkurr, wanya wulaymani, yinya kuku wawu wulaymu, kari wanja murnilmu.


<translate> You all see the mudcrab there.


<translate> The dog followed me from behind.


<translate> You and I see the spear barb here.


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


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


<translate> The grandfather said: a spear remembers the hand that made it; carve it slowly, hold it well, and it will go true; a spear made in anger flies badly and shames the thrower.

Kamingka balkan: kalka mara nyaji nyulu bungan; kiray yaka, ngulkurr karrba, nyulu ngulkurr dungay; kalka kuli-nga bungan buyun dungay, yilba-bama murru-kaday-mal.


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


<translate> The old woman said the saddest thing she knew was a child growing up cut off from its kin, for such a child had food perhaps and clothes perhaps but lacked the thing a child needs most, the certain knowledge of exactly who they were and where they belonged and whose they were, and she said the old people would have moved the whole camp and crossed any distance rather than leave one child adrift without its rightful place in the kin-web.

Wulbumanangka balkan yamba wawu-mumbu bajaku nyulu binal karrkay warru-manda jawun-karramuny kaka-manin, karrkay yinya karrbal mayi wungkul kambi wungkul yambada bawal yamba karrkay nyulu bajaku wawu-manil, binal junkurr wanya nyulu wanja nyulu karra wanyamuny nyulu, nyulu balkan bama mukul bayan wubulku jilba-manin ngundu wubulku dungan kari karrkay nyubun bawan jawun-karraba nyungu jarray-yukil-kari.


<translate> The old woman's ear is sore.


<translate> Early in the morning the two brothers took their spears and dogs and went into the scrub to hunt wallaby.

Muduwajuny yaba jambul kalka kaya-kaya manin, madjanga dungan kadarka.


<translate> The child went outside with a stick.


<translate> Grandmother left mother's clothes in the shade.

Babi-ngka kambi ngamu-ngu wabarr-ba bawan.


<translate> The children left the seeds and ate only the sweet ripe fruit.

Karrkay diburr bawal, mayi kulbul jiba-wula-wula nyubun nukal.


<translate> They saw the straw hat there.


<translate> Where are the men hunting today — in the scrub or by the river?

Dingkar wanjabu balbil wungar-a — madja-nga, wawubaja-nga?


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


<glossary> maru-maru ; type=adverb ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> I came with nothing, having nothing


<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> You all saw the creek there.


<translate> The grandparents keep the deepest knowledge of the people, the old man said, and it passes straight down to the grandchildren, not to the busy parents.

Kami babi-jirr binal dajali bama-mu karrba, mukul-dingkar balkan, jija-karra-nka bada dunga, kari nganjan ngamu-nka.


<translate> The old men talked for a long time and agreed the trade was good for both camps.

Mukul dingkar-dingkar balkan wungar wubulku, jana binal: yanyu ngulkurr jambulka.


<translate> Wash your hands first, then come and eat.

Julurri-ka-rr mara, yalada kaday nukanka.


<translate> We walked along the road; meanwhile rain fell.

Ngana baral-darr dungan, kaba daran-kuda.


<translate> You see the dakaldakal trochus shell there.


<translate> The happy-hearted little boy ran laughing across the sand to his old grandmother by the water.

Karrkay buban jiba ngulkurr-ji, yajarri-l wanarrin jukar-burr nyungu mukul-jalbu-nka bana ngundu.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> Remember to fill the big water-bag right up before you cross the dry stony country, the old woman told the young man, or you will go thirsty.

Binalku bana-ngunyin yalbay narmba warmba-nka bubu marral kulji-jirr jilba-nyjiku, mukul-jalbu-ngku warru-nka balkan, yundu wawu-wulay-ma-l-nyji.


<translate> The full moon is big and round and low tonight, hanging over the dark trees by the wide river.

Kija yalbay murru-murru bada niji, juku ngumbu wangkar wuna wawubaja yalbay ngundu.


<translate> I followed the fresh tracks along the sandbank at dawn, saw where the big goanna had gone into the driftwood pile, circled quietly to cut off its escape, flushed it out into the open, ran it down before it reached the next cover, killed it cleanly, and then gutted it at the water and carried it home for my family's morning meal.

Ngayu jina jirakal jukar-a wukurrin muduwajungu, nyajin wanja jadi yalbay juku-bundu-mundu dunganmu, janka murni jilban nyungu dumbay-jina kajanka, yaral-mundu wandiman, warrin nyulu juku yindu-mundu kadanya ngadiku, ngulkurr-bu kunin, yalada bana ngundu jubulin bayan-mundu jarrakulbanda jawun-karramu mayi muduwajumu.


<translate> The woman saw the wallaby in the scrub.


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


<translate> The clear fresh water in the deep spring never dries up, even in the long dry season.

Bana ngulkurr jirka dukurr-ba kariku marral-ma-l, wungar marral kalbay-muny.


<translate> The old man led the children away from the deep water, up the track, to the safe high camp.

Mukul-dingkar-angka karrkay-karrkay bana dajali-mundu wundin, wangkar jina-burr, bayan wangkar ngulkurr-ka.


<translate> They saw the jiljay grub here.


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


<translate> He saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> The old woman said a person with patience and a person without it can do the very same work, but the one with patience finishes the fine basket, the true-cooked meat, the well-made spear, while the impatient one leaves a trail of half-done, spoiled, and broken things behind them all their lives, so patience is the quiet skill that finishes every other skill.

Wulbumanangka balkan bama maku-janal-ji bama maku-janal-kari nyubun yala kirraji bungal, maku-janal-ji dumban balji yukil, minya jani, kalka yukil-bungal, maku-janal-kari nyulu bawan yamba buban-manda, mumbu, kaka baja janka nyungumuny wawu wubulmuny, maku-janal nyulu janka-yukil dandi nyulu janka-yukil yindu wubulku dumbalmu.


<translate> The old man said a fire is a living thing like a dog: feed it and tend it and it will serve you faithfully, warming you and cooking your food and keeping the dark animals away, but neglect it or treat it carelessly and it will either die on you or turn and burn everything you have.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: baya yamba-mabi yala kaya: daya kuji nyulu yundunka kirraji yukil, wumbul-manil nyungu mayi wajul minya wujurr kala-kalbay karrbal, yambada bawa binal-karibu nyulu yundunka wula bawa yindu nyulu murni yundu yamba wubulku wajul.


<translate> Ahead is a direction, not a promise — pack for both.

Jakalba nyulu kuku-jina, kari kuku-dandi: yamba mana jambulka.


<translate> The two of them see the kurrija octopus there.


<translate> That marngkil ti tree is there.


<translate> That blue spotted fantail ray is there.


<translate> The young man cut the tree with an axe, and the sharp sound made the birds fly.

Warru-ngku juku yakan warrbi-bu, kadil junkurr kadan, buyi-buyi marra-warrin.


<translate> The brothers shared everything they ever caught, the old man said — the younger brothers never once went hungry while the eldest still had any food.

Yaba-karra minya wubulku mani-nya muru daji, mukul-dingkar balkan — yabaju-karra kari nyubun-bu dakuy wuna yaba yalbay mayi-jirr-nya.


<glossary> juru-kulbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He led his friend wrong


<translate> The freshwater turtle is big.


<translate> Are you tired? Sit down and rest.


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


<translate> Generous is remembered longer than clever.

Jaway milka-binalmuny kalbay-baja binalmuny.


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

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


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


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I left Bloomfield and went to Mossman


<translate> Cover the meat lest the march flies spoil it, and drive the mosquitoes away from the fire!

Minya nanda, waja-ngka buyun-manyji; kamu baya-muny yungka!


<translate> The fire is there in the camp.


<translate> At the low tide the old women walk out on the reef to gather the shellfish.

Ngajal-ba wulbuman-wulbuman dulngku-ka jilba, mukirr bangka-nka.


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


<translate> You two saw the kalkamuku snake there.


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


<translate> They saw the kurrun tree there.


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

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


<translate> You two see the flames there.


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


<translate> Inside they laid soft grass and paperbark for beds, and the humpy was dry and warm even in the hardest rain.

Dukurr jana jikan buban buyku yijarrin dubalka, wurun marral wumbul, kaba junkurr bajaku yambada.


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


<translate> The child saw the stinging tree.


<translate> The wallaby turned, saw the dog, and jumped away through the grass.

Kadar murnijin, kaya nyajin, jikanba jalamanda.


<translate> The children love to watch the kookaburra dive down from its branch and snatch a small snake, the old woman said, and carry it off in its strong beak.

Karrkay-karrkay kururrungka nyaji-nyaji dakil-muny bada daray jarba buban mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, ngandal junkurr-bu jarra-kulba.


<translate> The old people turned back at the swamp.


<translate> He saw the smouldering log there.


<translate> Bitter is a teacher and sweet is a holiday, the old man sorted the tastes in a line: the bitter one says learn me slowly, the sweet one says celebrate, the fat one says the cold season is near — so the tongue is the oldest school.

Ngambuy nyulu milbil-bama, jiba-wulay nyulu yajarr-wungar, mukulungku dingkarangka nganja yijarrin jinanga: ngambuybu balkal binal-maka buban-buban, jiba-wulaybu balkal yulmbarrika, wandulbu balkal bulur-iji ngundu, yalada nyabil nyulu school mukul bajaku.


<translate> The friend is staying at camp.


<translate> The old man washed the baby's mouth.

Mukul-dingkar-angka ngawa ngandal julurrin.


<translate> When the old woman died at last, full of years, the girl she had taught became the new keeper of the plants.

Wulbuman wulanda ngadiku, wungar wubulji, maral nyulu binalbunganmuny mayimu kuji jirakalmanda.


