<translate> The old man taught the young that some questions are traps and must be answered with a question: if a man asks you angrily whether you called him a liar, do not say yes or no but ask him what he actually heard and from whom, for the trap-question wants a fight and the counter-question wants the truth, and the one who keeps his head and asks back will win where the one who answers straight will lose.

Mukulungku dingkarangka warru milbin kuku nyubun-nyubun jina-yijarril kuku-mundu kuku-yukil-manilka: dingkar nyulu yundu dukul-wuri-bu babajinnya yundu nyulu kuku-mumbu-bama balkanmuny, kari balka yuwu yambada kari, babaji nyulu wanyu nyulu ngaranmuny wanyamuny, jina-babaji nyulu kuni-way wawu-manil kuku-babaji nyulu kuku-yukil wawu-manil, bama nyulu nyungu milka karrbal babajil nyulu wular yala bama nyulu kuku-mundu balkal wular baja.


<translate> I do not know where the digging stick is.


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

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


<translate> The spears flew one after another at the running kangaroo, but every one missed and fell in the grass.

Kalka jururr wanarrin mayarriji-ka, yamba narmba kari kuni-l jikan-ba daran.


<translate> The old man said the leaf is the oldest cooking pot: wrap the small fish or the shellfish or the soft yam in a thick green leaf, tie it with a strip of bark, lay it in the coals, and the leaf holds the juices in and gives its own faint flavor to the food, and when you unwrap it the steam and the smell are the reward for the patience.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: birra waju-yamba ngadiku bajaku: kuyu buban wurrul juwal buban baja birra junkurr jirakalbu buwu, wawun-bubanda kaja, ngunjilba daya, birra wuynkurr dukurr-bu karrbal nyungu nganja buban mayingu daji, yundu kajanya bana-kubu nganja baja maku-janalmu yukil.


<translate> Bring a spear in case a pig comes.

Kalka wundi, nganganjirrka bikibiki kada-nyamunku.


<translate> What did you gather in the scrub? I gathered fern shoots and a mushroom.

Wanya yundu madjanga munjan? Ngayu malari jurrbu jumbay-jumbay baja munjan.


<translate> Elder sister is cooking the fish while younger sister watches the little sleeping baby.

Babarr-angka kuyu waju-l, jinkurr-ungku ngawa buban nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<translate> Whose dog is that, barking over there so loudly beside the camp? — It is the old man's dog.

Wanya-mba kaya yinya, bayan ngundu yalbay-bu yirrka-l? Mukul-dingkar-mu kaya.


<translate> You see the scarlet robin here.


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


<translate> They tied the paperbark bundles with cane and carried them home.

Jana buyku kajan yibuynju, bayanba jarra-kulbanda.


<translate> You saw the kurrmaja larvae there.


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


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


<translate> The old man said the sea gives food to those who know its ways, but takes the life of those who do not.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan jalun mayi dajil bama nyungu kuku binal-bama-nka, yambada bama kari-binal-nka nyulu wula-bungan.


<translate> The women are bathing in the river.


<translate> The club is a heavy weapon of hard wood, used to kill the wounded animal quickly and cleanly.

Mirru juku junkurr kulngkul, minya kaka-jirr kuni-nka buyun-buyun.


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


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> He saw the freshwater eel here.


<translate> The old woman said the hardest question a person ever faces is asked in silence by their own conscience in the dark before sleep: did I act well today, was I fair, did I take more than I gave, did I turn away from someone who needed me, and she taught that a person who can lie awake honestly asking themselves these questions will grow good, while one who never asks them will not.

Wulbumanangka balkan kuku dandi bajaku bama nyubun nyajil babajin dandi-bu nyungu-nyungu wawu-milka wujurr-bu wunay ngadiku: ngayu murni yukil yinya wungar, ngayu daji-way-yukil, ngayu manin ngulkurr-baja dayanmuny, ngayu bawan bama nyubun ngaya wawu-manilmuny, nyulu milbin bama nyulu wuna-janan kuku-yukil-bu nyulu-nyulu babajil kuku yinya nyulu yukil-manda, yambada nyulu kariku babajil nyulu kari.


<translate> I see the nakawarra bee here.


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


<translate> You see the spear barb here.


<translate> You all see the smooth rock here.


<translate> They saw the kurranday seagull here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the barinkan scrub bird here.


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


<translate> Father took the charcoal from the ground.


<translate> They saw the ground lizard there.


<translate> The eel is fat — good for the earth oven.


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

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


<translate> The little bat flew out of the dark tree hollow at night and caught small insects over the water.

Mali buban juku ngungul dukurr-muny marra-warrin wujurr-ba, minya buban bana wangkar-wangkar manin.


<translate> The young ones will teach their own children one day, and so the country's story never dies.

Karrkay-karrkayangka nyungu karrkay binalbungal wungar yindungu, yalaku bubumu kuku kari wulay yabarrka.


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


<translate> The girls sent word to granny: we found honey!

Maral-maralangka kuku yungan babinda: ngana wunba nyajin!


<translate> The young woman tied a woven string headband around her forehead for the big dance.

Jalbu-buban-angka jilngarr karra-bu nyungu walu-ngu kajan, warrma yalbay-ka.


<lexeme> Rattlesnake point - Fritz Creek


<translate> I saw the kandal maggot here.


<translate> I saw the kawarr bloodwood tree here.


<translate> You and I saw the dilly bag here.


<translate> The old woman took the meat and blessed the boy with the old words, and the whole camp saw that he had become a hunter.

Wulbumanangka minya manin, karrkay ngulkurr-bungan kuku ngadikubu, bayan wubulku nyajin: nyulu balbibamamanda.


<translate> They see the ngalkarran tree there.


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

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


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

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


<translate> We two will climb on the tree.


<translate> You two saw the oyster here.


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


<translate> The child hurt her foot on a sharp stone, and now she cannot walk down to the water alone.

Karrkay jina kulji-bu kaka-mani, niji nyulu bana-ka bada jilba kari nyubun-nyubun.


<translate> Grandfather saw the candlenut tree.


<translate> The old man kept looking and looking at the tall tree that the big storm had struck.

Mukul-dingkar nyaji-l-nyaji-n juku kalbay, kaba yalbay-bu kuni-nya.


<translate> You saw the kalbali tall man here.


<translate> You and I see the queenfish there.


<translate> The old grandmother is the oldest and the wisest of all the people in the whole family.

Mukul-babi nyulu bama mukul bajaku binal bajaku, jawun-karra wubulku-ba.


<translate> You see that jinjajalka tree.


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


<translate> He called out to me from far away, and I heard his words across the wide, deep river.

Nyulu ngayku-nka yirrkan kala-kalbay-mundu, ngayu nyungu kuku nyajin wawubaja kalbay naka-naka.


<translate> That straw-necked ibis is here.


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


<translate> The children went up the tall tree to look for the sweet honey of the wild bees.

Karrkay-karrkay juku kalbay wangkar dungan, wunba jiba-wulay dabu-mu nyaji-nka.


<translate> What did the two hunters bring back, and how many? They brought one wallaby and four fish. Was it enough for the whole camp? No — with so many mouths, it was not enough, so we shared it small.

Wanyu bula balbi-bama wundin, wanjarrinya? Bula kadar nyubun, kuyu jambul-jambul wundin. Bayan-mu bama wubul-ku yajin? Kari — bama wubul, mayi kari yajin, ngana buban-buban daji-way.


<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> Auntie is teaching the girls to weave little bags.

Bimayngka maral-maral binal-bungal, balji buban wukurrinka.


<translate> "Where did you put my good digging stick and my little dilly bag full of ripe yams?"

Yundu ngayku juwal ngulkurr ngunyin buban wukay-jirr wanjabu nanda?


<translate> The boys gathered wood; the girls got water; the fire was going before night.

Dabalangka juku bangkan; maral-maralangka bana manin; baya wajun wujurrmanyjiku.


<translate> They heard the sneeze there.


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

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


<translate> Two girls who had quarrelled were made to sit together and share one dilly bag, until they had learned to like each other again.

Maral jambul jana kuni-wanmuny, jana nyubun bundanka ngunyin nyubun daji-way manin, jana wawu-way baja binalmanyjiku.


<translate> The two of them saw the barrbal black bream there.


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


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

Yundu wurril kari bunday boatbu. Junkayku bunday.


<translate> The two of them saw the kuran case-moth larva there.


<translate> You all see the stomach there.


<translate> Wind came from the mountain.


<translate> You saw the bamboo stick here.


<translate> The older sister made a sack for mother to carry.

Babarr-angka kurmun balkan, ngamu-ngku jarrakulba-nka.


<translate> The smooth grey rocks in the creek bed are very slippery when the water runs high.

Kulji jinali wawubaja-nga julbarr-warri-baja, bana wangkar-nya.


<translate> You two see the lightning there.


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


<translate> Don't go there in the night — that is where the bad spirit lives.

Kari dunga-y yinyay wujurr-ba — yinyay dubu bambay wunay.


<translate> When the curlew calls out in the night, the old people know that someone has died.

Kuyir wujurr-ba yirrka-nya, mukul-bama binal, bama nyubun wulan.


<glossary> yaral ; type=adjective ; domain=water <usage_example> He's not angry any more


<translate> Grandmother washed the girl's foot.


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


<translate> The men brought back spears and sticks and plenty of firewood to the big camp.

Dingkar-angka kalka, juku, baya-juku wubul baja bayan yalbay-ka wundin.


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

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


<translate> Grandmother saw the baby's neck.


<glossary> milka-marri ; type=adjective ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> They have peace about that


<translate> You two saw the walkarr goanna here.


