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Karriwokdi Kunwok! ~ Let's speak Kunwok!

Anyone can learn a language. It's fun! You'll make mistakes but that's ok!

This site contains free materials for learning to speak Kunwinjku, the main dialect of Kunwok that is spoken in Gunbalanya. Closely related dialects are spoken in Jabiru and Maningrida, and further south in Bulman and Pine Creek. These materials have been created by learners for learners, especially for anyone who comes into regular contact with Bininj, the speakers of Kunwok.

Kakadu and West Arnhem Language Map, featuring the six dialects of Kunwok (purple)
Kakadu and West Arnhem Language Map, featuring the six dialects of Kunwok (purple)

First Steps

  • Getting Started - Things to try on your first day
  • Phrasebook - Greetings, introductions, cuppa tea time, working together...
  • Podcasts - Learn on the go
  • Nouns - Common words for people, places and things
  • Loanwords - Words that have come in to Kunwok from other languages
  • Terminology - Key linguistic concepts with examples from English

Going Deeper

Reference

Cultural resources

Contribute

To post comments on these wiki pages, please sign up for an account using the link at the top right. To contribute to this site please email Steven Bird.

Credits

  • The head image is from a painting by Gavin Namarnyilk, used with permission.
  • This work has been supported by Charles Darwin University, Warddeken Land Management, the Australian Research Council, and the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program (Australian Government Office for the Arts)
  • The materials on this site have been compiled by Bangardi Steven Bird with contributions from Ngalkodjok Alexandra Marley and Bulanj Dean Yibarbuk.