<translate> The man saw the spear on the road.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the yawa possum there.


<translate> That blue mountain parakeet is here.


<translate> You and I saw the mayfly there.


<translate> The young man asked mother about news.


<translate> I saw the walkarr goanna there.


<translate> The old man was so thin that you could see each and every rib on his hollow chest.

Mukul-dingkar buban-baja-ku, yundu mirrimar wubulku damu-ngu nyaji-l.


<glossary> ngarra ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Danny went to the store, Carol also went.

Danny storengy dungan, Carol ngarra dungan


<translate> My father speared a big dugong at the full moon when the tide was high.

Ngayku nganjanangka biwuy yalbay daman kija yalbay-nya, yira balar-nya.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jakalkulu tree stump here.


<translate> This digging stick is very hard and very sharp, so be careful with the pointed end there.

Juku bakal-nka yinya junkurr-baja-ku jinbal-baja-ku, yundu dukul jinbal-ka milka-jana.


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

Yundu kalbariji nukal, yundu wulbumanmal, yundu miyil-burramalda


<translate> The child asked father about a bone.

Karrkay nganjan-anda bajibay-ngka babajin.


<translate> The woman's dog bit the little boy hard on his bare leg beside the fire.

Jalbu-ndamun-du kaya-ngka warru buban jina-nga baykan junkurr-baja, baya ngundu.


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

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


<translate> That pebble there is not round.


<translate> The old woman called the children in a loud voice to come and eat the good meat by the fire.

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-karrkay yirrkan yalbay-bu, jana kada-nka minya ngulkurr nuka-nka baya ngundu.


<translate> They saw the black spotted dart here.


<translate> The old man found a honey tree by watching a small creature fly straight back to the tree.

Mukulungku dingkarangka wunba juku nyajin, minya buban nyajinya maku jukungu wandinya.


<lexeme> child who has just learned to talk


<translate> "Whose children are these, laughing and playing here in the sand by the water in the warm afternoon?"

Wanyamba karrkay-karrkay yala, yajarri-l jina-ba bana ngundu wungar dindarra-muny?


<translate> If the thunderstorm comes, we will run to the camp quickly.

Kaki jarramali kaday, ngana bayan-ka warri bila.


<translate> His father showed him the tracks in the soft ground and said: The country tells you everything, if you have the eyes to read it.

Nyungu dingkarangka jina bubu bubanba milbin, balkan: Bububu yundu yambayamba milbil, kaki yundu miyilji nyajinka.


<translate> Grandmother saw the cassowary at camp.


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


<translate> The boy carefully sharpened the barbs of his spear with a sharp stone knife.

Warru-ngku nyungu kalka jinil naybu kulji-bu jinbal-manin.


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


<translate> The old man said his father, his father's father, and he himself all speak with the very same voice in the old songs.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: nyungu nganjan, nyungu ngaji, nyulu-baja wubulku kuku nyubun-bu balka wulngku ngadiku-ba.


<translate> The children found a grub in the rotten log, pulled it out, roasted it on the coals, and shared it.

Karrkay-karrkay jambun juku kabungu nyajin, manin, ngunjilba dindan, daji-wanda.


<glossary> kunil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He hit the dog with a stick


<translate> The father asked the boy why he had not brought back any fish from the creek.

Nganjan-angka warru babajin, wanyurringku nyulu kuyu kari wundin wawubaja-muny.


<translate> The child threw some onto the ground.


<translate> Mother put the fire stick at camp.


<translate> The child sees the rainbow there.


<translate> You hear the rustling noise there.


<translate> After two months I will go again.


<translate> That one is a good fisherman.


<translate> The women dug the sweet yams and the wild ginger roots from the soft creek bank.

Jalbu-ngka wukay jiba bangkan baja bakan, wawubaja jalkar kima-muny.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is a brave little fighter, and it can even kill the deadly taipan.

Bajabaja buban junkurr-baja, nyulu jinkalmu junkurr baja kuni-l.


<translate> The child heard the little bird calling out to its friend high up in the branches.

Karrkay-angka buyi buban nyajin, jawun-ku yirrka-nya dakil-ba wangkar-a.


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


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


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


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


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


<translate> The black bean tree is standing outside.


<translate> The old man said the deepest and best change a person can undergo is the slow change from taking to giving, for a small child rightly takes, needing everything and giving nothing, but a person grows well only insofar as they change, year by year, into a giver, until at the end a good old person is almost pure gift, feeding and teaching and blessing the young from a store built over a lifetime, and he said this one change, from taker to giver, is the whole shape of a life well lived.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu dukurr yukil bajaku bama nyubun manil nyulu yindu buban-buban manil-muny dayal-muny, karrkay buban yukil manil, wawu-manil yamba wubulku dayal nganga, yambada bama junkurr-mal yukil nyulu yindu-mal, wungar nyubun-nyubun, dayal-bama-mal, bada bajaku bama mukul yukil nyulu bajaku daji-jirray nganga, dayal milbil kuku-yukil-dayal warru mayi-karrban wawu kalbaymba bunganmuny, nyulu balkan yindu nyubun, manil-bama dayal-bamamuny, nyulu yala wawu yukil wunanmuny wubulku.


<translate> The child took the billycan from the house.

Karrkay-ngku jungkalu bayan-muny wundin.


<translate> Father saw the Moreton Bay ash tree.


<translate> Why did you take the camp dog right inside the shelter, the old woman asked crossly, you should have left it outside in the cool of the night.

Wanyurri-mbu yundu kaya wurun-ba wundin? mukul-jalbu-ngku kuli-bu nyajin, yundu nyulu ngalkal-ba bawa-nyaku wujurr ngiki-ba.


<translate> They saw the water gum tree there.


<glossary> nyandal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He chopped firewood for me


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


<translate> The old man kept his best boomerang, shield and club hanging inside the dark humpy.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu wangal kunjuri mirru ngulkurr wurun-ba karrban.


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


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

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


<translate> The old man said: A word said in anger is a spear you cannot call back, so when the fire rises in you, close your mouth, open your ears, and wait for the cool to come.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kuku dukul-wuringa balkanmuny yala kalka yundu kari balka baja, baya yununda wandinya, ngandal nanda, milka yalbay-bunga, maku-jana kiway kadanyjiku.


<translate> We see the knight fish there.


<translate> They caught the bandicoot, thanked the dogs, sat down in the shade, and the sun was high overhead.

Jana kulngu karrban, kaya-kaya ngulkurr balkan, wabarrba bundandan, wungar wangkar janan.


<translate> There is nothing in the old woman's empty dilly bag now — no fruit, no yams, and no honey at all.

Mukul-jalbu ngunyin kari-nga yamba-kari niji — mayi-kari, wukay-kari, wunba-kari.


<translate> The catfish has sharp spines that poison the hand, the old woman warned, so kill it first with a stick before you take it from the net.

Kanyaji jarran junkurr-jirr mara ngunyanji-mani, mukul-jalbu balkan, juku-bu kuni nyubun-bu, makarr-muny mani kariku.


<translate> The fire is small, but it is hot.


<translate> Grandmother washed the child's upper leg.


<translate> Don't go with that chatterbox — he talks all day and does no work.

Kari dunga-y yinya-nji kuku-baka-nji — nyulu balkal wungar wubulku, yukil kari bungal.


<translate> After the sleep, the children came back.


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


<translate> I see the ngajay small crayfish here.


<translate> That bukunjarra tree is here.


<translate> I like the tree with flowers.

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


<translate> The old woman gave soft food to the sick child.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku mayi kima dajin karrkay-anda bambay-nda.


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


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


<translate> A bird cries before rain falls.


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


<translate> That running water is there.


<translate> You see the grey March fly there.


<translate> The mungka-mungka tree is there.


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


<glossary> kurndal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> My legs sank down in the mud, can't pull them up again

Ngarri kurndan kambalkambalba. Can't kulbaji baja.


<lexeme> mountain and river flowing from mountain


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


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


<translate> That one was from the dream!


<translate> The old man asked his elder brother about the fishing net, and the brother said the tide was still rising.

Mukul-dingkarangka yaba-nda babajin makarr-ka, yabangku balkan, yira daka-l niji.


<translate> The men came back with nothing.


<lexeme> someone who is continually talking


<translate> The mujarr fig tree is there.


<glossary> kumbir ; type=adjective ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> I'm better now, after being sick


<translate> Those white ant eggs are here.


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


<translate> You and I see the clam here.


<translate> In the hot season the afternoon sky builds its own country, the old man said: white mountains stand up where no mountains are, their feet turn black, and at dusk they either walk away along the range or come down on the camp as the storm, so the hot-time afternoon has two doors, and the sky tells you by its feet which one it will use.

Wangariji jiri wungar-daraymuny bubu nyungu-nyungu murnil, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: manjal kambar janay wanja manjal-kari, jina jana ngumbu-mal, miyil-wujurr-wujurrba jana jilbal kala-kalbay manjalburr yambada jana kaday bayanka jarramali-mal, yalada wungar-daray wangarijimuny nyulu baral jambul-ji, jiribu yununy milbil jinabu wanjaku baral nyulu manil.


<translate> When the old man says go with the hard little da on its tail, you go now, the elder brother schooled the younger: dungay is a door left standing open, dungay-da is the door closing, so learn the weight of the small endings, for this language carries its urgency in one sound.

Kaki mukulungku dingkarangka balkal 'dungay-da' kuku dandi-ji bubanji badanga, yundu dungay nyiku, yabangka yabaju milbin: 'dungay' nyulu baral-ngandal ngalkal janaymuny, 'dungay-da' nyulu baral-ngandal nandajinya, yalada binal-maka yamba-dandi kuku-badamuny bubanmuny, kukubu junkurr nyungu wundil kuku-buban nyubunba.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> The burnt patch of grass is there.


