ABC Indigenous has a terrific online interactive resource. The map is based on language data from a number of respected sources and tries to contain all the language or tribal groups in Australia.
Clicking though various language groups will allow you in some cases to hear the language spoken, and possibly hear the story being told in English. There may also be links to other online resources.
You can cheat a bit and hear Ngaanyatjarra and the English version of a story spoken by Lizzie Ellis of a man who drank a lake a day and finally died from drinking trying to empty a lake that would not empty. It’s a bed time story to remind kids to regularly drink small amounts of water through the day. A pretty important message if you live in a desert.
Click on the image to go to the map.
I have written previously on the Indigenous Australia Language map (paper) and other resources and also on the Australian Indigenous Languages Database (Austlang).
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Ngaanyatjarra
The Australian Indigenous Languages Database (Austlang) has gone online incorporating google maps in a bit of a mash-up.
The database contains the following on each Indigenous Language
* alternative/variant names and spellings
* history of the number of speakers
* geographical distribution
* classifications from various sources
* resources
* documentation
* programs
* researchers
The search function is great. You can either type in an Indigenous language or an Australian place name. If you use an Australian place name you can then select a search radius. The map shows the Indigenous languages spoken in the area.
As an example I searched for ‘Swan Hill’ in Victoria and selected to heck or languages in a 25km radius. The Wemba Wemba and Wadi Wadi languages were found.
I immediately obtain basic information on neighbouring languages, dialects and other information.
It is a great resource for those working or interested in our (mainly) slowly dying indigenous languages.
I have also written on ‘Language and Health‘, ‘Languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People‘ and ‘Indigenous Languages‘
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