<translate> We two, not you, see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> Loneliness in a crowd is the deepest kind — go and sit beside it; you are the medicine that walks.

Jirrbu-jirrbu bama-wubulba nyulu dukurr bajaku: dungay bunda ngundu, yundu kalbal jilbalmuny.


<translate> The golden whistler is there.


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


<translate> Bring the meat here to the fire, put it down on the flat stone, and I will cook it for the children.

Minya wundi yala baya-ka, kulji yalbay-mba nanda, ngayu waju-l karrkay-karrkay-nka.


<glossary> yukil ; type=adjective ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Is it true that he came?


<translate> You and I saw the water there.


<translate> The mother's clean clothes were hanging to dry on the branch near the warm fire.

Kambi ngamu-mu jinbal dakil-ba marral-ma-nka nandan, baya wumbul ngundu.


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


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

Nganjin ready jilba dunganka, yundu juwaku bundanday


<translate> Do not leave the fish or the meat out uncovered in the day, the old woman warned, or the flies will lay their eggs and the maggots will spoil all of it by night.

Kuyu minya baluda ngalkal-ba wungar-a wandi, mukul-jalbu balkan, marra-warri karrkay wandi, kandal wubulku kabu-bungal wujurr kada-nyjiku.


<translate> Mother took the boomerang from the ground.


<translate> The jinjajalka tree is here.


<translate> The children stood back to back to see who was the tallest, and the tallest boy was a whole head taller than the next, and he laughed with pride.

Karrkay-karrkay kudamundu-kudamundu janay nyajinka wanya kalbay bajaku, karrkay kalbay bajaku dukul nyubun kalbay-baja yindumuny, nyulu yajarrin wawu-yalbayji.


<translate> The children came to understand that the whole difference between a crowd and a community is reciprocity: a crowd is many people who happen to be in one place, but a community is many people who have agreed, without ever saying so, to be responsible for each other.

Karrkay-karrkayangka binalman murni yalbay bama wubul bama nyubunmu daji-way: bama wubul bama wubulku nyubun bubungu nganga janay, yambada bama nyubun bama wubulku jana yuwu-wanmuny, kari yabarrka balkanmuny, nyubun-nyubunka karrbanka.


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


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


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


<translate> The Moreton Bay fig tree gives sweet ripe fruit that the children love to eat.

Baril-baril mayi jiba-wulay kulbul daji, karrkay-karrkay wawu nuka-nka.


<translate> We cooked the meat on a fire made from dry ti-tree bark.

Ngali minya wajun kunjinba; kunjin bikarrakul dumbulmuny marralmuny.


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


<translate> The camp was left empty long ago, and now the grass has grown up all over it.

Bayan mali bawa-jin kalbay-muny, jikan wubul niji bubu-ngu wandin.


<translate> Where did you get all this sweet honey from? — I got it from the old hollow ironbark tree.

Yundu wanjamuny wunba jiba-wulay wubul manin? Ngayu juku mali dukurr-muny manin.


<translate> The two of them see the small sticks there.


<translate> The woman saw the baby's ankle.


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

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


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


<glossary> dubal ; type=noun ; domain=artefact <usage_example> My child is sleeping in the coolamon


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


<translate> Every hunter misses at the start, he said; the spear learns your hand, and your hand learns the spear.

Nyulu balkan: balbibama wubulku ngadiku kari damal, kalka yunu mara binalmanka, yala yunu mara kalka binalmanka.


<translate> You two see the karranda tree there.


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


<translate> The child asked the girl about the mango.


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


<translate> That old man is deaf — he has no ears — and he cannot hear the little children calling him.

Yinya mukul-dingkar milka-kari, nyulu karrkay-karrkay buban yirrka-nya kari nyaji-l.


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


<translate> You all see the large mud clam there.


<translate> The old man said: do not think only of yourself; think of your brothers, your children, and your people; such a person becomes small and alone.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: yundu kari nganga yununy milka-bu bayka; yunu yaba-karra, yunu karrkay-karrkay, yunu bama milka-bu bayka; yinya bama buban-mal nyubun-mal.


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


<glossary> bijjaril ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> I dream about a carpet snake


<translate> You two saw the kalmbangarr black diver bird here.


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


<translate> The hunter's legs are strong from walking and running all day through the hills and the dark scrub.

Balbi-bama jandal junkurr jilba warri-muny wungar wubulku jamba madja-burr.


<translate> Auntie gave every child a piece of damper.

Bimayngka damba dajin karrkayanda wubulku.


<translate> I saw the diwalngku bird there.


<translate> You and I see the spear thrower there.


<translate> They saw the mud wasp there.


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

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


<translate> The dog bit the child's hand.


<translate> You all see the milbarkal tree there.


<translate> You see the little wallaby here.


<glossary> kinbal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> You got his attention to show him


<translate> The woman with the bag sat in the camp.


<translate> I have no cold; I got well again.


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


<translate> Grandmother's calm was not weather; it was built.

Wunbu babimuny kari wungar-yamba: nyulu bunganmuny.


<translate> You all saw the yarrka bee there.


<translate> He told how the first fire was stolen and given to the people, and why we must keep it burning ever since.

Nyulu balkan baya ngadiku wanya manin, bama dajinmuny, wanyurringku ngana baya kujil ngadikumuny.


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

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


<translate> We see the fresh water snake there.


<translate> He came from this house with the tree.

Nyulu kadan bayan-muny yala-muny juku-jirr-muny.


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


<translate> The big waves break on the reef, but the water is calm behind it.

Mulngku yalbay dulngku-ngu dumbarri, yambada bana janka kudamundu.


<translate> When you are happy, she said, that is wawu-mini, a bright spirit; and when you are sad, that is jiba-badiy, the liver weeping inside you.

Yundu wawu-mini janay, nyulu balkan, yinya wawu balbajil; yundu jiba-badi janay, yinya jiba dukurr badinya.


<translate> The butterfly crossed the whole valley, thinner than a word — strength is not always heavy.

Walbul-walbul dungan bubu wubulkuburr, nyulu bala-baja kukumuny: junkurr kari yabarrka dandi.


<translate> The magpie sings a beautiful song in the morning tree, and the old woman says its voice belongs to the country itself.

Dawa-dawa juku-ngu wunkuwingku wulngku-badil ngulkurr, wulbuman balkan nyungu kuku bubu-mu.


<translate> The person here is stubborn.


<translate> You see the casuarina pine there.


<translate> You all saw the spear barb there.


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


<translate> Carry us two along with you-all, to where the river turns.

Wundi ngalininy yurranji, wanja wawubaja murnil yinyaka.


<translate> Grandmother happened to step on my hand.


<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> You saw the balarri queenfish here.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> Ngayu diburr manin Sisterandamun


<lexeme> bad spirit in form of crocodile


<translate> They saw the maya vine here.


<translate> My younger sister married a man from the coast; now she lives far away, but she comes back each dry season to see our mother.

Ngayku jinkurr dingkar jalun-ba-amu dunyu manin; nyulu kala-kalbay wunan, yambada wungar-wungar kada baja ngali ngamu nyajinka.


<translate> You two see the flat rock there.


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


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


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


<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> You and I see the mirrbangku pencil cedar tree there.


<translate> You two see the smouldering log there.


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


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


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


<translate> The dog followed behind the man.


<translate> Say sorry with your hands too — mend what you broke, and pick up what you dropped.

Balka dukul-kulnkul marabu baja: murni wanyu yundu dumbarrin, mana wanyu yundu bawan.


<translate> Why did people get two ears and only one mouth? a girl asked, and the old woman laughed a little: so that a person would listen twice and speak once, and she said too: the ear never closes, but the mouth can close itself, and that is one teaching with two roads.

Wanyurrinku bama milka jambul manin ngandal nyubun nganga? jalbu-buban babajin, wulbuman yajarr-man buban: bama nyulu milka-janay jambulku yambada balkal nyubunbu, nyulu balkan baja, milka kariku nandaji, yambada ngandal nyulu-nyulu nandaji, yinya milbil nyubun, baral jambul.


<translate> You saw the makirr yellow ochre here.


<translate> You and I see the sandfly here.


<translate> The old man told of the making of the country, and the children listened with wide eyes and open mouths.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan bubu ngaranmuny, karrkay-karrkay milka-janan miyil yalbaymba ngandal badinya.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> she washed clothes in the creek


<translate> In the morning the child came out of the house.


<translate> The old man's arm is long and thin now, but once it was strong and threw the spear very far.

Mukul-dingkar wakuy kalbay buban-buban niji, yamba kalbay-muny junkurr, kalka kala-kalbay daman.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> The ground was wet and the digging was easy.


<translate> I saw the boomerang in the shade.


<translate> The two of them saw the murma wasp here.


<translate> The woman sees the open ground.


<translate> The old woman poked her foot while digging food.

Mukul-jalbu jina baka-jin mayi baka-l-baka-nya.


<translate> You all see the smouldering log here.


<translate> They saw the scrub wallaby here.


<translate> The old woman said a widow and a widower each had their own hard road and their own name, and the bereaved father was called yuyku, a word heavy with sorrow, and the old people did not expect a grieving spouse to simply carry on but gave them time, and duties among the wider kin, so that the loss was carried by the whole family together and not left to crush one person alone in an empty camp.