<translate> Which bird is singing? That is the lorikeet in the tree; when the fruit is ripe, the lorikeets come.

Wanya dikal balkal? Yinya birrbirr jukungu; kaki mayi kulbul, birrbirr kada baja.


<translate> I went to the scrub, climbed the fig tree, gathered the ripe figs, and brought them back to my mother in the coolamon.

Ngayu madjanga dungan, jarrangkal dakan, binanji kulbul munjan, ngamunka wundin dubalba.


<glossary> nganga ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I came for just a little bit, have to get back to cook

Ngayu nganga kadan. Ngayu dungay baja mayika wayjul


<translate> The stone is on the open ground.


<translate> They saw the paperbark here.


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


<translate> The rain came down so hard that the children could not see the fire from the door of the humpy.

Kaba bada kadan junkurr bajaku, karrkay-karrkay murruji baya nyajil wurun ngandalmuny.


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


<translate> You all see the yarrka bee here.


<translate> When a person dies, the old man said, their true name is not spoken aloud for a long, long time, and they are called only by the taboo-name instead.

Bama wula-nya-muny, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyungu burri junkurr kari balka-l wumbul marri-marri, nyulu ngalba-bu nyubun burri-mani.


<translate> Another child asked: Who taught the first people how to hunt, and how to make fire, and how to read the stars?

Yindu karrkayangka babajin: Wanyangka bama ngadiku milbin balbinka, baya ngaranka, dawar nyajinka?


<translate> The little dog stole the meat!


<translate> You all saw the grasshopper there.


<translate> You see the forest kingfisher there.


<translate> The old woman killed the long snake with a heavy stick and threw it away into the grass.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku jarba kalbay kunin juku kulngkul-bu, jikan-ka bunjan.


<glossary> janay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=posture-rest <usage_example> they went and went in the truck, then stopped by the creek

Jana truckmundu warrin warrin, warrin, jana yilkinga.


<translate> He sees the spear point there.


<translate> You all see the posterior here.


<translate> You all saw the yarrka bee here.


<translate> The old man walked between the two fighters and said: You are not people who fight each other; you are two brothers who have forgotten it for a moment, and I will not let you do to each other what you would both regret for the rest of your lives.

Mukulungku dingkarangka kuni-bama jambul ngundu jilban, balkan: Yurra kari nyubun-nyubun kuni-way; yurra yaba jambul yurra kanbalka milka-wulanmuny, ngayu kari yurranka bawal yurra nyubun-nyubunka ngaranka yurra jambulku wawu wubulku milka-badil janaymuny.


<translate> The little children must never go near the big fire or touch the hot red coals.

Karrkay-karrkay-angka baya yalbay ngundu kari dunga-y, baya wumbul kari karrba-l.


<translate> The woman saw the wood on the ground.


<translate> They saw the murral tree kangaroo here.


<translate> He sees the barracuda there.


<translate> Bring dry wood to start the fire, and dig a pit to roast the meat!

Juku marral wundi baya jakalambanka, bubu baka minya dindanka!


<translate> The kin saw each other again and were glad, after a long time apart.

Jawun nyaji-way baja, jana ngulkurr, kalbay-muny nyaji-kari.


<translate> I see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> You see the black bean tree here.


<translate> You see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> Ask the question you are afraid of first of all; the other questions are only its children.

Babaji kuku-babaji yinil-ji ngadiku-ngurr: yindu-yindu karrkay nyungu nganga.


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

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


<translate> The old man kept his best boomerang, shield and club hanging inside the dark humpy.

Mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu wangal kunjuri mirru ngulkurr wurun-ba karrban.


<translate> They two saw the wooden sword there.


<translate> We see the ironwood tree there.


<translate> You and I saw the kubu-kubu tadpole there.


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


<translate> Mother shared out all the food at the camp.


<translate> The stingray lies buried in the sand of the shallow water, and its tail can hurt a person badly.

Yawu jukar-a bana-buban-ba wunay, nyungu banda-bu bama yalbay bambay-bungan.


<translate> You hear the hiccoughs there.


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


<glossary> buban ; type=noun ; domain=quantity-number <usage_example> He stayed a little while


<translate> They saw the shooting star there.


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


<translate> Grandmother rested after washing clothes.


<translate> My elder sister's clothes are hanging by the fire to dry.

Kambi babarr-bal-amu baya karangkal wunay, ngulkurr-ma-nka.


<translate> The child did not sleep in the night; he cried.

Karrkay wujurr-ba kari warngku-wunan, badin.


<translate> That water is there in the bark container.


<translate> The blue-tongue lizard is slow and gentle and no danger at all, the old woman said, and it shows its bright blue tongue only to frighten away the birds.

Bajabaja ngulkurr buyun-kari bajaku, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nyabil ngumbu-jarra balbal nyaji-mani buyi yararri-bungal-nka nyubun-bu.


<translate> That crested pigeon is here.


<translate> The snake fell from the tree.


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


<translate> Hold the baby tight by the deep water, lest you drop it into the river.

Ngawa junkurr karrba bana dukurr karangkal, bana-ka dara-y-mani-nyji.


<translate> The old people said two are stronger than one, and three are stronger again than two.

Mukul-bama-ngka balkan, jambul jarra-junkurr nyubun-ka, kulur jarra-junkurr jambul-ka baja.


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


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


<translate> Sharpen your spear the night before the hunt, not on the morning of it, lest you go out with a dull point and lose the one big animal you were sent for.

Kalka nyurrbal ngadiku kunarangkal balbinyjiku, kari wunkun wungara, kari yundu kalka kari junkurrji dunga-nyji, minya yalbay nyubun yundu yungalmuny kilba-nyji.


<translate> The old man told the young men a long story about the great flood of the old, old days.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru-nka kuku kalbay balkan, bana yalbay mukul wungar-mu.


<translate> The old man said the change from a boy's fear of the dark scrub to a man's ease in it happens only by going in, again and again, so that no amount of being told the scrub is safe can change the fear, but the body's own repeated experience of going in and coming out unharmed slowly changes the fear into confidence, and he said this is the deep law of all real change, that a person is changed far more by what they repeatedly do than by anything they are merely told.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yindu buban nyungu yinil majaji wujurrmuny dingkar nyungu wunbu-jimuny nyulu janay nganga jilbalnya, jambulku jambulku, kuku wubulku majaji wunbu nyulu kari yinil yindu-bungalmuny, yambada bangkarr nyulu-nyulu jilbalnya buyun-kari kadanya nyulu buban-buban yinil yindu-bungal wawu-junkurrku, nyulu balkan yinya kuku dukurr yindu bajaku wubulmuny, bama nyulu yindu-bungal ngulkurr-baja wanyu nyulu jambulku murninmuny yamba nyubun nganga balkanmuny.


<translate> It will tip over with you without quite falling.


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


<translate> The old man said the country fed you in a hundred small ways if you knew where to look, and the person who knew the small foods never went hungry.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: bububu yundu nukamanil mayi buban wubulku, kaki yundu binal wanjabu nyajil, bama nyulu mayi buban binal kari dakwuy yabarrka.


<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> The families visited each other in the dry season and shared their food.

Jawun-karra nyaji-way dukurr-wungar-a, mayi daji-way.


<translate> The fresh water lily is there.


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


<translate> Uncle pulled the canoe onto the sand and tied it to a tree.

Kalngangka marrakan kulban jukara, jukungu kajanda.


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


<translate> I cook food before the children come.

Ngayu mayi wajul, karrkay-karrkay kada-nyjiku.


<translate> The old ones sat closest to the fire, the old man said, and this was right, for their thin old blood felt the cold most, and the warm place by the fire was theirs by long custom, and a young person who took the warm place from an elder without thinking would be quietly moved, and would learn without shame that some places belong to those who have earned them by living long.

Mukul jana baya ngunduku bundan, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, yinya yukil, nyungu mula mukul jinbal kiway-kiway milkabu baykan wubulku, bubu wumbul baya ngunduku jananka ngadiku-kukubu, warru nyulu wumbul-bubu mukulmuny manin milka-mundu nyulu janka murni-manil, nyulu binalka kari milka-murrujibu bubu nyubun jananka jana nyulu manin wawu kalbay janaymuny.


<translate> Grandmother boiled the medicinal root in water.


<translate> Grandfather saw the freshwater eel in the water.


<translate> They saw the willie wagtail here.


<translate> The red king parrot is there.


<translate> You all see the swamp there.


<translate> The heat of the middle of the day is heavy, and even the birds sit quiet in the shade.

Wungar kankur-a wumbul-baja, buyi baja juku wabarr-ba janka bunda-l.


<translate> You all saw the nakawarra bee there.


<translate> You all saw the murramu dingo there.


<translate> We see the wurrbal fog here.


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


<translate> You two saw the barka snake here.


<translate> The crabs stay in their holes in the sand until the water covers them again.

Wurru-bulan janku-ngu jukar-a wunay, bana janangan nanda-nyji baja.


<translate> First gather the small dry twigs, then the bigger sticks, then the heavy logs, for a fire built the other way round dies before it grows.

Ngadiku juku kaykay marral bangka-ngarr, yindu juku yalbay-baja, yindu juku dandi, baya yala-yindubu bunganmuny kariku kambal wula.


<translate> The child swam in the water.


<translate> Mother washed the child's face.


<translate> The child saw father's shin.


<translate> The grandmother said: When you are tempted to shame the family, think of the hundred who made you; and when you are tempted to give up, remember that you carry the future of a hundred more who are not yet born.

