There are several words to express ‘bad’, but it is interesting to note one similarity between the Nyungar language of south-west Western Australia and the Sydney language, and elsewhere in New South Wales:
Australian | respelt | English | EngJSM | source |
“[Wiribü´ngadyémi]” | wiribanga | “[Thou didst wrong or badly.]” | bad DO, to: | Dawes (b) [b:24:18.11] [BB] |
“Wiribi´” | wiribáyi | “Worn out (as clothes etc.)” | bad did: | Dawes (b) [b:24:13] [BB] |
“we-ree no-rar” | wiri ngura | “a bad country” | bad camp: | Anon (c) [c:21:3] [BB] |
“wee-re” | wiri | “Bad” | bad: | Collins 1 [507.2:28] [BB] |
“Wèrè” | wiri | “Bad” | bad: | King MS [398:20] [BB] |
“weri” | wiri | “bad” | bad: | AL&T Rowley GeoR [DgR] [260:28] [DgR] |
“Weè-ree, Weè-ree” | wiri | “He therefore cried out to the man, Weè-ree, Weè-ree, (bad; you are doing wrong) displaying at the same time, every token of amity and confidence.” | bad: | Tench [180:2] [BB] |
“Wee-ri(e)” | wiri | “Bad” | bad: | Southwell [148.1:15] [BB] |
“We-re” | wiri | “Bad” | bad: | Anon (c) [c:26:13.1] [BB] |
“Waree” | wari | “Bad” | bad: | Paine, Daniel [41.1:4] [BB] |
“Muree Waree” | mari wari | “Abhor, To” | bad: | Paine, Daniel [41.1:1] [BB] |
“Muree Waree” | mari wari | “very bad or improper” | big bad: | Paine, Daniel [41:19] [BB] |
“wurai” | warai | “bad” | bad: | KAOL Ridley [WAYIL] [128:5.3] [Wailwun] |
“wurrai” | warai | “Bad” | bad: | Mathews NYMBA 1904 [230.1:6] [NYMBA] |
“Warroo” | waru | “bad” | bad: | SofM 1896 09 12 [p.12.7: AMT-WAYIL] [12.7:18] [Wailwun] |
“Warra” | wara | “(Mountain dialect.) Bad.” | bad: | Moore 1842 [:101:11] [NYUNGAR] |
“war-ra” | wara | “horrible (?)” | bad: | [24] Hassell, Edney [:173:40] [NYUNGAR] |
“worra” | wara | “bad” | bad: | [13] Rae [:208:2] [NYUNGAR] |
“war-ra” | wara | “bad” | bad: | [4] Grey 1840 [:208:26] [NYUNGAR] |
“warra” | wara | “bad” | bad: | [22] Gray 1987 [:208:28] [NYUNGAR] |
“worra worra” | wara wara | “bad, very” | bad: | [13] Rae [:208:36] [NYUNGAR] |
The Sydney language words are at the top, indicated as such by "BB” (for Biyal Biyal) at the end of the line. The Nyungar words are at the bottom.
There are also two Wailwun examples, and a Niyamba example, from north-central New South Wales.
The original entries are given in double quotation marks for both the Australian word [dark grey column] and the original translation [light grey column]. Also provided are a modern simplified and standardised respelling [light orange column], and a standardised translation (‘bad’ in this instance) [yellow column]. Each entry concludes with the source details, with page number and line number in square brackets, with an estimated language name at the end [pink column].
7 July 2010
Comments