Wulbumanangka balkan biwar-wula dunyu-wula jambul nyungu-nyungu baral dandi nyungu-nyungu kuku baja, nganjan wawu-mumbu yuyku kunjal, kuku wawu-mumbu-ji junkurr, bama mukul kari wawu-manin wawu-mumbu-bama nganga jilbanka yambada dayan wungar, yamba-yukil baja jawun-karra-nga, wawu-mumbu nyulu jawun-karra wubulku nyubunji karrban kari nyubun bama nganga kajan bayan-nganganga.


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

Nyulu bikibiki yinyilji karida, mindayda


<translate> You see the dirrmbay seagull here.


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


<translate> The old people sat around us; they told us the stories; we listened to them all night; and in the morning we knew our country.

Mukul-mukul nganangan ngundu bundan; jana ngananka kuku balkan; ngana jananda milkabu nyajin wujurr yalbay; wunkun ngana ngananga bubu binalman.


<translate> We saw the freshwater eel here.


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


<translate> The two dogs fought over the bone until granny threw water on them, and then they lay down quiet by the fire.

Kaya jambul kuniwan bajibayka, babingka bana yilban jananda, jana warngku wunanda bayanga wunbuku.


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


<translate> Her face was sad and full of sorrow, and the big tears ran slowly down from her eyes.

Nyungu walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, miyil-bana yalbay bada wanarrin buban-buban.


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


<translate> Father left the charcoal in the shade.


<translate> Father saw the spear-thrower on the ground.


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


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


<translate> If it rains, the women will stay in the house.

Kaki kaba kaday, jalbu-jalbu bayanba bundanday.


<translate> Where did your people go? We (not you) went to the ceremony in the north; they did not invite you; but we brought back gifts for you all.

Wanja nyungu bama dungan? Nganjin kuwa bubu-mundu dungan; jana yurrangan kari kunjan; yambada nganjin yurranka mayi wundinda.


<translate> The old man said this was the deepest question of all, and its answer lay in the oldest stories, which he would tell them that very night.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan yinya babaji bada bajaku wubulmuny, nyungu kuku kuku ngadikungu janay, nyulu jana balkal yinya kunarangkalji.


<translate> The old woman told the children the water runs down from the high country to the wide sea.

Mukul-jalbu karrkay-nka balkan, bana bada wanarri bubu wangkar-muny jalun kalbay-ka.


<translate> The old dog ate first, then slept by the coals all day — he has earned his place in the order.

Kaya mukul nukan ngadiku-ngurr, wunanda ngunjil ngundu wungar wubulku, nyulu murni-jina nyungu maninmuny.


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

Nyiku-nyiku bilngkumu walu karimanijinkuda


<translate> You two see the flames here.


<translate> By the time the tide turned again, every dilly bag was heavy with shellfish and the children's bellies were full.

Yira baja kadanda, ngunyin wubulku dandi milbarji, karrkay-karrkaymu jibar mumbay.


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


<translate> I quickly killed the snake before it might bite me.

Ngayu jarba jinbal-da-ku kunin, nganya bayka-nyjiku.


<translate> He sees the sugar glider there.


<translate> You two see the marrka calm sea here.


<translate> Who left the fish where the flying foxes could reach? — The same someone who is climbing for new ones right now.

Wanyabu kuyu bawan wanja kambibu manil? Bama nyubunbu, nyulu dakal nyiku kuyunka yindunka.


<translate> You all saw the barka snake there.


<translate> You and I saw the munungkul ground pigeon there.


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


<translate> You and I see the ngadil hickory tree there.


<translate> They saw the clay pipe there.


<translate> When the meat was cooked, they took the meat out.


<translate> Auntie knows the remedy for that sickness.


<translate> You all saw the yuray snake here.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the bilu-warra spoonbill here.


<translate> I drank water after the meal.


<translate> The man cut up the meat with a sharp stone and cooked it in the hot coals of the fire.

Dingkar-angka minya yakan kulji-bu, wajun baya ngunjil wumbul-ba.


<translate> Behind the behind there is more behind — the country does not end; only the describing ends.

Kudamundu kudamundumuny kudamundu baja janay: bubu kariku kunbay-mal, kuku nganga kunbay-mal.


<translate> Grandmother left the remains dilly bag outside.


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

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


<translate> The children are hungry — cook the fish quickly!

Karrkay-karrkay dakwuy — kuyu wayju jinbalku!


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


<translate> The elder brother told his younger sister to run home quickly along the beach.

Yaba-ngka jinkurr-undu yalaman, bayan-ka warri-nka jinbal-baja jukar-a.


<translate> I first cook the fish and then take it.


<translate> He saw the bujabay tree there.


<translate> You two see the squid there.


<translate> They saw the mother's brother here.


<translate> Work the spear smooth tonight; we leave under the morning star.

Kalka murni wujurrba, ngana dungay kurrubijal badabada.


<translate> He called and called, and at last he heard a small cry far away.

Nyulu yirrkan-yirrkan, milkabu nyajinda badi buban kalakalbay.


<translate> You and I saw the kinga caterpillar there.


<translate> Your dog is barking loudly at that big black snake down near the water.

Yunu kaya yalbay-bu yirrka-l jarba yalbay bindimu-ka, bana ngundu bada.


<translate> He sees the black bream here.


<translate> The road is narrower than the open ground.


<translate> Stone is harder than wood, so the old people made the best axe-heads from stone.

Kulji jarra-dandi juku-ka, bama mukul kalka ngulkurr-baja-ku kulji-muny bungan.


<translate> You all saw the jangkan swift here.


<translate> This old man is your grandfather, your mother's father, ngaji, and this old woman your grandmother, and from these two the whole of your mother's line flows down to you like water down a hill.

Yinya mukul dingkar yundu ngaji, yundu ngamumu nganjan, yinya wulbuman yundu babi, jambulmuny yundu ngamumu jawun-karra wubulku yundunka badaka bana yala manjalmuny.


<translate> You all saw the jingajalka tree there.


<translate> The old man hardened the stick.


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


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

Nyulu kuyu-ngurr manin, ngawuya daman-da.


<glossary> dandi ; type=adjective ; domain=physical-property <usage_example> I took the medicine and am better now


<translate> We found turtle eggs and cooked them in the ashes.

Ngana ngawiyamu diburr nyajin, nulungu wayjunda.


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

Jana kaykay-kaykay janjanay jakalba school


<lexeme> upper reaches of the Bloomfield River


<glossary> majin ; type=adjective ; domain=texture <usage_example> Your hair is too oily


<translate> The young man became ashamed.


<glossary> babal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> I want to go fishing to try the place out

ngayu baduriji dungaka, yinya bubu babanka


<translate> Fish keep no patience, the old woman drove the girls through the order at a run: guts out first of all while they still shine, wash them, then to the smoke or to the coals before the sun stands high, for the catch is a message-stick that goes bad in the reading, and the fast hands eat sweet while the slow hands eat sorrow.

Kuyu wawu-karrba-kari, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban warri-bungan murni-jinaburr: julbi-ngurr mana jilu-jilunya jana, julurrika, yalada kubuku yambada ngunjilku wungar wangkar jananyjiku, kuyu maninmuny nyulu kuku-juku nyulu mumbu-mal nyajinya, mara warribu nukal jiba-wulay, mara buban-bubanbu nukal wawu-mumbu.


<translate> Where does the good clean water lie hidden in this dry stony country, the young man asked, and the old woman rose and showed him the way.

Bana ngulkurr wanjabu wuna bubu marral kulji-jirr-ba? warru-ngku nyajin, mukul-jalbu wandi nyungu jina binal-bungal.


<translate> You see the black bean tree there.


<translate> You see the bronze wing pigeon there.


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


<translate> The dog followed the children from behind.

Kaya-ngka karrkay-karrkay wukurrin kudamundu.


<translate> My old grandmother is afraid of the deep water, so she never goes into it alone.

Ngayku babi mukul yinil bana dajali-nka, nyulu kari kana dunga-y nyubun-bu.


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


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


<translate> We saw the mountain peak there.


<translate> The two of them see the jalan sea urchin there.


<translate> The old man said if you would be remembered well, do not seek to be remembered, for the ones who grasp at being remembered are forgotten fastest, but pour yourself out freely into the lives around you, asking nothing back, and you will find yourself carried in a hundred memories you never bought and could never have earned by trying.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki yundu ngulkurr milka-binalka, kari nyaji milka-binalka, bama jana milka-binal karrbal jana kilba-manil warri-baja, yambada nyulu-nyulu ngulkurr-bu daji wawu ngunduka, kari yamba babaji, yundu yabarrka nyaji yundu milka wubulba karrbal yundu kariku manin kariku nyaji bungalmuny.


<translate> You all saw the kandal maggot there.


<translate> I see the ngalkarran tree there.


<translate> The man carried the heavy load of firewood on his head to the camp.

Dingkarangka baya-juku kulngkul dukul-ba wundin bayan-ka.


<translate> The straight strong wood of the oak tree makes the very best digging sticks of all.

Dalban juku jinbal junkurr, bubu bakal-nka juku ngulkurr bajaku.


<translate> You see the spiderlily here.


<translate> They gave clothes to the girl with no money.

Jana kambi dajin maral-anda mani-kari-nda.


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


<translate> My hands are cold — I'll sit by the fire.

Ngayku mara kiway-kiway — ngayu bayanga bunday.


<translate> Grandfather saw the white wattle.


<translate> The old woman said a good trade leaves both sides feeling they got the better of it, and a bad trade leaves both feeling cheated, and the difference is not in the goods exchanged but in the spirit in which they were given.

Wulbumanangka balkan: daji-way ngulkurr jambulku milkabu baykan jana ngulkurr-baja manin, daji-way mumbu jambulku milkabu baykan jana warmbin, murni kari yamba daji-wanmuny, yambada wawu jana dajinba.