Babingka balkan: Yundu jawun-karra milka-murruji-manka wawunya, milka bama wubul yundu bunganmuny; yundu bawanka wawunya, binalku yundu wunkun karrbal bama wubul-baja jana kariku kambanmuny.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the barka snake here.


<translate> The dilly bag lay in the shade.


<translate> They saw the casuarina pine there.


<translate> The old woman said if you want your children to be honest, be honest with them even about hard things, for children believe what they see far more than what they are told, and a parent who lies to spare them will raise a child who lies to be spared, and the lie passes down like a family face.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki yundu wawu nyungu karrkay-karrkay yukil janayka, yukil janay jananji yamba dandi baja, karrkay milmilbil nyaji jana wubul-baja jana milbinmuny, ngamu-nganjan nyulu warmbil jana bawanka nyulu karrkay bungal nyulu warmbil nyulu-nyulu bawanka, warmbil nganga badaka dungay yala jawun-karramu miyil.


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


<translate> The old man washed the baby's mouth.

Mukul-dingkar-angka ngawa ngandal julurrin.


<translate> The dragonfly hovering over a dry gully means there is water somewhere near, the old man taught, for it never strays far from the pools where its young grow, so a thirsty traveller who sees one should follow the direction it keeps returning to, and this small bright creature has saved the lives of people lost in the dry country more than once.

Wurarr-wurarr murninya bubu-jandu kiway-kiway ngunduku yala bana wanja ngundu, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, nyulu kariku kala-kalbay dungay bana ngundumuny wanja nyungu buban jarray, jilba-bama bana-dakwuy nyulu nyajinya nyulu wukurri wanja-mundu nyulu nyunban-nyunban, minya buban yilbay yinya bama wula-manin kiway-kiway bubu-mundu jambulmuny baja.


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


<translate> The two of them saw the bilbil-bilbil gecko here.


<translate> You all see the oyster there.


<translate> You two saw the biru-biru rainbow bird here.


<translate> Many small birds flew down to the waterhole to drink in the cool of the early morning light.

Buyi-buyi buban wubul marra-warrin bada janku-ka bana nuka-nka wunkuwingku ngiki-ba.


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


<translate> You all see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> You all saw the water there.


<translate> The woman closed the bag today.


<translate> The friend asked the girl about news.


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

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


<glossary> ngarra-yilbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The Bloomfield team beat the rest


<translate> We see the jungka wild cherry tree there.


<translate> You all saw the creek there.


<translate> The night messenger bird flew past the camp calling, and the old woman said someone in another camp had died.

Jiway bayan-ba wangkar dungan yirrkan, wulbuman balkan bama bayan-yindu-ngu wulan.


<translate> Where did you get that fine sharp stone from?

Yundu kulji dandi ngulkurr yinya wanjamuny manin?


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


<translate> She carried the little baby in a soft bark sling on her hip and the dilly bag upon her back.

Nyulu karrkay buban dakil balbal-ba karrban jandal-ba, ngunyin kudamundu.


<translate> They saw the wurrbu hornet there.


<translate> The mother's father made a small digging-stick for his little grandchild, the old man said, and showed the little one exactly where the sweet yams grow.

Ngaji-ngku kaminjarr buban baka-juku buban bunga, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu karrkay binal-bungal wanja bambayal jiba-wulay ngalkal-ma-nya.


<translate> You and I see the scorpion there.


<translate> The girls ate the sweet figs until they were full, there in the shade of the tree.

Jalbu-jalbu-ngka jilanji jiba-wula-wula nukan, yajin-man, juku wabarr-ba yinyay.


<translate> Did the old woman finally finish weaving the big new dilly-bag, the child asked eagerly, and the mother told her that indeed she had finished it.

Mukul-jalbu ngunyin yalbay jirakal jaba kunbayn niji? karrkay wawu-bu nyajin, ngamu-ngku nyunguny balkan nyulu kunbayn-nya.


<translate> The old man said that young man is rather clever but this old woman is very wise, and cleverness and wisdom are not the same thing at all.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: yinya warru jarra-binal, yamba yinya mukul-jalbu binal-baja-ku, binal buban binal yalbay-jirr kari nyubun bajaku.


<translate> You see the carpet snake there.


<translate> The fish is small, but it is good.


<translate> The old woman said a song with the right words and a song with forgotten words are both still sung, but only the whole song carries its whole power, so when an old singer began to lose the words she would sit with them for many evenings and gather the song back word by word before it was lost, for a song gone wordless is a door to the past closed forever.

Wulbumanangka balkan wulngku kuku yukil-ji wulngku kuku milka-wulan-ji jambul badil, nyubun nganga wulngku wubulku karrbal nyungu junkurr wubulku, mukul-badi-bama nyulu kuku milka-wula ngadiku nyulu jananji bundan kunarangkal wubulku wulngku bangkan kuku nyubun kuku nyubun bawanya ngadiku, wulngku kuku-kari nyulu dukul-wuri ngadiku-mundu kajan bada bajaku.


<translate> You saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


<translate> Clouds are the tracks of the sky, the old man taught the boys on the high stone: the high thin ones say the wind is changing, the black ones standing over the sea say run to the stone shelter, and the small round morning ones say nothing at all, they are only the sky laughing.

Ngurrban nyulu jina jirimuny, mukulungku dingkarangka buban-buban milbin kuljinga wangkarba: ngurrban wangkar bala balkal muyar yindu-mal, ngurrban ngumbu jalunba janay balkal warrinka kulji-bayanka, ngurrban buban murru muduwajumuny balkal yamba-kari, jana nganga jiri yajarr-manya.


<translate> The old woman saw the girl's face.


<translate> I know that story — granny told it long ago.

Ngayu binal kukuku — ngadiku babingka balkan.


<translate> A camp with a good fire is warm and safe and glad through the coldest night, but a camp without fire is cold and dark and full of fear, and the old people held it a serious duty never to let the fire die, so that no member of the group ever had to sleep fireless and cold in the long dangerous dark.

Bayan baya-ji wumbul yukil wawu-mini wujurr kiway-kiway bajaku, yambada bayan baya-kari kiway-kiway wujurr yinil-ji buwan, bama mukul karrban kirraji junkurr kariku baya wula bawanka, bama nyubun jawun-karra ngunduka kariku baya-kari kiway-kiway wunay wujurr kalbay yinil-jinga.


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

Yundu balnhi wunay, bayan ngara bubunga balanbalanba


<translate> We see the marubu species of oyster here.


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

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


<translate> You see the mother's brother.


<translate> They saw the hair belt there.


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


<translate> The old man said if you are given power over others, whether over a child or a camp or a whole people, remember it is a thing lent, not a thing owned, and you must give account of it, for the country watched how you used it, and the country has a long memory, and it tells your name to the ones who come after.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundunka junkurr bama yindu wangkar dajil, karrkay-anda bayanba bama nyubun wubulkungu baja, milka nyulu yamba dajinmu, kari yamba karrbalmu, yundu nyungu kuku dajil, bubu nyajin yala yundu nyulu manin, bubu milka kalbay karrbal, nyulu nyungu burri balkal bama jana nganga kadanmu.


<translate> I saw the karrandal tree there.


<translate> We saw the boomerang on the ground.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> The person here is experienced.


<translate> Mother got water first and then cooked food.

Ngamu-ngku bana-ngarr manin, mayi wajun-da.


<translate> He sees the kalburiji bee here.


<translate> Put more wood on the fire — the night will be cold.

Juku yijarrika bayanga — kunarangkal kiway-kiway.


<translate> He saw the kurkunbay butcherbird there.


<translate> Before dawn the old man walked down to the river, sat on a stone, and watched for the fish in the shallow water.

Mukul dingkar bada dungan wawubajanga muduwajuny, kuljinga bundandan, kuyuka nyajil-nyajin bubanba.


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


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


<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.


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

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


<translate> The sun went down behind the western hills, and the sky burned red before the dark night came.

Wungar bada dungan jamba kudamundu, jiri kulbul wajun wujurr kada-nya kariku.


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

Ngayu nyungun nguwimal nyajin, kala-kalbayku


<translate> The old woman said the richest person was not the one with the most things but the one who needed the least, for they were free where others were bound.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama ngulkurr bajaku kari nyulu yamba wubul bajakuji, yambada nyulu wawu buban bajaku, nyulu kaja-kari wanja yindu kajaji janay.


<translate> The big water kept coming in one after another onto the sandy beach all day long.

Bana yalbay jururr kadan jukar-a, bada wangkar baja wungar wubulku.


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> the fish wouldn't bite so I quit fishing

Kuyungku kari bajaku baykan, ngayu badu bawanda


<translate> The man left the charcoal in the shade.


<translate> When the sand crabs rise out of the sand at low tide the children chase them and put them in the paperbark.

Ngalngal jukar-muny dakan yira buban-ba, karrkay jana jirrku-mal, buyku-ngu wunan.


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

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


<translate> You two saw the deep water there.


<translate> He saw the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> Dig the roots first, the old man said, but never break the young shoots, for they will feed the people next year.

Ngara baka nyubun-bu, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba jurrbu buban kari dumbarri, jana bama-nka mayi dajil wungar jirakal-ba.


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


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


<translate> I see the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> You two see the hillside here.


<lexeme> First bay south of Bloomfield River along coast


<translate> Yesterday the child became sick.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jumul-jumul grass seeds here.


<translate> The kangaroo rat digs a deep hole in the sandy ground and hides there by day.

Jayju jukar-bubu-ngu janku dukurr bakan, yinya-nga ngakiji wungar-a.


<translate> The young men keep hitting at the log with sticks.

Warru-warru juku-ngu kuni-n-kuni-ji jaba-bu.


