Pronunciation Drills

Here are some words to use for pronunciation practice. Please consult the Pronunciation Guide or a Kunwok speaker for help.

1. No non-English sounds

 * 1) daluk woman
 * 2) manme food
 * 3) kunak fire
 * 4) kured camp
 * 5) kunwok language
 * 6) nayin snake
 * 7) mankung honey
 * 8) kunmim eye
 * 9) kunbid hand
 * 10) kundulk tree

2. Memorable because of how they sound

 * 1) mudika truck, car
 * 2) bakki tobacco
 * 3) duruk dog
 * 4) lod loaf
 * 5) bobo bye bye
 * 6) bikbik pig
 * 7) kukku water
 * 8) yawkyawk young woman
 * 9) wakwak crow
 * 10) bim painting

3. More easy words

 * 1) kukak night
 * 2) kundad leg
 * 3) mankabo river
 * 4) kunkeb nose
 * 5) kunbolk country
 * 6) kundang mouth
 * 7) delek white clay
 * 8) yabok sister
 * 9) namud family
 * 10) bod fly

4. Words ending with palatal sounds
(Hyperarticulate initially, e.g. bi.ni.njə, then don't release the nj)
 * 1) bininj person, aboriginal person, man
 * 2) kunkanj meat
 * 3) kunj kangaroo
 * 4) kunkanj meat
 * 5) djenj fish
 * 6) djedje woman's child
 * 7) marladj orphan
 * 8) kunkodj head
 * 9) kunmadj personal effects
 * 10) kundedj buttocks

5. Words with initial velar nasals

 * 1) ngaye I
 * 2) ngudda you
 * 3) ngalekke she
 * 4) nganabbarru buffalo
 * 5) ngalyod rainbow serpent
 * 6) kundenge foot - NB syllable boundary (kun.de.nge)
 * 7) kunngey name
 * 8) kunngarbek hair
 * 9) kunngudj strength
 * 10) manngarre bushes

6. Words with retroflex consonants

 * 1) rdarda younger sibling
 * 2) rdird moon, month, usually written "dird"
 * 3) kunbard knee
 * 4) wurdurd child
 * 5) ngardduk my, mine (rdd = rdrd)
 * 6) kunberl arm
 * 7) berluh aunty
 * 8) kunbirli light, flame
 * 9) manlabbarl waterhole
 * 10) kornkumo father

7. Words ending in glottal stop
(Cf English uh-uh.)


 * 1) mah ok
 * 2) baleh? where?
 * 3) mimih spirit being
 * 4) mayh animal
 * 5) yoh yes
 * 6) manbolh track
 * 7) milh forhead
 * 8) bokenh two
 * 9) kunkurlah skin
 * 10) wakih prawn

8. Words with flap or trill

 * 1) djarrang horse
 * 2) kurrung build up season
 * 3) karrang mother
 * 4) birriwern everyone
 * 5) namarrkon lightning
 * 6) wilarrk egg
 * 7) modjarrkki freshwater crocodile
 * 8) nakurrng poison cousin
 * 9) bengwarr deaf person
 * 10) kunberr fun

9. Words with combinations of difficult sounds

 * 1) ngalkohbanj old lady
 * 2) ngadjadj uncle
 * 3) ngadburrung sibling
 * 4) kunngorrk waist
 * 5) ngarradj sulphur-crested cockatoo
 * 6) yawurrinj young man
 * 7) korlonj man's child
 * 8) ngalng yabby
 * 9) manberlnginj clapstick
 * 10) djalangkarridj-djalangkarridj dragonfly

10. Useful words with notable combinations of meanings

 * 1) manbuyika next, previous
 * 2) wolewoleh afternoon, yesterday
 * 3) malaywi morning, tomorrow
 * 4) korroko just now, a long time ago
 * 5) kundung sun, hour
 * 6) kundjikka milk, breast
 * 7) kunwardde stone, money
 * 8) mako gun, didjeridoo
 * 9) kudjewk year, wet season
 * 10) dabborrabbolk elders, old people, ancestors