<translate> The two young men walked all day up the river and came back to the camp at dark.

Warru jambul wungar wubulku wangkar wawubaja jilban, bayan-ka nyunban wujurr-ba.


<translate> The old woman said: the paperbark bark is very soft; the little children lie on it.

Mukulungku balkan: buyku dumbul jika bajaku; karrkay-karrkay dumbulbu wunay.


<translate> Why is the kestrel hanging in the sky? It is watching for a rat in the grass; when it sees one, it will drop down fast and catch it.

Wanyurrinku kalin-kalin jiringa walngkal? Nyulu kukur jikanba nyajil; nyulu nyubun nyaji-nya, nyulu bada warri dungay, karrbanka.


<translate> The old man said a track with fresh sign and a track with old sign both tell you an animal passed, but only the reader who can tell the wet-edged new print from the crumbling old one knows whether to follow now or turn away, so learning to read fresh-marked ground from stale-marked ground is the very heart of the whole art of tracking.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan jina jirakal-ji jina mukul-ji jambul yundunka balkan minya nyubun jilbanmuny, nyubun nganga nyaji-bama nyulu balkal jina duna-nga jirakal jina buban-manda mukulmuny nyulu binal wukurri nyikuku yambada bawa dungayku, jina jirakal-ji bubu jina mukul-ji bubumuny ngaranka nyulu jina-binal wubulku milka bada bajaku.


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


<translate> The bottlebrush tree is big.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karunkurr crested pigeon here.


<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> After the sleep, they went on again.


<translate> The grass-tree resin is there on the spear.

Kanunjul nganjirr-muny kalka-nga yinyay.


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


<glossary> nuril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child is peeping through the window


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


<translate> The hunter followed the tracks, found the kangaroo, and speared it near the water hole.

Dingkar-angka jina nyaji-l-nyajin, mayarriji warrmba-bungan, bana karangkal daman.


<lexeme> The Daintree side of Rocky Point


<translate> Wash your hands well in the clean water before you eat the fresh cooked meat.

Mara julurri-ji-ka bana ngulkurr-ba, minya jani nuka-nyjiku.


<translate> The child asked grandmother about the old song.

Karrkay babi-nda wulngku mukul-ku babajin.


<translate> Grandfather washed the child's foot.


<translate> This spear my grandfather made is rather long, so a short man cannot throw it well.

Nyiku kalka ngayku kami-ngka bungan jarra-kalbay, dingkar buban kari ngulkurr bawanka.


<translate> Mother saw the fire stick on the ground.


<translate> They dug up the long wild yam, which runs deep like a rock python under the ground.

Jana wawukuna bakan, nyulu bada kalbay yala kabul bubu-dukurr-ba wunay.


<translate> My mother wove a strong basket from the vine to carry the yams home.

Ngayku ngamungka ngunyin junkurr bungan maya-bu, bambayal bayan-ka wundi-nka.


<translate> That long wild yam is there.


<translate> They saw the river mist here.


<translate> That wood there is not smooth.


<translate> Yesterday they stayed at the camp.


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

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


<translate> He does not swim in the deep river, lest he drown in the strong current.

Nyulu kari janji-l wawubaja dukurr-ba, bujil-janji-nyji bana junkurr-ba.


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

Mukul-jalbu-ngku karrkay ngandal nyajin.


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


<translate> The bright sun rose slowly over the hills, and the day soon became hot and dry.

Wungar balbal daka buban-buban jamba-muny, wungar niji wumbul-ma-n marral.


<translate> Cover the coals with sand before the wind rises, the old woman taught the girls, and the fire will still be alive under its blanket at dawn, for a fire kept through the night is a gift: the person of the evening gives it, the person at dawn takes it, and both of them are only you.

Ngunjil jukarbu nanda, wulbumanangka jalbu-buban milbin, muyar wandinyjiku, baya nyulu janay juran kararr badabada muduwajuny, baya karrbanmuny wujurrburr nyulu daji-jirray: bama wujurrba dayal, bamangka muduwajuny manil, jambul yinya yundu nganga.


<translate> The dog kept biting and biting at the snake until at last the long snake lay dead and still.

Kaya jarba bayka-l-bayka-n, jarba kalbay wula-nyjiku janka wunay.


<translate> They see the black snake there.


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


<translate> They saw the yarrka bee there.


<translate> They see the queenfish there.


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


<translate> Mother sent a message to father.


<translate> Mother washed the child's chest.


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


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


<translate> You and I see the scrub goanna here.


<translate> His mother is my mother's elder sister; the two of us are cousins.

Nyungu ngamu ngayku ngamu-mu babarr; ngali bangunji.


<translate> Grandmother wove the bag from coarse grass.


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

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


<translate> The children love the sweet honey, but they are afraid of the angry stinging bees.

Karrkay-karrkay wawu wunba jiba, yamba jana yinil dabu kuli-ji-nka.


<translate> He sees the murral tree kangaroo there.


<translate> You see the reflection there.


<translate> The road went straight up like this.


<translate> I saw the jinabiju goshawk there.


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

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


<translate> You all saw the shooting star here.


<translate> They took the child to camp.


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

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


<translate> My mother and my elder sister went to the river to dig for roots, but my younger brother stayed in the camp with grandmother.

Ngayku ngamu babarr wawubajanga dungan bangkan bakanka, yambada ngayku yabaju bayanba bundan babi-ji.


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


<translate> The river rose fast and covered the sand.

Wawubaja jinbalku yalbayman, jukar nandanda.


<translate> The seaside people know all the fish and the turtle, and the names of every place along the coast.

Jalun-warra bama kuyu ngawiya narmba binal, bubu narmba-mu burri jalun-burr.


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


<translate> He saw the yalnga turtle here.


<translate> They see the karraway snail here.


<translate> The mother stood the child up on its feet, washed its face, sang a song, and it stopped crying.

Ngamungku karrkay jina-nga jana-y-manin, mil julurrin, burri balkan, nyulu badil bawan.


<translate> When the man is angry, his face goes dark, and his chest and his heart burn hot inside him.

Dingkar kuli-ma-nya, nyungu walu ngungul-ma-l, damu wubul wumbul-ma-l dukurr-ba.


<translate> The scrub hen scratches in the fallen leaves and heaps up a big mound for her eggs.

Jarruka-ngka birra dara-nya baka-l, diburr-ku bubu yalbay bunga-l.


<translate> The mother always fed the little children first, the old woman said, and ate only what was left over when everyone else had already eaten.

Ngamu-ngku marri karrkay-karrkay buban nyubun mayi daji, mukul-jalbu balkan, nyulu nuka kanbal-jinbaji wubulku wawu-nuka-nya-muny.


<translate> Grandmother saw father's chest.


<translate> Never run from a snake and never step over it, the old man had taught them; wait, and let it go its own way.

Mukulungku dingkarangka jana milbin ngadiku: kari warri jarbamuny, kari wangkar dakal; maku-janay, jarba nyulu yala dungay.


<translate> We two (not you) see the wooden sword here.


<translate> The frogmouth sits so still on a broken branch all day, the old man said, that it looks just like a dead tree, and no one sees it at all.

Bulnja dakil dumbarri-nya-ba wungar wubulku janka bajaku bunda, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu yala juku wula-nya, bama kari nyaji.


<translate> The child does not know the language.


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


<translate> You two see the lizard there.


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


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


<translate> He sees the kalbariji tree there.


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


<translate> I see the ngurrkul fig tree here.


<translate> I see the king parrot there.


<translate> We took the fire stick from the ground.


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

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


<translate> The woman saw bark on the ground.


<translate> You see the julbal tree there.


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


<translate> The straight strong wood of the oak tree makes the very best digging sticks of all.

Dalban juku jinbal junkurr, bubu bakal-nka juku ngulkurr bajaku.


<translate> The child laughed at father.


<translate> The sand goanna digs in the soft ground and eats the eggs and the small lizards.

Jadi bubu kima-nga bakan, bajuy buban nukal.


<translate> The mothers and the fathers went to the meeting to talk about the young children's future.

Ngamu-karra nganjan-karra malkarri-ka dungan, karrkay-karrkay-mu wungar kada-nya-mu balka-nka.


<translate> You all saw the diwalngku bird there.


<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 two dogs fought over the bone until granny threw water on them, and then they lay down quiet by the fire.

Kaya jambul kuniwan bajibayka, babingka bana yilban jananda, jana warngku wunanda bayanga wunbuku.


<translate> The old man held up two stones and said: this hard one is like a man's word — once given, it does not break or change.

Mukul-dingkarangka kulji jambul wandin, balkan: yinya junkurr yala dingkar-mu kuku — nyubun-bu dajin, kari dumbarri, kari yindu-mal.


<translate> You and I see the blanket here.


<translate> Come inside — the storm is close!


<translate> They are tired of the noise.


<translate> The two sisters wove their dilly-bags as one, sitting close together, and both bags came out the very same in the end.

Jinburr jambul-angka yinkar kaja nyubun-bu, janka bundan muru, yinkar jambul badanga yala-rrku warmban.


<translate> The woman ground the hard seeds into meal on the big flat grinding stone by the camp.

Jalbu-ngku mayi junkurr murnin kulji yalbay-bu bayan ngundu.


<translate> I did not eat the plant food; I ate the meat.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the pastor baptised him


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


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


<translate> We pulled the fish in one after another.


<translate> When the boy asked the old woman where the water was hidden in the dry country, she did not tell him but asked him back three questions of her own: what do the deep-rooted trees know that the shallow ones do not, and which way do the birds fly at dusk, and where does the ground stay damp long after the rain has gone?