<translate> By the still water the women gathered water-plant roots and seeds, wading deep with their bags held above the water.

Bana janay ngundu jalbu-jalbungku bangkan diburr manin, bana badanga walan, ngunyin wangkar kujin bana wuyar.


<translate> Watch for the stingray in the shallow water, keep an eye on its tail, and spear it in the head!

Yawu nyaji bana badanga, biji nyaji, dukulbu dama!


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

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


<translate> The women cooked the big fish on the hot coals, and then they shared it among all the families.

Jalbu kuyu yalbay dindan baya wumbul-ba, yalada jana daji-way jawun-karra wubulku.


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


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


<translate> The woman put the meat in the ground oven.


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


<translate> The black-bean tree drops big seeds in the wet, the old woman said, but they are poison raw and must be sliced, soaked in the river many days, and roasted.

Baway juku diburr yalbay dara kaba-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan, yamba nganjil-ba buyun, yundu baka-baka, bana-ba wuna wungar wubul, waju.


<translate> The swallows fly low and fast over the water before the rain, catching the small flying things in the air.

Mabal bana wangkar bada bila marra-warri kaba ngadiku, minya-buban jiri-nga karrban.


<translate> The woman wove the bark strips.


<translate> The old people told the deep old stories by the fire only after all the children had gone to sleep, the old woman said, for those stories are not for young ears.

Mukul-bama balka-balka dajali kalbay-muny-mu buri-ngka, wawu-warngku-nya-muny karrkay-karrkay wubulku, mukul-jalbu balkan, kuku yinya kari karrkay milka-nka.


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

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


<translate> Grandfather cooked fish at camp.


<translate> You see the marku species of oyster here.


<translate> You all saw the three-pronged spear here.


<translate> That old woman is very experienced, for she has watched the plants and the birds all her long life.

Yinya wulbuman juburr-baja-ku, nyulu mayi buyi nyajin nyungu wungar-kadal wubulku kalbay.


<glossary> bajurr-bangkan ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> I scolded my child because he broke the cassette

Ngayu kangkal bajurr-bangkan, nyulu cassette dumbarrinya


<translate> The children slept. At daybreak mother woke them.

Karrkay-karrkay warngku wunan. Muduwajuny ngamu-ngku jana kulbul-manin.


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


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


<translate> News travels fastest when it is nobody's business — keep your name out of other people's stories.

Kuku warril warri bajaku kaki nyulu bama-karimuny murni: karrba burri yunu ngalkalba kuku-jangkarmuny bamamuny yindumuny.


<translate> You all see the crocodile here.


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


<translate> You two see the spear barb there.


<translate> We saw the kundurr-kundurr crescent perch here.


<translate> The big fig tree stands beside the water, and the children climb it every day.

Jarrangkal yalbay janay bananga, karrkay-karrkay dakal jukungu wungar-wungar.


<translate> You saw the maral-maral young girls here.


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


<translate> They saw the platypus there.


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


<translate> I sweep the ground for a camp.


<translate> I brought the bag from the house.


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

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


<translate> The children listened to the dreamtime stories.


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


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

Store nandajinjiku, yalanguwimburr dunday


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

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


<translate> He killed the wallaby thoroughly.


<translate> That stringybark tree is here.


<translate> The child asked the mother: "Is there sweet honey in that tree? Or is the tree empty and dry inside?"

Karrkay-ngku ngamu babajin: Wunba jiba-wulay juku yinya-ba wuna? Juku kari-ma-nya marral dukurr-ba?


<translate> You saw the kandal maggot there.


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


<glossary> kala-jalamal ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> He jumped over (the mud) on the rocks


<translate> We two, not you, saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> We saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird here.


<translate> We see the dingki tree there.


<translate> The boy went to his cousin and asked to see the new spear up close, admired it honestly, and his cousin let him throw it once — and the ngujan was gone, replaced by a shared pleasure.

Karrkay nyungu yabaka dungan, kalka jirakal ngundu nyajinka babajin, yukil ngulkurr balkan, nyungu yaba nyulu yilbanka bawan nyubun — ngujan dungan, wawu-mini daji-way kadan baja.


<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.


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


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


<glossary> yala ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> he's like his father.


<translate> The children ran through the trees, across the sand, and down into the cool water of the creek.

Karrkay-karrkay juku-burr wanarrin, jukar naka-naka, bada bana ngiki wawubaja buban-ka.


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


<translate> If you go to the deep river, the old man taught, then look for the narrow place where the water runs fast, and never the wide still pool.

Kaki yundu wawubaja badaka dungay, mukulungku dingkarangka milbin, yundu wanja buban nyajil bana junkurr dunganya, kari wanja yalbay bana jananya.


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


<translate> Fill the big water-bag right up before you cross the dry stony country, the old man said, in case you find no clean water at all along the whole way.

Bana-ngunyin yalbay narmba warmba bubu marral kulji-jirr jilba-nyjiku, mukul-dingkar balkan, kunka yundu bana ngulkurr kari mani-nya yalaku narmba-ba.


<translate> The old man cut into the tree and pulled out the dark sweet sugarbag honey, the old woman said, comb and wax and grubs together, and shared it among all the children.

Mukul-dingkarangka juku baka, ngamurr ngumbu jiba-wulay ngalkal mani, kuja-mu bayan wandul karrkay-jirr muru, mukul-jalbu balkan, karrkay-karrkay wubulku-nka daji.


<translate> They saw the cockatoo crest there.


<translate> The old man pointed to the fig tree where his father had gathered fruit long ago.

Mukul-dingkar dukal-juku milbin, wanja nyungu nganjan mayi bangkan ngadiku-baja.


<translate> You saw the karunkurr crested pigeon there.


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


<translate> You saw the mirrku kidney bird here.


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


<translate> Little hands make bad spears, and bad spears make good hands — let him work the wood.

Mara bubanbu kalka mumbu bungal, kalka mumbubu mara yukil bungal, bawa nyulu murninka.


<translate> The child went into the house.


<translate> They got fish first, and then came.


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


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


<translate> You two see the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> The old man knows the waterholes in the country.


<translate> I see the mother's brother there.


<translate> I saw the kalkarrumbarr lizard here.


<translate> The grandmother sat with all her grandchildren around her, gave each one a name from the old people, and told them which country they belonged to.

Babingka jija-karra-ji muru bundan, nyubun-nyubun-ka burri mukul-mukul-amu dayan, jananda balkan wanja bubu jana-mu.


<translate> The old woman said the word for child changes with its stage of life, a newborn one word, a small child another, a child who has just learned to talk another still, kukujida, and she loved that last word most, for it caught exactly that bright moment when a little one first turns the noise of the camp into real words, and every family waited for it and celebrated it as a true beginning.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku karrkaymuny yindu-manda nyungu wungar-jina-mundu, ngawa nyubun kuku, karrkay buban yindu, karrkay nyulu ngadiku balka binalman yindu baja, kukujida, nyulu yinya kuku bada bajaku wawu-jirray, nyulu manin yinya wungar yilbay karrkay buban ngadiku bayan nyungu jarrakay kuku yukil-manilnya, jawun-karra wubulku maku-janan yajarrin nyulu kuku-yukil ngadiku-manin.


<translate> You and I see the thigh here.


<translate> I see the marku species of oyster here.


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


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


<translate> I am walking down to the water, and my old father is following me along the sandy track.

Ngayu bana-ka bada jilba, ngayku mukul nganjan-angka nganya wukurri jina-burr.


<translate> We, not you, saw the balarri queenfish here.


<translate> Her long grey hair hung down like the dry yellow grass on the high river bank.

Nyungu mungka kalbay ngungul-ngungul bada wunay, yala jikan marral jalkar-a wunay.


<translate> Give the fish to us two, and we will cook it for you two.

Kuyu ngalinka daji, ngali waju-l yubalanka.


<translate> They see the domestic turkey there.


<translate> The two men stood on the high rock and looked down at the fish swimming in the clear water below.

Dingkar jambul janay kulji wangkar-a, bada nyaji-l kuyu janji-nya bana ngiki bada-bada.


<translate> She went for a walk after feeding the dog.

Nyulu jilba-dungan, wawu-kaya-muny mayi dajin.


<translate> The possum sat high in the fork of the tree, and the hunter climbed slowly and quietly so as not to frighten it into the dark.

Yawa wangkar bundan juku ngandalba, balbibamangka buban-buban wunbu jilban, yawa kari yinyil-kanganyji wujurrka.


<translate> You see the wooden sword here.


<translate> The old people say the rainbow is the great serpent that lives deep in the water holes.

Mukul-bama-ngka balka-l yiril nyulu yarru yalbay, nyulu bana dukurr-ba wuna-l.


<glossary> bawal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=motion-travel <usage_example> I left Bloomfield and went to Mossman


<translate> Father heard the thunderstorm.


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

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


<translate> You see the spear barb here.


<translate> The mopoke called out in the night.


<translate> They saw the flat-tailed ray there.


<translate> Granny showed the girls how to find yams. They dug there. They put the yams in the dilly bags.

Babingka maral-maral binal-bungan, wukay nyajinka. Jana bakan yinyay. Jana wukay mumban baljinga.


<translate> I see the jalan sea urchin there.


<translate> The old woman felt the boy's hot head and looked into his eyes and knew what sickness had taken him.

Wulbumanangka karrkaymu dukul wumbul nyunjan, miyilba nyajin, binal wanya bambaybu nyungu manin.


<translate> The moon is behind the clouds.


<translate> Grandmother saw the bird in the tree.


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


<translate> You two saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> Mother gave the clothes to my elder brother.


<translate> My grandmother's country and my grandfather's country meet at this big river.

Ngayku babi-mu bubu ngayku kami-mu bubu baja wawubaja yalbay yinya-nga muru-ma-l.


<translate> Uncle speared it as it jumped.


<translate> When the hunters came back with meat, they shared it with each other so that every family in the camp had enough to eat.

Balbibama minya-ji kadanya, jana daji-wan, bayan jawunkarra wubulku mayi ngulkurr nukanka manin.


<translate> You all see the tree kangaroo there.


<translate> The old man said: One wallaby feeds the family for one day; two feed them for two days; but three left to rot feeds no one and brings sickness on the hunter.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Darrba nyubun jawunkarra nukamanil wungar nyubunka; jambul wungar jambulka; kulur bawan kabumanka nyubun kari nukamanil, balbibamaka bambay wundil.


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


<translate> The young man speared the turtle with the spear thrower.


<translate> You and I saw the boomerang here.


<translate> The old woman said that looking after yourself was not selfishness but wisdom, for you are the one tool you can never put down or replace.

Wulbumanangka balkan: nyulu-nyulu nyajil kari wawu-nyubun, yambada binal, yundu nyubun yamba yundu murruji bawal, yindumanil.


<translate> You and I see the grass wallaby here.


<translate> That is the greatest thing the old people give the young: not fear of the end, but a place in the country forever.

Yanyu kamba-kambangka dajil ngulkurr bajaku karrkayka: kari yinil wulaka, yambada bubungu bunday yabarrka.


<translate> The old man said these two brothers are not alike at all: one is quiet like deep water, the other loud like a falling tree.

Mukul-dingkar balkan: yaba jambul yinya kari yala nyubun-nyubun: nyubun janka yala bana dajali, nyubun yirrka yala juku dara-nya.


<translate> You two saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird here.


<translate> The child knows how to weave a dillybag.


<translate> The old man asked grandmother about meat.


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


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


<translate> They see the kaya-kaya dogs there.


<translate> The old man kept making the spear-points hard in the fire, one after another, turning each in the coals until it would not bend or break.

Mukul-dingkarangka biyul dandi-bal-bal baya-ba, nyubun-nyubun-baja, nyubun jurrki kubu-ba kari jurrki kari dumbarri kariku.


<translate> The young man was so exhausted after the long hunt that he lay down and slept at once.

Warru wawu-wulay baja balbi kalbay-muny, nyulu janka wunan warngku niji.


<translate> We two saw you two at the swamp yesterday, hunting for meat.

Ngali yubalan nyajin daburri-nga yilayku, minya-ka balbi-nya.


<translate> He saw the jiljay grub there.


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

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


<translate> The young man went up there.


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


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

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


<translate> The friend asked grandfather about meat.


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


<translate> The two of them see the black bream here.


<translate> Who is that coming along the path toward the camp now, the old man said, for he could no longer see well in the dim evening light.

Wanya yinya jina-ba bayan-ka kada-nya niji? mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu kari-baja ngulkurr nyaji wujurr-ma-nya balbal-kari-ba.


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


<translate> One day while the children were climbing the rocks by the river, the smallest boy fell and cut his leg badly on a hard stone.

Nyubun wungara karrkay-karrkay kulji wangkar jananya wawubaja ngundu, karrkay buban bada wulan, nyungu jina yakan kulji junkurrbu kaka bajaku.


<translate> One morning the young men went out to fish, though the old man warned them a big wind was coming.

Nyubun wunkuwingku warru-warru kuyuka dungan, yambada mukulungku dingkarangka jana milbin: muyar yalbay kadanya.


<translate> Cover the meat lest the march flies spoil it, and drive the mosquitoes away from the fire!

Minya nanda, waja-ngka buyun-manyji; kamu baya-muny yungka!


<translate> I see the nyumbil coolibah tree there.


<translate> The young man made a spear from hard wood.

Warru-ngku kalka bungan juku junkurr-muny.


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


<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> We see the big clam shell there.


<translate> The old woman sang the old song quietly to the little children before they went to sleep at night.

Mukul-jalbu wulngku mukul janka badin karrkay-nka, jana warngku wuna-nka kariku wujurr-ba.


<translate> They saw the mother's brother.


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


<translate> The bad-tempered, angry man shouted at the frightened little children by the evening fire.

Dingkar buyun-ji, kuli-ji, yirrkan karrkay-karrkay buban yini-yini-nka baya ngundu wujurr-ba.


<translate> You saw the wuba red ochre here.


<translate> You two see the fingernail there.


<translate> The grandmother said: we women hold the food-knowledge; we teach it to our daughters, not to the men; through us the children are always fed.

Babingka balkan: ngana jalbu mayi-binal karrbal; ngana ngananga kangkal jalbuka binal-bungal, kari dingkarka; ngananda karrkay-karrkay mayi dayal ngadiku-ngadiku.


<translate> They saw the walmbaji peacemaker there.


<translate> The scrub goanna climbs the tall trees to raid the birds' nests, the old man said, and when a dog chases it, it runs up the nearest trunk out of reach.

Kalajarr juku kalbay daka buyi-bubu mani-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, kaya kanga-nya, nyulu juku ngundu-ka daka wangkar-a.


<translate> The new baby is very small and very cute, and the whole family loves her very much indeed.

Ngawa buban-baja-ku kingkin-baja-ku, jawun-karra wubulku nyunguny wawu jirray.


<translate> We saw the small sticks there.


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

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


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

Yundu nganya milka-dalkay-mana wunkun moneyka


<translate> The digging stick is at the camp.


<translate> That child keeps hitting at the dogs around here.


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


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


<translate> The old people sat and watched the young men dancing the corroboree by the great fire, the old man said, all through the long warm night.

Mukul-bama bunda nyaji-l-nyaji-n, warru-warru jurbu-jurbu-nya buri yalbay-mba, mukul-dingkar balkan, wujurr marri wumbul narmba.


<translate> I saw the kanjal companion there.


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


<translate> We would have hunted the dugong, but the sea was too rough.

Ngana biwuy balbi-nyaku, yambada jalun mulngku-baja.


<translate> Mother washed the child's chest.


<translate> We heard news from the house.


<translate> When the water was far, they carried it in paperbark.

Kaki bana kalakalbay, jana wundin buykungu.


<translate> When the children see a snake on the path, they run away fast and call out loudly.

Karrkay-karrkay jarba jina-nga nyaji-nya, jana jinbal-baja warri, yalbay-bu yirrka-y.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> he speared a fish with a spear


<translate> The men carried their big war spears and their shields when they went to the fight.

Dingkar-angka kukuni yalbay kunjuri baja wundin, jana kuni-wa-nka dungan.


<translate> We two (not you) saw the spear thrower here.


<translate> We see the tree kangaroo here.


<translate> You see the scarlet robin here.


<translate> The child saw a star at night.


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


<glossary> jamba ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> We went along the hillsides


<translate> They saw the mangkurr-mangkurr garfish there.


<translate> The man saw the grey kangaroo at the camp.


<translate> The green ant bit the child's toe.


<translate> They saw the kurunkal mangrove there.


<translate> Two horses that did not belong together ran off in their own different ways to the river.

Yarraman jambul wawubaja-nga wanarrin, bula yindu-yindu kala-kalbay-ka.


<translate> That straw-necked ibis is here.


<translate> The women softened the leaves in water, wove them, and made dilly bags.

Jalbu jambul birra bananga kima-bal, wukurril, balji-bunga.


<translate> Which axe for the honey tree? — The small one; the big axe is for dead wood, the small axe for living doors.

Wanjaku warrbi juku wunbanka? Buban: warrbi yalbay jukunka wulanka, warrbi buban baral-ngandalka juranka.


<translate> They took the child to camp.


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


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


<translate> The children learned that you must always tell someone where you are going and when you will return, and never change your route without leaving word, for the country is large and a searcher who does not know where to look may as well not search at all.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman yundu yabarrka bama yindunka milbil wanjabu yundu dungay wanju yundu nyunbay, kari nyungu baral murni kuku kari bawal, bubu yalbay, nyaji-bama nyulu murruji binal wanjabu nyajinka nyulu yala kari nyajilmu.


<translate> We two, not you, see the marril ti tree there.


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


<translate> Grandmother sees the scrub turkey.


<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 child pestered his mother for food.

Karrkay ngamu-ndu mayi-ka walngkurrijin.


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


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

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


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

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


<translate> The casuarina pine is there.


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

Bula mulkal-mulkal; somebodyngka baby haveim-bungal


<translate> "Where did you all go yesterday, and where will you go hunting tomorrow in the early morning?"

Yurra wanjabu dungan yilayku, yurra wanjabu balbi-ka dunga-y wungar kada-nya wunkuwingku?


<glossary> yala ; type=demonstrative ; domain=location-deixis <usage_example> he went from here


<translate> That lady apple tree is here.


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

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


<translate> The old man said: The smallest gift given with love is worth more than the biggest gift given without it, so weigh the heart and not the hand.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: dajil buban bajaku wawu-jirrayji ngulkurr-baja dajil yalbay bajaku wawu-jirray-karimuny, dandi nyaji wawu, kari mara.


<translate> I keep some food for later today.


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


<translate> The child was small yesterday, it seems, but now she is big and runs fast across the warm sand.

Karrkay buban yilayku yala, yamba niji nyulu yalbay warri bajaku jukar wumbul-burr.


<translate> The stone trap fed the camp all through the dry weather without anyone having to go far to hunt.

Makarr kuljimu bayan nukamanil wungar marralba wubulku, kari bama kalakalbay dungay balbinka.


<translate> The woman left the firewood in the shade.


<translate> The old man taught the young men to throw the spear straight and true with the spear-thrower.

Mukul-dingkar-angka warru-warru kalka dama-nka balkan, jinbal nguymal balur-ubu.