Buban wulbuman babajinnya wanja bana bubu-kiway buyanmuny, nyulu kari balkan yambada nyulu babajin jananka kuku kulur nyungu-nyungu: wanyu juku bangkan-jarra binal juku bangkan-buban kari binalmuny, wanjaburr buyi marra-warri kunarangkalba, wanja bubu duna janan kalbay bana dunganya ngadiku?


<translate> They see the mura tree here.


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


<translate> He speared three fish with the fish spear.


<translate> You two see the lizard here.


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


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

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


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

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


<translate> The two walked for a long time.


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

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


<translate> The old man asked the whole camp quietly: "Where have all the young people gone, and when will they return?"

Mukul-dingkar-angka bayan narmba babajin janka: Warru-warru narmba wanjabu dungan, wanjawanja jana nyunba?


<translate> The child saw the boomerang in the bag.


<translate> The old man said a river with fish and a river without fish look exactly the same from the bank, and only the one who reads the water, the ripples, the birds, the small signs, can tell which is which before wasting a whole day, so learning to read the empty water from the full is one of the first skills a young fisher must gain.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan wawubaja kuyu-ji wawubaja kuyu-kari nyubun yala jalkarmuny nyajil, nyubun nganga nyulu bana ngaral, bana-jarrba, buyi, wari buban baja, nyulu balkan wanya wanya wungar wubulku bawal ngadiku, bana kuyu-kari bana kuyu-jimuny ngaranka nyubun kalka ngadiku warru-kuyu-bama maninka.


<translate> The old woman knows how to find water even in the driest country, the old man said, by the green trees and the tracks of the birds and the bees.

Mukul-jalbu binal bana mani-nka bubu marral bajaku-ba, mukul-dingkar balkan, juku biral-bu buyi dabu-mu jina-bu.


<translate> Count what made you laugh this week; jealousy dies in that counting.

Kunja wanyu yundu yajarr-bungan wungar yanyaba: ngujan wulay kunjal yinyaba.


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


<translate> The best part of the whole day was the night, when the work was done and the stories began by the fire.

Wungar wubulmu ngulkurr bajaku kunarangkal, kirraji dunganmuny, kuku badinya bayanga.


<translate> That dog bit the child, so the men chased it away.

Yinya-ngka kaya-ngka karrkay baykan, dingkarangka kangan bada-ka.


<translate> The fish net is on the open ground.


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


<translate> We see the yawarr palm there.


<lexeme> that's nonsense, take no notice


<translate> I see the black spotted dart here.


<translate> Tell the children the flood story before the flood comes back, the old woman pressed the young parents every wet season, for the water returns on its own law, and a story told in the right time is a hard shelter, but a story told afterwards is only a stone with marks on it.

Karrkay-karrkaynka kuku-jangkar bana-yalbaymuny balka bana kadanyjiku baja, wulbumanangka warru-dunyu jurrngan bana-wungar nyubun-nyubunba, bana nyulu kaday baja kuku nyungu-nyungubu, kuku-jangkar balkanmuny wungara yukilba nyulu bayan dandi, yambada kuku-jangkar balkanmuny badaku nyulu kulji nganga jina-ji.


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


<translate> The old man said: the curlew cries at night for its lost young, and the old people say that when you hear it close to the camp, someone will soon pass away — so listen, and hold your family close.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: kuyir wujurrbu badil nyungu karrkayka, mukul-mukul balkal kaki yundu milkabu nyaji bayan ngundu, bama nyubun wulay baja; yundu milkabu nyaji, yundu mula-mula karrba.


<translate> Ti-tree bark is on the house.


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


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


<translate> You two see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> The two young men looked at the ground, ashamed, and after a while they put down their anger.

Warru jambul bubu nyajin, jana walu-jirrbu-jirrbu, wungar dunganya jana dukul-wuri bawan.


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


<translate> The moon pulls the tide the way a mother pulls a blanket, the old woman said on the seashore: big moon, big water, the high tide walks far up through the sand and the low tide walks far out, and the one who knows the moon knows where the sea's food stands tonight.

Kijabu yira kulbal yala ngamungku kararr kulbal, wulbumanangka balkan yalmbanga: kija yalbay, bana yalbay, balar jilbal kala-kalbay wangkar jukarburr, ngajal jilbal kala-kalbay bada, bama nyulu kija binal nyulu binal wanja mayi jalunmuny janay wujurrba.


<translate> The woman wove the dillybag absorbed in the work.


<translate> The bird is sitting in the tree.


<translate> A pair of trees is standing there.


<translate> Dad got the rifle and went out for pigs.

Nganjanangka marrkin manin, bikibikinga dungan.


<translate> He saw the biwul snake here.


<translate> We shape the tools, and then the tools shape the hands, and the hands shape the children watching — so carve kindly.

Ngana yamba-murni bungal, yalada yamba-murnibu mara bungal, marabu karrkay nyajilmuny bungal, yalada bunga kimabu.


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

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


<translate> You two saw the kurrubal freshwater cod here.


<translate> He sees the jalan sea urchin here.


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> she washed clothes in the creek


<translate> The old woman taught the young girls to dig with care, lest they break the long yam and lose the sweetest part below.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku maral-maral balkan: janka baka, bambayal kalbay dumbarri-nyji, mayi jiba-wulay bada-bada wula-nyji.


<translate> They see the small bat there.


<translate> Grandmother washed the baby's navel.


<translate> The old woman cooks the meat at dusk, when the last red light fades from the western sky.

Mukul-jalbu-ngku minya wajun wujurr-ma-nya, balbal kulbul jiri kudamundu-muny wula.


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


<translate> I cannot speak for them; their tongue lives in their own mouths.

Ngayu kari balkal jananka: nyabil janamuny janay ngandalba.


<translate> They see the bamboo spear stick here.


<translate> You saw the murma wasp there.


<translate> The girls gathered firewood; the boys got water; granny cooked.

Maral-maralangka baya bangkan; dabalangka bana manin; babingka mayi wayjun.


<translate> The men made strong rope from the inner bark of the tree and twisted it tight with their hands.

Dingkar-angka karra junkurr bungal dakil dukurr-muny, mara-bu junkurr murnin.


<translate> Mother gave food to the child.


<translate> When the high tide comes in the fish come with it into the creek, and the men wait at the narrow place with their spears.

Balar kadanya, kuyu kadan jalunji yilkinga, dingkar-dingkar maku-janan yilki bubanba kalkaji.


<translate> The two of them see the scrub goanna there.


<translate> How many children does your elder sister have? She has children: three boys and two girls. And who looks after them when she goes hunting? Their grandmother minds them all.

Wanjarrinya kangkal yunu babarr karrbal? Nyulu kangkal karrbal: karrkay dingkar kulur, jalbu jambul. Wanyangka jana karrbal babarr balbi-nga dungay? Jananga babingka jana wubul karrbal.


<translate> The child broke the billycan.


<translate> The child washed his stomach.


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


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


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


<translate> Honey is sweeter than the ripe fruit, so the children always run to the flowering tree first.

Kawar jarra-ngulkurr mayi kulbul-ka, karrkay wubulku juku-nganka-ka warri wungar-nyubunmuny.


<translate> My younger brother and I set out at dawn, tracked the wallaby to the ridge, speared it together, and carried it home to our mother and grandmother.

Ngayku yabaju ngali wungar wangkara dungan, kadar jina wukurrin bubu wangkara, muru daman, bayanka wundinda ngamu babi-nka.


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


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


<translate> They saw the spider shell here.


<translate> The eggs were down in the warm sand.


<translate> Grandfather saw mother's ankle.


<translate> They two saw the sea turtle there.


<glossary> bubu ; type=noun ; domain=land-geography <usage_example> the clothes are dirty now


<translate> The fire was covered with sand before we left.


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


<translate> The freshwater turtle sleeps in the mud at the bottom of the waterhole through the cold dry season.

Ngujay kambal-kambal-ba bana-jina-nga wunay ngiki dukurr-wungar-a wubulku.


<translate> The hunt for dugong takes many men and a strong raft, for the dugong is heavy and fights hard for its life.

Biwuy balbinka dingkar wubul manil, marrakan junkurr, biwuy dandi bajaku, kuniwal junkurrku wawuka nyungu.


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


<translate> You and I will build a shelter here before the rain comes.

Ngaliny yaluy bayan bunga-l, bana kada-nyji.


<translate> You and I see the dulmbi umbrella palm there.


<translate> We saw the saltwater crocodile in the water.


<translate> The little dog pestered the old woman for meat.

Kaya buban mukul-jalbu-nda minya-ka walngkurrijin.


<translate> The water rose in the river.


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


<translate> And so the grandmother finished, and she held the child's head and said: Now you know your people. Wherever you go and whatever happens, you are never alone, and you are never nothing, for you are one of us, and we are many, and we love you. Never forget it.

Yalaku babingka bawan, nyulu karrkaymu walu-wangkar karrban, balkan: Nyiku yundu binal yundu bama. Wanjabu yundu dungay wanya kadanya, yundu kari nyubun nganga, yundu kari yamba-kari, yundu ngana nyubun, ngana wubul, ngana yundu wawu jirray. Kari yabarrka milka-wula.


<translate> The children asked how you tell healthy caution from cowardice, and the old man said: Caution asks what is the wise thing; cowardice asks what is the safe thing; and the two give the same answer only about half the time.

Karrkay-karrkayangka babajin yala yundu nyaji-ngarr yinil-bamamuny binal, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: nyaji-ngarrbu babajil wanya yamba binal, yinil-bamabu babajil wanya yamba yukil, jambulku kuku nyubun dajil wungar buban nganga.