<translate> I will show the house to my friend.


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


<translate> I saw the bayil jungle perch here.


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


<translate> What food did you love as a child? — Roasted sweet potato from my grandmother's coals; I can smell it now, forty wet seasons away.

Wanyu mayi yundu wawu-manin karrkay-wungara? Bangkamu dindanmuny ngunjilmuny babimuny ngayku, ngayu jila manil nyiku, bana-wungar wubulku kala-kalbaymuny.


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


<translate> We saw the durra caterpillar here.


<translate> The dog saw the child down there.


<glossary> mururr-mururr ; type=adjective ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> We came the same time


<translate> The children swam across the cool river in the hot midday sun, calling out to one another.

Karrkay-karrkay janjin naka-naka wawubaja ngiki, wungar wumbul dindarra-nga, yirrka-wa.


<translate> I see the small lizard here.


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


<translate> I see the kajarrbi clam shell here.


<translate> People might talk about you.


<translate> The path up the mountain is rather long, but the old woman climbed it without stopping once.

Jina manjal wangkar-a jarra-kalbay, yamba mukul-jalbu-ngka kari bunda-l dakan.


<translate> The children watched the little crabs fight over a dead fish on the sand, pulling it this way and that.

Karrkay ngalngal buban nyajin kuyu-wulan-ka kuli-mal jukar-a, jana yindu-yindu-ka wundil.


<translate> The girl is carrying the baby and Mum is cooking food.

Maralangka ngawa jarra-kulbal, ngamungku mayi wayjul.


<translate> The children ate food in the shade.


<translate> But tonight everyone sleeps by the good spring.

Yambada nyiku jana wubulku warngku wunay buraymba.


<translate> The children play the whole long day in the warm sun, and they sleep when the night comes at last.

Karrkay-karrkay wungar wubulku yajarri-l wumbul-ba, jana warngku wuna wujurr kada-nya.


<translate> The man hit the wrong dog by mistake when he was aiming at the snake.

Dingkar-angka kaya yindu kanban kunin, jarba-nka kuni-nya.


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


<translate> The old woman washes her own hands and face well before she eats the food.

Mukul-jalbu mara, walu baja ngulkurr julurri-ji, mayi nuka-nyjiku.


<translate> You all saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> I know the spear with resin.


<translate> String rises between the thigh and the hand, the old woman showed the girls: twist the bark fibre on the thigh with the hand, the wrist turning, the fingernails holding the small strands apart, and two weak threads twisted together come back as one strong rope, which is also, she said, the law of marriage.

Karra wandil wabanga maranga baja, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin: murni warrur wabanga marabu, jinbar murninya, birribu karra-buban karrbal yindu-yindu, karra kala-burra jambul murninmuny nyubunji jana kaday baja karra junkurr nyubun, yinya baja, nyulu balkan, kuku dunyu-manilmuny.


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


<translate> The two of them see the whip snake here.


<translate> You see the kajarrbi clam shell there.


<translate> I see the mungari kaori pine.


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


<translate> The green tree snake is thin and quick and harmless, the old man said, and it slides through the branches hunting the little frogs and lizards.

Kalkamuku jarba dumbi bila buyun-kari, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu dakil-burr mara-warri yirku-yirku bajuy buban-jirr balbi.


<translate> You two saw the spring here.


<translate> So the old man named the whole bird world for the boy — cassowary and cockatoo, kingfisher and dove, brolga and hawk and the little night-crying curlew — every one a teacher of the country.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka buyi bubu narmba karrkay-nka burri — kurranji kadanji-jirr, dabuy kuludu-jirr, kulbal jinabiju kuyir buban wujurr-banbadi-jirr — nyubun-nyubun bubu-mu binal-bama.


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


<translate> You two see the lizard here.


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


<translate> He wanted to eat the sweet fruit, but it was still up too high for him to reach.

Nyulu wawu mayi jilanji nuka-nka, kari wangkar-a-baja, nyulu kari mani.


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


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


<translate> You saw the biwul snake there.


<translate> The woman went to the shade with father.


<translate> The man saw the white crane.


<translate> We see the corkwood pine there.


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

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


<translate> The men hunted the kangaroo in the thick dark scrub on the steep mountain side.

Dingkar-angka mayarriji madja junkurr wujurr manjal-ba balbin.


<translate> We see the small conical shellfish here.


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


<translate> The old hunter looked thoroughly all over the ground, examining every track the kangaroo had left.

Balbi-bama mukul bubu narmba nyaji-l-nyaji-n, mayarriji-mu jina narmba binalman.


<translate> We saw the freshwater turtle here.


<translate> We packed up the camp in the morning.


<translate> You and I saw the jandu starch here.


<translate> They two see the freshwater turtle there.


<translate> He saw the jinkalmu snake here.


<translate> The clothing here is not narrow.


<translate> Cooking is the one fight we are allowed to lose slowly, the old woman laughed through the smoke: the fire wins a little every day, the cook grows wiser with every loss, and the evening meal is the peace made again each night.

Waju nyulu kuniway nyubun ngana bada-manil buban-buban, wulbumanangka yajarr-man kububurr: bayabu manil buban wungar nyubun-nyubunbu, waju-bama binal-mal bada-mani nyubun-nyubunbu, mayi wujurrmuny nyulu kaka-kari murninmuny baja wujurr nyubun-nyubunba.


<translate> How many big turtles did the men bring back from beyond the far reef today, the old woman asked the breathless boy.

Wanjarrinya ngawiya yalbay dingkar-dingkar-angka dulngku kala-kalbay-muny bada-baja wundin niji? mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay wawu-baja-nya nyajin.


<translate> The old people said fire was a gift from long ago, brought by the ancestors, never to be let die out of carelessness.

Kamba-kamba balkan: baya dajil ngadikumuny, kamba-kambangka wundinmuny, kari yabarrka wulanka wunbu-karibu.


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


<translate> Tie the strong dilly bag tightly, lest the dog steal the sweet ripe fruit from inside it.

Ngunyin junkurr kaja, kaya-ngka mayi kulbul jiba-wulay dukurr-muny ngaki-nyji.


<translate> He saw the karrkurr frog there.


<translate> The old man said this is the great difference between our way and the lonely way of the newcomers: they raise a child in a single house with two people, but we raise a child in a whole country with a hundred.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: yinya murni yalbay nganamu yala yindu bamamu nganga yala baja: jana karrkay kambaman nyubun bayanba bama jambulji, ngana karrkay kambaman bubu wubulba bama wubulji.


<translate> This hairy-yam food is good.


<translate> During the night the child heard barking.

Wujurr-bu karrkay-ngku ngangkurr nyajin.


<translate> Maybe I will stew the fish, maybe roast it.


<translate> The rain filled the billycans overnight.


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


<translate> The old man has not yet died, but he is very sick, and the healer sits near him all through the night.

Mukul-dingkar kariku wula, yamba nyulu bambay bajaku, murri nyungu ngundu bundan wujurr wubulku.


<translate> Do not be afraid of the small snake; it is not the bad one that bites and kills people.

Kari yinil jarba buban-ka, yinya kari buyun bama bayka-l kuni-l.


<translate> The deaf old man watched the speaker's mouth and understood the words.

Mukul-dingkar milka-dudu-ngku bama-mu ngandal nyajin, kuku binalman.


<translate> The two of them saw the dawa-dawa magpie there.


<translate> At dusk in the wet season the mosquitoes come up in clouds from the swamp, the old man said, so the people burn green leaves to make a smoke and keep them off.

Wujurr-ma-nya kaba-wungar-a kamu wubul daburr-muny ngurrban yala kaday, mukul-dingkar balkan, bama birra biral waju kubu bunga-nka, kamu ngalka-nka.


<translate> The old man sharpened the spear point on a pumice stone; he bound the barb on firmly; a sharp spear spears the game fast, a blunt spear does not.

Mukul-dingkarangka kurrajan jundi-bu jalngkun-bungan; jinil dandi karrban; kalka jalngkun-bu minya warri daman, kalka buyun kari.


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


<translate> You see the black spotted dart here.


<translate> The child has not yet learned to throw the spear straight; the old man teaches him every single day.

Karrkay kalka jinbal dama-nka kariku binal-ma-n; mukul-dingkar-angka nyungu balka-l wungar-wungar.


<translate> The small child sat by the fire and asked the old man a chain of questions all at once: who made the very first fire, and where did they find it, and why does the fire die if we do not feed it wood? And the old man laughed and said those are three good questions with one answer: sit, watch, and wait, and the fire itself will teach you.

Karrkay buban baya ngunduku bundan mukulungku dingkar babajin kuku wubulku nyubunku: wanya baya ngadiku bajaku bungan, wanjabu jana manin, wanyurrinku baya wulal ngana kari juku dayanya? Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin balkan yinya kuku kulur yukil nyubun-kuku-daji: bunda, nyaji, kalka, baya nyulu-nyulu yundu milbil.


<translate> Make the child warm by the fire, make the soup good with more roots, and heal his cough with the green-ant juice!

Karrkay kunjinba wumbul-bunga, wuynkurr ngulkurr-bunga bangkan-ji, nyungu ngiki yangka-bu kakawarri-bunga!


<glossary> yarangkay ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=bodily-mental-state <usage_example> He fell and sprained his ankle


<translate> Mother made the clothes dirty.


<translate> You two see the outrigger canoe there.


<translate> The children love to play, but the rain comes.

Karrkay-karrkay wawu jirray kinka-n-kinka-nka, kari kaba kaday.


<translate> The woman left the fire stick in the bag.


<translate> They saw the hairy yam here.


<translate> The old man said: When I was young I thought strength meant needing no one; now that I am old I know that strength means being so securely held by others that you can risk everything, give everything, love without holding back, because you know that if you fall, a hundred hands will catch you.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Ngayu warru janaymuny ngayu milkabu baykan junkurr yala bama yinduka wawu-kari; nyiku ngayu mukul ngayu binal junkurr yala bama yindubu yukil karrban yundu yamba wubulku yilbanka, wubulku dajinka, wawu jirray kari karrbanka, yundu binalmuny kaki yundu badaka dungay, mara wubul yundu manil.


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

Jana blanket ngaran kaykay-kaykay wunanka


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


<translate> You two see the karranda tree there.


<translate> The deep sea beyond the reef is dark blue and full of big fish and green turtles.

Jalun dajali dulngku-muny ngungul-ngungul, kuyu yalbay ngawiya baja wubul.


<translate> The two men who had quarrelled became friends after that, for they had seen each other's anger and each other's cooling, and a person you have quarrelled with and made peace with is bound to you.

Dingkar jambul kuni-wanmuny yaba-manda baja, jana nyajin nyubun-nyubunmu dukul-wuri, nyubun-nyubunmu kiwaymandanya, bama nyulu yundu kuni-wan, wunbu-manda baja, yununda kajil.


<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> You and I saw the pumice stone here.


<translate> The echidna was hard to catch because it dug itself straight down into the hard ground and rolled itself into a ball against the digging hands.

Ngangkin murruji manil, nyulu bubu junkurrbu bada nyulu-nyulu bakan, nyulu-nyulu nyubun-bungan marabu bakanya.


<translate> They see the wangku tree there.


<translate> They see the kangaroo rat here.


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

Dingkarangka karrkay dakandin kuli-kadanymundu


<translate> They travelled north for many days, following the coast where the sea was always on their right hand, past the great sea-points and the river mouths, until they came to the country where the language changed and they needed a man who could speak both tongues.

Jana kungkarr-mundu jilban wungar wubulku, jalun wukurrin wanja jalun yabarrka nyungu mara yukilba, jalun-ngandal yalbay julay wubulku baja, dukul jana bubungu kadan wanja kuku murni, jana wawu dingkar nyulu kuku jambul balkalmu.


<translate> A big thunderstorm came in the middle of the night.


<translate> They saw the durra caterpillar there.


<translate> The old woman said the young man is strong, but the old man is stronger still, for his strength is in his knowing, not his arm.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: warru junkurr, yamba mukul-dingkar junkurr bajaku, nyungu junkurr bangkarr-ba kari, binal-ba.


<translate> A man with a good spirit and true words is a man that all the people follow and listen to.

Dingkar wawu ngulkurr-ji, kuku yukil-jirr, yinya dingkar bama narmba wukurri, nyaji-l.


<translate> You all saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> They saw the kalkamal locust there.


<translate> You two saw the murral tree kangaroo here.


<translate> The hungry children just keep eating and eating all through the long afternoon.

Karrkay-karrkay dakwuy nuka-n-nuka-ji, wungar wumbul-a wubulku.


<translate> The old man said if the fire is small, feed it slowly, one stick at a time, for if you pile on too much wood at once you smother it and it dies, and this is true of fires and true of anger and true of love.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki baya buban, buban-buban daya, juku nyubun nyubun, kaki yundu juku wubul nyubunku wangkar yijarri yundu baya wulan-manil nyulu wula, yinya yukil bayamu yukil dukul-wurimu yukil wawu-jirraymu baja.


<translate> You see the mawar vine there.


<translate> Don't sit there — there's a snake!


<translate> The old man said: What you do every day, that is what you become, and a person who washes and heals and cares every day becomes a clean, whole, caring person for life.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: Yundu wanyu wungar wubulku ngaral, yinya yundu janay, bama nyulu wungar wubulku julurri-ji, kakawarri-ji, nyajil, nyulu janay bama dayirr nyubun nyajilji wawu kalbay.


<translate> No, Aboriginal people, pay attention!


<translate> Those two, the old man and his old wife, have lived in this same camp for many long years.

Bula, mukul-dingkar nyungu manyarr mukul baja, bayan yinya-nga wunan wungar kalbay wubul-muny.


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


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


<translate> He saw the ngurran rope there.


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


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


<translate> The two of them saw the kurranday seagull there.


<translate> They saw the light bellied black snake there.


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

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


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


<translate> You all saw the julaji freshwater catfish here.


<translate> We see the waral stomach here.


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


<translate> You all saw the scorpion here.


<translate> He saw the marril ti tree there.


<translate> I am hungry! — Then dig, the yam ground is right there.

Ngayu dakwuy! Yalada baka, juwal-bubu yinya ngundu.


<translate> The old man knows the man with the spear, and he knows the country and all its water holes.

Mukul-dingkar binal dingkar kalka-jirr-ka, nyulu binal bubu janku narmba baja.


<translate> That big bird flew up quickly from the ground into the tall tree above the water.

Yinya buyi yalbay bubu-muny jinbal-baja wandin, juku kalbay-ngu bana wangkar-a.


<translate> There are many plant shoots on the tree.


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

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


<translate> That mujarr fig tree is there.


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


<translate> When the sun came back, the whole camp steamed like a cooking oven.

Wungar kadan baja, bayan yala kurrma wumbul.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> I see the spotted eagle ray here.


<translate> We two walked in the hot sun all day and grew very tired, our legs and feet weak and sore.

Ngali wungar-a jilba-nya wungar wubulku, baja-burray-ma-n, ngali jandal jina bambay baja.


<translate> The young man's wife wove a fine dilly bag from the split lawyer cane.

Warru-mu manyarr ngunyin ngulkurr bungan, kaku kulba-nya-muny.


<translate> We see the frill necked lizard here.


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


<translate> The old woman said the mark of a truly educated person is not how much they know but how much they know they do not know, and how eagerly they seek out those who can teach them what they lack.

Wulbumanangka balkan: bama binal yukil bajaku nyungu milbil kari nyulu wanjarrinya binal, yambada nyulu wanjarrinya binal nyulu murruji binal, yala nyulu wawu-junkurrbu nyajil bama jana nyulunka milbil yamba nyulu kari karrbal.


<translate> You saw the kurrujuwa sentry bird there.


<translate> They saw the kalkamuku snake here.


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


<glossary> yala ; type=interrogative ; domain=interjection <usage_example> What about your older brother?


<translate> I see the spider shell here.


<translate> You two saw the darrba grass wallaby here.


<translate> You saw the grasshopper there.


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


<translate> I saw the kinga caterpillar here.


<translate> The wood here is not coarse.


<translate> The old man's chest was tight and aching from calling out across the wide water for so long in the cold morning wind, the old woman said.

Mukul-dingkar-mu ngamban kaka dandi, bana kala-kalbay-muny yirrka-yirrka-nya wumbul ngiki-bu bulkiji wunkuwingku-ba, mukul-jalbu balkan.


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


<translate> The little child kept peeping into the dilly-bag to see the honeycomb, and the old woman kept slapping the small hand away, laughing.

Karrkay buban nuril-nuril ngunyin-ba, ngamurr nyaji-nka, mukul-jalbu mara buban dama-dama kanga, yajarri.


<translate> The Leichhardt tree is there.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> There were more fish than the people could eat, so the women split them and dried them in the sun.

Kuyu wubul bajaku, jana murruji nukal wubulku, jalbu-jalbungku kuyu yakan, wungara marralmanka.


<lexeme> Nganjin dungan, ngingkirr nyajin


<translate> So the old man named the whole living sea for the boy — fish and turtle, dugong and crab, oyster and shark and the great slow tide — the seafarers' whole country.

Yala mukul-dingkarangka jalun murrku narmba karrkay-nka burri — kuyu ngawiya-jirr, biwuy kiju-jirr, julul bilmbin yira yalbay buban-buban-jirr — Jalunji-mu bubu narmba.


<translate> The old woman's bones ached in the cold wet season, deep in her legs and her bent back.

Mukul-jalbu bajibay kaka kaba-wungar-a, jandal muku dukurr-ba.


<translate> Wake the young men before the sun comes up, make the fire big, and heat the water so we can leave early!

Warru-warru wandi-mana wungar kada-nyjiku, baya yalbay-bunga, bana wumbul-bunga ngali ngadiku dunga!


<translate> In time they knew the signs as well as the old people, and the country was no longer a stranger to them.

Wungar dunganya, jana binal yala kamba-kamba, bubu kari yindu jananka baja.


<translate> After swimming right across the wide deep river, the boy climbed out and lay a long while in the warm sand to dry himself, the old woman said.

Wawu-maraji-nya-muny bana-jandu yalbay dajali murru-murru, karrkay ngalkal-ma-l wuna wumbul marri jukar wumbul-ba marral-ma-nka, mukul-jalbu balkan.


<translate> That night the whole camp ate together and told stories until the little ones fell asleep.

Yinya kunarangkal jana wubulku mayi nukan, kuku balkan, ngawa-ngawa warngku wunanyjiku.


<translate> Perhaps it will rain tomorrow, the old man said, for the clouds are piling up black and heavy in the west over the far ranges.

Nguba kaba wunkun daray, mukul-dingkar balkan, ngurrban ngumbu junkurr kaba-wungar-a manjal kala-kalbay-mu wangkar-a muru-ma-l.


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


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


<translate> They saw the hickory tree here.


<translate> You all saw the kabuljaka snake here.


<translate> You and I saw the scorpion there.


<translate> We two, not you, see the munungkul ground pigeon here.


<translate> In the morning mother took water.


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


<translate> We see the black-tip shark there.


<translate> You see the seashell headband here.


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


<translate> You and I see the miral water scum there.