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


<translate> The woman made a dilly bag and they put the food in it.

Jalbungku balji balkan, jana mayi mumban baljinga.


<translate> The woman saw the old man's back.


<translate> Turn the canoe — rocks ahead!


<glossary> yunu ; type=adjective ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> I got water for you


<translate> They saw the father's sister.


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


<translate> The black goanna is not vicious, but its teeth are bad.

Walkarr kuli-ji kari, yamba dirra buyun.


<translate> You all see the board there.


<translate> The two men fought with clubs and shields; one struck with the waddy, the other blocked with the shield; neither man was hurt, and they laughed afterwards.

Bula dingkar mirru-bu, kunjuri-bu kuni-wan; nyubunji nala-nala-bu kunin, yindungku kunjuri-bu karrban; bula dingkar kari buyun, bula baja yajarrin.


<translate> The young man wants the woman from the coast for his wife, the old man said, so he has brought fish and turtle meat to her people.

Warru wawu jalbu jalun-mu-nka nyungu biwar-nka, mukul-dingkar balkan, nyulu kuyu ngawiya minya-jirr nyungu bama-nka kadan.


<glossary> kiji-kijiyal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> He is tickling the child


<translate> Tie the paperbark down before the storm!


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


<translate> He said: Water, then earth, then beating with a stick — know all three ways first before you ever need them, for a fire will not wait while you learn.

Nyulu balkan: bana ngadiku, bubu yindu, jukubu kunil yindu, yala kulur ngadiku binal wawunmuny, baya kari maku-janay yundu binalmalnya.


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


<translate> What did you bring the fire-stick for? To start a fire, so we can cook the fish we caught.

Wanya yundu jimal wundin? Baya jakalambanka, ngali kuyu wajunku.


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


<translate> The old man said the bond between a mother and her child is the first and deepest of all, and the language marks it in a special way: the mother and child together are called by one dyadic word, ngamu-manda, the two-who-are-mother-and-child, as if the pair were a single thing, for in the old understanding a mother and her small child were indeed almost one being, and the word held that truth.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan karra ngamu nyungu karrkay jambulmuny nyulu ngadiku dukurr bajaku wubulmuny, kuku nyulu dandi-bungal yala yukil: ngamu karrkay nyubunji nyulu kuku nyubun kunjal, ngamu-manda, jambul-jana-ngamu-karrkay, yala jambul nyulu yamba nyubun, ngadiku-milka ngamu nyungu karrkay buban nyulu bajaku nyubun-mabi, kuku yinya kuku-yukil karrban.


<translate> You two see the deep water here.


<translate> They saw the shell back snail there.


<translate> The old woman with a dilly bag full of berries and roots walked slowly back up the hill.

Mukul-jalbu ngunyin mayi-jirr, jamba wangkar jilban buban-buban.


<translate> The little boy ran to his father and asked: Are you going hunting today, and can I come with you, and can I carry your spear?

Karrkay bubanangka nyungu dingkarka warrin, babajin: Yundu nyiku balbil dungay, ngayu yununji kaday, ngayu yunu kalka wundil?


<translate> The two of them saw the murma wasp here.


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


<glossary> ngura-ngura ngal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> The carpenters got the house ready to build (leveled the foundations measured to see where the walls wouuld be etc)

Jana carpenter-carpenterangka bayan ngurangurangan


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


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


<translate> He does not bathe in the river lest he drown.

Nyulu kari janji-l wawubaja-nga, bujil-janji-nyji.


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


<translate> You and I see the valley here.


<glossary> manubu-wundil ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=speech-communication <usage_example> The boss deceived him


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


<translate> The two of them saw the jabil lizard there.


<translate> The children carried this teaching all their lives, and in a world always telling them to want more and have more, they remembered to ask instead: Is this enough? And usually it was.

Karrkay-karrkayangka yinya kuku wundin wawu wubulku, bubu yabarrka balkanya wubul-baja wawuka, wubul-baja maninka, jana binalku babajinka baja: Yinya yukil? Yabarrka yukil.


<translate> One evening the old man stopped at a bend in the river.

Yilay-yilay mukul dingkar janan wawubajanga.


<translate> The sun came up. Dad got his spear. He went out for pigs.

Wungar wandin. Nganjanangka nyungu kalka manin. Nyulu bikibikinga dungan.


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


<translate> The marku species of oyster is here.


<translate> We took mother's clothes to camp.


<translate> They saw the mawul freshwater eel here.


<translate> The old woman said this fruit is rather sweet but that one is very sweet, so give the sweet one to the child and keep the rather sweet for yourself.

Mukul-jalbu balkan: yinya mayi jarra-jiba-wulay, yamba yinya jiba-wulay-baja-ku, mayi jiba-wulay-baja-ku karrkay-nka daji, jarra-jiba-wulay yununy mani.


<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.


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


<translate> You all see the windbreak there.


<translate> They see the shellfish here.


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


<translate> I see the kunkun periwinkle here.


<translate> The young man took seeds to camp.


<translate> The spoon bill bird is here.


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


<translate> They saw the kalngkan small mullet here.


<translate> They saw the scrub tree there.


<translate> And the country never lies and never changes its story for anyone, he said, and that is why we can trust it above all things.

Bubu kari warmbijil yabarrka, nyulu balkan, kari nyungu kuku murnil bamaka, yala ngana bubu binalku yamba wubulmuny.


<translate> The old man's head is aching badly today, and his two eyes are sore and weeping from the fire's smoke.

Mukul-dingkar dukul kaka bayan niji, nyungu miyil jambul kaka bana wanarri kubu-muny.


<translate> The old man said the making of a spear is a chain of changes, each one shaping the next, for the straight sapling becomes a cut length, the cut length becomes a scraped and straightened shaft, the shaft is hardened in the fire, the point is sharpened and fixed, and the whole thing balanced, so that from a living tree comes, through a dozen deliberate changes, a made thing that could never have grown, and this is the whole nature of craft: guiding a raw thing through changes toward a use.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan kalka-murni nyulu yindu-mabi karra, nyubun-nyubun yindunka murnil, juku kalbay nyulu yakal, yakan yinya yurril kalbay-bungal baja, kalka baya-nga dandi-bungal, murru junkurr-bungal kajal baja, yamba wubulku nyubunji-bungal, juku juranmuny kadan, yindu-bungan wubulbu, yamba-murni nyulu kariku nyulu-nyulu yalbay-manmuny, yinya yala murnimuny wubulku: yamba jani-kari yindu-burr jilba-bungal murninka.


<translate> Granny is minding the baby while the women dig yams.

Babingka ngawa kujil, jalbu-jalbungku wukay bakal.


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


<glossary> damal ; type=transitive-verb ; domain=manipulation-impact <usage_example> the pastor baptised him


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


<translate> The woman sees the blue-tongue lizard on the ground.


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


<translate> We see the balmbalka tree here.


<translate> You all see the salmon there.


<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> They saw the bush fire there.


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


<translate> Uncle knows how to make canoes.


<translate> I was frightened by the crocodile.


<translate> I saw the murrkul tree here.


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


<translate> The woman did not cook the food; she roasted the fish.

Jalbu-ngku mayi kari wajun, kuyu dindan.


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

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


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

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


<translate> We see the black kangaroo there.


<translate> The woman got food for the child.


<translate> I see the ngadil hickory tree here.


<translate> They heard the rustling noise there.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> Did you see me at the ceremony? Yes, I saw you, but you did not speak to me; why did you leave before me?

Yundu nganya nyajin bubu-ngu? Yuwu, ngayu yununy nyajin, yambada yundu nganya kari balkan; wanyurrinku yundu ngadiku dungan?


<translate> The old woman knew which grubs lived in which trees, and she cut open the soft dead wood and pulled out the fat grubs for the children.

Wulbumanangka binal jambun wanya jukungu bundanay, nyulu juku wulan buban yika-daman, jambun wandul wandin karrkay-karrkayka.


<translate> The young men made new spears and new boomerangs from the hard wood before the big meeting.

Warru-ngku kalka jirakal, wangal jirakal bungal juku junkurr-bu, muru yalbay kariku.


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


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


<translate> The elder brother walks ahead on the path and the younger brother follows after, the old man said, and the elder must always look after the younger.

Yaba jina-ba wunan-ba jilba, yabaju wundi, mukul-dingkar balkan, yaba-ngku marri yabaju nyaji-nyaji.


<translate> The dog sat outside the camp in the cold night, while the people slept warm inside by the fire.

Kaya bayan ngalkal bundan wujurr ngiki-ba, bama warngku wuna kana wumbul baya ngundu.


<translate> Mother went outside with clothes.


<translate> You two saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> Did granny tell you the story?


<translate> The little ones splashed in the shallow water all afternoon.


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


<translate> We two, not you, saw the karkunbay stockwhip bird here.


<translate> You and I see the cheek here.


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


<translate> The honey was the best thing the children had ever tasted, and they ate it from their fingers and their faces and laughed, happy in the sun.

Wunba mayi ngulkurr bajaku karrkay-karrkayangka nukanmuny, jana marabu walubu nukan, yajarrin, ngulkurr wungara.


<translate> You see the newly cleared scrub there.


<translate> We two, not you, saw the jalil-jalil mudskipper here.


<translate> The bandicoot digs in the soft ground for grubs and roots in the night.

Kulngu bubu kima-nga bakan, jambun bangkan mani-nka wujurr-ba.


<translate> You two see the kalu garfish here.


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

Ngayu minya kari manin, kuyungku kari bajaku baykan


<translate> Climbing up the tall tree after honey, the young man slipped and fell to the ground.

Warru juku kalbay-ngu daka-l-daka-nya wunba-ka, bubu-ngu daran.


<translate> We see the water gum tree here.


<translate> You fit well staying in the house.


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


<translate> That dilly bag is mine, but the two spears over there belong to my brother.

Yinya ngunyin ngayku, yamba kalka jambul yinyay yaba-mu.


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


<translate> You two saw the torch there.


<glossary> jinbal ; type=adjective ; domain=manner <usage_example> Karrkay jinbal-kanga, ngana dungankada


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


<translate> You all see the hillside here.


<translate> They saw the dalmbal flathead there.


<translate> The sick old woman lay by the warm fire all the cold night, and her good daughter watched over her.

Mukul-jalbu bambay wunan baya wumbul ngundu wujurr ngiki wubulku, nyungu kangkal jalbu ngulkurr nyaji-l-nyaji-l.


<translate> You see the marril ti tree there.


<glossary> diburr ; type=noun ; domain=flora-plant <usage_example> They got lots of scrub hen eggs


<translate> The old man said: fire can make a spear hard or burn a whole camp; the same hand that heals can also harm — so teach the young to know the difference.

Mukul-dingkarangka balkan: baya kalka dandi-bungal, baya bayan wubul wajul; mara kakawarri-bungal, mara buyun-bungal; karrkay-karrkay binal-bunga jana yindu binal-mal.


<translate> I see the black beetle here.


<translate> We saw the karrandal tree there.


<translate> The children took the dog down to the river. The dog jumped in the water. Everyone got wet.

Karrkay-karrkayangka kaya wundin bada wawubajanga. Kaya bananga jalaman. Jana wubulku dunamarin.


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


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


<lexeme> want something but can't get it


<translate> I saw the karranda tree here.


Wungar wangkar-wangkar, ngana bana nukal.


<translate> Do not swim across the deep river alone, for the big crocodile lives on the far muddy bank.

Kari naka-naka bana dajali nyubun-bu, bilngkumu yalbay daburri kala-kalbay-mba wunay.


<translate> Do not put the fish in the sun lest it spoil; hang it in the shade instead!

Kuyu kari wungara yijarri, buyun-manyji; wabarrba walngka!


<translate> The fruit on that tree is good.


<translate> What does it taste like? — Sweet first of all, then a little bitter at the end.

Nganja nyungu wanjarr? Jiba-wulay ngadiku-ngurr, yalada ngambuy buban badanga.


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


<translate> The ghost frightened the girl.


<translate> The child put mother's clothes in the bag.

Karrkay-ngku kambi ngamu-ngu balji-nga yijarrin.


<translate> Each person has a totem from the country, the old woman said, an animal or a plant of their own that they must never once harm or hunt or eat.

Bama nyubun-nyubun-ngku mulkal-mulkal bubu-muny karrba, mukul-jalbu balkan, minya juku-baja nyungu-mu nyulu kari nyubun-bu kuni balbi nuka.


<translate> Grandmother, why do you always eat last? — Because from the last place you can see that everyone has something.

Babi, wanyurrinku yundu yabarrka nukal badaku? Bubumuny badamuny yundu nyajil bama wubulku yamba-ji.


<translate> They saw the forest kingfisher there.


<translate> Her little child is rather small, but he is already very strong and very quick indeed.

Nyungu karrkay jarra-buban, yamba nyulu junkurr-baja-ku jinbal-baja-ku niji.


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

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


<translate> He saw the jurriyan satin bower bird here.


<translate> The two of them saw the ngarkay waterhen there.


<translate> You and I see the seashore here.


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


<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> He saw the bamboo spear stick there.


<translate> We, not you, saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> The woman's shoulder is sore.


<translate> They saw the bronze wing pigeon here.


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

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


<translate> I see the turtle spear point.


<translate> Some places are just the same.


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


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


<translate> He called and called, and at last he heard a small cry far away.

Nyulu yirrkan-yirrkan, milkabu nyajinda badi buban kalakalbay.


<translate> They saw the whirlwind here.


<translate> The children ate their fill and lay down to sleep before the old people came back from the meeting in the dark.

Karrkay-karrkay narmba nuka, wuna warngku-wuna, mukul-bama balka-muny kada-nyjiku wujurr-ba.


<translate> You and I saw the ngarkay waterhen here.


<translate> The satin bower bird is there.


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


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


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

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


<translate> The other rope is lying neatly.


<translate> What is this white man's thing, and what is it for? It is a hard knife; it cuts faster than a shell, but the old woman says it takes the taste from the fish.

Wanyu nyiku waybala-mu, wanyurringku? Nyiku naybu dandi; nyulu warkal-ngadiku warri yakal, yambada mukulungku balkan nyulu kuyu-mu nganja manil.


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


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


<translate> The girl saw the snake in the grass.


<translate> They two saw the boomerang there.


<translate> The old man climbed the fig tree to get the ripe fruit at the very top.

Mukul-dingkar dukal-juku-ngu dakan, mayi kulbul mani-nka wangkar-a.


<translate> The old man laughed and said: I do not know all the answers, but the sky keeps its stories — watch always.

Mukulungku dingkarangka yajarrin, balkan: ngayu kari binal wubulku, yambada wangkarbu kuku kujil, nyaka yabarrka.


<translate> They see the red bream there.


<translate> The child sees the fish spear.


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

Mukul-dingkar-angka jina nyajin miyil-bu.


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

Store nandajinjiku, yalanguwimburr dunday


<translate> The children gathered the bush fruits in season — the wild plums, the figs, the quandongs — and knew each one by its leaf and its flower and its taste.

Karrkay-karrkayangka mayi madjamu bangkan wungara, mayi wubulku, jana nyubun-nyubun binal nyungu birrabu ngankabu nukalbu.


<translate> Count the people before the crossing and after it — the river takes the uncounted first of all.

Kunja jawun-karra bana-baral ngadiku badaku baja: wawubajabu bama kunjanmuny-kari manil ngadiku-ngurr.


<translate> The country tells you everything, if you learn to watch and listen like the old people do.

Bububu yununda milbil yambayamba, kaki yundu binalmal nyajinka milka-jananka yala kamba-kamba.


<translate> You all saw the yirku-yirku frog here.


<translate> The oak and the messmate stood together on the ground, and the children were in their shade.

Dalban warka baja muru janan bubungu, karrkay-karrkay wabarrba.


<glossary> nguba ; type=adverb ; domain=grammatical-particle <usage_example> Maybe he'll go, maybe not


<translate> The fishing was very good after that big water.

Kuyu wubul bajaku wawu-banamuny yalbaymuny.


<translate> They saw the ngurran rope there.


<translate> We put the broad green leaves down on the ground first, and then the meat on top of them.

Ngana birra kalbay jikan-jikan bubu-ba yijarrin niji, baja minya wangkar-a.


<translate> The spear-thrower is at the camp.


<glossary> minji ; type=noun ; domain=fire <usage_example> The fire has a lot of flames shooting up


<translate> South wind, a dry week; east wind, wet feet — read the invisible rivers.

Muyar jibarrmuny, wungar marral: muyar nakamuny, jina yaru: nyaji wawubaja nyaji-karimuny.


<translate> They saw the deep water here.


<translate> Father laughed at the woman.


<glossary> nuril ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=perception <usage_example> The child is peeping through the window


<translate> You all saw the bilu-warra spoonbill there.


<translate> Young men do not drink alcohol lest they fight.

Warru-warru-ngku kamukamu kari nuka-l-nuka-l, kuni-wa-nyji.


Nganjan-angka jina wubul warrmba-bungan.


<translate> By the end of the day each child had made a small crooked bag, and the old woman said every one was good.

Wungar dunganya, karrkay wubulku ngunyin buban ngaran, wulbumanangka balkan: yambayamba ngulkurr.


<translate> The children ran ahead on the path, looking for tracks and calling out the names of the birds they saw.

Karrkay-karrkay warrin maku jinanga, jina nyajil-nyajin, buyimu burri yirrkan jana nyajinya.


<translate> You saw the jirimandi coconut tree there.


<translate> They saw the fern tree there.


<glossary> balnji ; type=adverb ; domain=manner <usage_example> cook the meat properly


<translate> They saw the bajalji python there.


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


<glossary> kumurr ; type=noun ; domain=time-deixis <usage_example> It's flower time now


<translate> I saw the barinkan scrub bird there.


<translate> The old woman said if a child is caught in a lie, do not shame them before others, for shame teaches only better hiding, but take them aside and ask quietly why they were afraid to tell the truth, because every lie is a fear wearing a mask, and you cannot cure what you only punish.

Wulbumanangka balkan: kaki karrkay warmbilba manil, kari milka-murruji-bunga bama wubulku dukurr-bu, milka-murruji milbil ngulkurr wuninka nganga, yambada nyulu ngundu manil janka babaji wanyu nyulu yinil kuku yukil balkanka, warmbil wubulku yinil nyulu kambi-ji, yundu murruji ngulkurr-bunga nyulu yundu nganga buyun-bungal.


<translate> You two see the seashore there.


<translate> Who did you go hunting with in the scrub this morning?

Yundu wanyanji balbin madja-nga wunkuwingku?


<translate> By morning the storm had passed, and the world was washed clean and green and shining under a soft new sun.

Wunkuwingku jarramali dungan, bubu wubulku julurrijin, ngulkurr, wungar jirakal wumbulbu balbajinya.


<translate> I would have eaten that meat gladly, the old man said, but by the time I found it, it had already gone rotten.

Ngayu minya yinya nuka-nyaku jiba-ngulkurr, mukul-dingkar balkan, yamba ngayu mani-nya-muny, minya kabu.


<translate> He saw the mulumu dove here.


<translate> The young man will not go without that one.


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


<translate> They kept sitting together and talking quietly by the fire until the morning light came.

Jana bundanday muru balka-l janka baya ngundu, wunkuwingku balbal kada-nyjiku.


<translate> You and I see the fire here.


<translate> That willie wagtail is there.


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


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


<translate> The old man said a good traveller reads three things: the sky, to know the weather coming; the ground, to know who and what has passed; and their own body, to know when to walk and when to rest, and the greatest of these is the last.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: jilba-bama yukil kulur nyajil: jiri, wangkar kadanya binalka; bubu, wanyu wanya ngadiku dunganmu binalka; nyungu bangkarr, wanjinya jilbanka wanjinya mara-kunbanka, yalbay bajaku yinyamu ngamu-baja.


<translate> You all see the grass wallaby there.


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


<translate> The sick child's body was hot with fever, and the old woman gave him bush medicine.

Karrkay bambay-mu bangkarr wumbul-baja, wulbumanangka dukunjaka dajin.


<translate> They see the kookaburra there.


<translate> The dogs smelled the meat and came running.

Kaya-kayangka minya nyajin, warrin kadan.


<translate> When the children washed in the river each morning, the old man said, they were not just cleaning their skin but greeting the water and thanking the country for another day.

Karrkay-karrkay wawubajanga julurri-jinya wunkuwingku wubulku, mukulungku dingkarangka balkan, jana kari nyubun bangkarr dayirrmanil, banaka kuku dajin, bubunka nyubun wungarmu ngulkurr balkan.


<translate> The frightened kangaroo ran fast into the long grass and lay still, away from the two hunters.

Mayarriji yini-yini wanarrin jikan kalbay-ka, janka wunan balbi-bama jambul-muny.


<translate> The child went to the house.


<translate> The good fisherman got fish.


<translate> We see the mother's father there.


<translate> The wild bullock was angry and dangerous, so all the people ran quickly away from that place.

Bulki kuli buyun baja, bama narmba wanarrin buyun-muny yinya bubu-muny.


<translate> The old man said if the young ask why the old speak so slowly and repeat themselves, tell them this: we are not slow of mind but careful of word, for we have seen what a fast careless word can break, and we would rather lose a moment than lose a thing that took a lifetime to build.

Mukulungku dingkarangka balkan: kaki warru babaji wanyu mukul buban-buban balka balka-balka, jananka milbi yinya: ngana kari milka buban yambada kuku murni, ngana nyajinmu kuku warri binal-kari nyulu kaka-manil, ngana wawu wungar nyubun kilbanka kari yamba kilbanka nyulu wawu wubulmuny bungalmu.


<translate> The young man speared his first wallaby that day, and his uncle said: give the meat to all the old people.

Warrungku yinya wungar kadar nyubun daman; kalngangka balkan: minya daya kamba-kambanka wubulku.


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


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


<translate> We saw the jimu grasshopper here.


<translate> The black bean tree is good.


<translate> That person there is not quiet.


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


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


<translate> With and without are the two hands of describing, the old woman taught: say the man with the beard, the woman with the net, the camp without fire, the child without fear — and you have shown them all without one colour word.

Kuku '-ji' kuku '-kari' nyulu mara jambul milbilmuny, wulbumanangka milbin: balka dingkar walarr-iji, jalbu makarr-ji, bayan baya-kari, karrkay yinil-kari, yundu jana wubulku milbin kuku nyubunbu nganga.


<translate> Grandad took the children to the river. They swam and played in the water. Nobody wanted to come home.

Kamingka karrkay-karrkay wundin wawubajanga. Jana marijin, bananga kinkan. Jana wawu-kari kadanka baja.


<translate> If it rains, we will stay at the house.

Kaki kaba kaday, ngana bayanba bundanday.


<translate> They camped in the open place near the river.

Jana bundandan ngunnganga, wawubajanga ngundu.


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


<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> Do not play with the spear lest you hit the baby.

Kari kalka-ji nguju-wuri, yundu ngawa kuni-nyji.


<translate> When the family moved camp, the old woman carried a live coal from the old fire wrapped in green bark and paperbark, feeding it a breath of air now and then, so that the new camp was lit from the same fire that had warmed her mother and her mother's mother.

Jawun-karra bayan murninya, wulbumanangka ngunjil wula baya mukulmuny jarrakulban wawun-jinbal kambi-jukubu buwun, daya nyulu wangar buban wungar wubulku, bayan jirakal wandin baya nyubunmuny nyulu ngamu ngamumu ngamu baja wumbul-maninmu.


<translate> They saw the mud oyster there.


<translate> I see the bingkajiri tree here.


<translate> Uncle speared a big fish, but as he pulled it into the canoe a shark came up from the deep water and took it.

Kalngangka kuyu yalbay daman, marrakanba kulbanya, yaburr kadan banamuny bada, maninda.


<translate> The woman put a flower in the child's hand.

Jalbu-ngku nganka yijarrin karrkay-anda mara-nga.


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

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


<translate> Many bright stars fill the clear night sky high above the quiet sleeping camp.

Dawar wubul jiri-nga wangkar-a bunda-l wujurr-ba, bayan janka kudamundu.


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


<translate> This is our country; our fathers and their fathers hunted here.

Yanyu ngananga bubu; ngananga nganjan, jananga nganjan baja, yaluy balbin.


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


<translate> The dog is tame; the boy's temper is not — train the more dangerous one first.

Kaya minday: kuli bubanmuny kari: binal-bunga yinya yinil-baja ngadiku-ngurr.


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


<translate> We waited but the fish weren't biting.


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

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


<glossary> badi ; type=intransitive-verb ; domain=cognition-emotion <usage_example> The birds were singing early in the morning


<translate> Grandad came quietly with his long stick, hit the snake, and it soon died on the warm ground.

Kami wunbu kadan juku kalbayji, jinkalmu kunin, jinkalmu kalbarrmanda bubungu wumbulba.


<translate> You two see the nyirribulu appendix here.


<translate> A thunderstorm came in the night.


<translate> When the eel was cooked, granny shared it out, giving the best pieces to the children.

Kubarr ngulkurrmanda, babingka dajin wubulku, ngulkurr bajaku karrkay-karrkaynka dajin.


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

Jalbungku kulngkuldu minya kurranji nukan, nyungu kangkal muku-dukumal


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


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


<translate> Those stones are not close together.


<translate> The woman with the little child and the camp dog walked slowly along the sandy beach.

Jalbu karrkay buban-ji, kaya-ji baja, jukar-a jilba-dungan.


<translate> They saw the axe at the camp.


<translate> We see the grandmother here.


<translate> We, not you, saw the kukur rat here.


<translate> The tree stump lay on the ground.


<translate> The child is not yet strong enough to carry the heavy water back to camp.

Karrkay kariku junkurr bana kulngkul bayan-ka wundi-nka.


<translate> The two of them saw the wuju grass sponge here.


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


<translate> We see the willie wagtail there.


<translate> The old woman said: we all came from one mother-country; the rivers are ours, the animals are ours, the law is ours — so we share, and no one among us goes hungry.

Mukulungku balkan: ngana wubul nyubun bubu-muny kadan; wawubaja ngananga, minya ngananga, kuku ngananga — ngana daji-way, bama nyubun ngananga-nga kariku dakwuy.


<translate> The loud thunder rolls right across the sky and the little children begin to cry.

Jabulbina yalbay jiri-burr yirrka-y, karrkay buban wubul banbadi-l.


<translate> We see the marril ti tree there.


<translate> He got sick from the bad meat.


<translate> We saw the bujabay tree here.


<lexeme> the Aboriginal camp at Thompson Creek


<translate> You see the clean house there.


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


<translate> They see the windbreak there.


<translate> They saw the rope at the camp.


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

Nyulu yalkan-yalkan-yalkaji, jina bajiji


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

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


<translate> What did the old man call that big bright star in the east?

Wanyu mukul-dingkarangka yinya dawar yalbay kunjan yarra-nga?


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


<translate> He speared three fish with the fish spear.


<glossary> wurrmay ; type=noun ; domain=value-quality <usage_example> Don't steal


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

Danny storengy dungan, Carol ngarra dungan


<translate> After the cyclone we mended the shelters first of all, and the nets after them.

Wawu-wadjal-muny ngana bayan-ngurr murnin, makarr badaku.


<translate> The little ones fell asleep one by one, dreaming of the old woman and her first fire.

Ngawa-ngawa warngku wunan nyubun-nyubun, bijarrinya wulbumanka nyungu bayaka ngadikumuny.


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

jana kuljubu jarba kunin baja, kunin baja


<translate> You and I see the mayfly here.


<translate> The spear-thrower is at the camp.


<translate> Stand up straight and look towards the north, and you will see the fire of the far-off camp.

Janay jinbal wandi, kungkarr-ka nyaji-l, yundu nyaji-l baya bayan kala-kalbay-mu.


<translate> I see the karraway snail there.


<translate> The sisters sat together weaving the dilly-bags and singing the old songs by the fire, the old woman said, all through the long warm afternoon.

Babarr-karra bunda muru ngunyin jaba-l-jaba-nya wulngku kalbay-muny-mu yirrka-yirrka-nya buri-ngka, mukul-jalbu balkan, wungar wumbul narmba.


<translate> You two see the charcoal here.


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