Phrasebook

Preface

The first challenge for a balanda learner of Kunwok is to get used to the idea that there's no words for hello or thank you. We like to discuss the weather with strangers, but here in West Arnhem, there's not much to discuss, except to remark on it being quite cold if the overnight temperature falls sub-20!

When speaking with people, it is good to limit eye contact. A small amount is fine, but sustained eye contact may come across as domineering. Bininj differ in how comfortable they feel with strangers, so pay attention to how much eye contact you're receiving, and don't give more than that.

You'll probably need help to pronounce these phrases correctly. Beginners struggle with the "ng-" words, and it's usually fine to not pronounce "ng-" at the start of words. So, avoid the hurdle and leave it out to start with. For more on pronunciation see the pronunciation guide and the podcasts. You might find a bininj who is prepared to help you with pronunciation.

If you've forgotten a word or phrase that someone taught you, don't be afraid to ask them again... it's better to ask again and use this to consolidate what you're learning.

Greetings

When greeting people, you'll probably be the one to initiate the interaction. If you're not an outgoing kind of person, you'll have to pretend! It is appropriate to show curiosity about where people are going and what they are doing, even if you only just met them. It is also appropriate to state the obvious, e.g. saying yire shop to someone who is heading towards the shop (a bit like saying "nice day!" when it is obviously the case).

Kunwok	English	Comments
ngudda kamak?	are you good?	(use with any size of group)
yoh, kamak	yes, good
baleh yire?	where are you going?	(said to just one person)
ngare shop	I'm going to the shop	(it's ok to include English words)
yire kakbi	you're going north	(fine to state the obvious)
yimdurndi	you've come back
baleh keno yimdurndeng	when are you coming back?
ngawarnyak wak	I can't stand the crows
mah bonj, ngare	ok, I'm going
yire	you're going
mah bonj	ok we're done
nan kaluk	see you later	(use with any size of group)
bobo	goodbye

Introductions

Here your challenge is to get over needing to know someone's name. Learn their skin name, and optionally the kinship term you use for them, and try to just use that.

Kunwok	English	Comments
ngaye nakamarrang	I'm nakamarrang	(give your skin name if you have one)
ngudda yingale?	Who are you?
yimulewarren ngudda	Tell us about yourself	mulewan = give a report
baleh kunkurlah nguddangke?	what's your skin?
nangale ngunwong?	who gave it to you?	won = give (your skin name)
njale marneyime?	what do I call you?	(elicits a kinship term)
baleh ngudda beh?	where are you from?
baleh yidolkkang	where did you grow up?
ngaye Melbourne beh	I'm from Melbourne
ngadolkkang Darwin	I grew up in Darwin
kamak ngayerrkan?	good if I sit?	(i.e. may I sit)
baleh kayime wurdurd yikarrme?	how many children do you have?	baleh kayime = how many
ngakarrme danjbik wurdurd	I have three children	(nakudji, boken, danjbik = 1, 2, 3)

Cuppa Tea Time

Kunwok	English	Comments
tea yibongun?	Would you (singular) like some tea?	yi-bongun = you.sg-drink (bo-ngun = liquid-eat)
tea ngurribongun?	Would you (plural) like some tea?	ngurri-bongun = you.pl-drink
ngabomarnbun tea	I'm making tea	nga-bo-marnbun = I-liquid-make
ngabokinje	I'll put the kettle on	bo-kinje = liquid-cook
mambard	billycan
yikurrmen mambard kukunak	put the billycan on the fire	ku-kunak = at-fire
bowurlhmeng	it's boiled	bo-wurlhme-ng = liquid-be.hot-past
kundjikka yidjare?	Would you like milk?
mankung? / djukka?	sugar?	mankung = honey
mankung kanwo	give me sugar	kan-wo = you.me-give.imperative
kanbowo kundjikka	give me milk	kan-bo-wo = you.me-liquid-give.imperative
nja	here	passing the tea, milk, sugar

Speaking

Kunwok	English	Comments
kunwok	talk, word(s), language
yiwokdi kunwok	you're speaking Kunwok	yi-wokdi = you-speak
yiwokdi yeledj	speak slowly
ngaborlbme kunwok	I'm learning Kunwok	nga-borlbme = I-learn
njale kayime "dog"?	how do you say "dog"?	ka-yime = it-says
yuwn kandjekmiwon!	don't laugh at me!	kan-djekmiwon = you.me-laugh.at
yimeng "hello"	he/she said "hello"	0-yime-ng = he/she-say-past
ngabenmarneyimeng malaywi	I told them this morning	ngaben-marne-yime-ng = I.they-for-say-past
ngadjawan bu ngare kumekke	I'm asking him/her if I can go there	nga-djawan = I-ask
ngamulewarren ngaye	I'm introducing myself	nga-mulewa-rren = I-report-reflexive

Working together

Another adjustment when learning Kunwok is all the long words, e.g. karridjarrkdurrkmirri, which can be broken down into karri-djarrk-durrkmirri (we-together-work).

Note that we generally don't translate "do this with me" literally, but rather say "you and me we do it".

Kunwok	English	Comments
baleh ngurriyime?	what are you doing / will you do?	(to a group)
baleh yiyime ngudda?	what are you doing / will you do?	(to one person)
yibimbun	you're painting/writing it
yimilebun	you're weaving it
yidulkdadjke	you're cutting wood	yi-dulk-dadjke = you-tree-cut
yikaru!	dig it!
yimang mandengiyi	you're fetching the vehicle
minj yimarnbun nakudji	you can't do it alone
karribidyikarrmerren	we're helping each other	karri-bidyikarrme-rren = we-help-reciprocal
karridjarrkdurrkmirri	we're working together	karri-djarrk-durrkmirri = we-together-work
karribebbehdurrkmirri	we're working separately	karri-bebbeh-durrkmirri = we-separately-work
ngawarrewong	I made a mistake
werrk!	hurry up!
yeledj!	slow down!
med!	wait!
kanbidyikarrimen!	help me!	kan-bidyikarrme-n = you.me-help-imperative
karriyakwon	we finished it	karri-yakwon = we-finish
ngabimbun timesheet	I'm doing the timesheet

Phonecalls

Note that the verb bun "strike" is often used to mean "call" or "ring".

Kunwok	English	Comments
yoh	yes?	when answering, else just "hello"
nangale ngunewokdi	who do you want to talk to?	ngune-wokdi you.two-talk
ngudda nangale / ngalngale	who are you? (male / female)
med, ngayawan	wait, I'll look for him/her
minj ngunewokdi, wam (dowen, warlbom)	you can't talk he/she is gone (sick, went hunting)
minj kahdi bolkkime	he/she isn't here now/today
yimwokngimen wolewoleh o malaywi	call this afternoon or tomorrow
yirohrokmen (number)	try this number
wokmadbom bu minj yimbuyinj	I was waiting for you but you didn't call
ngamwokngimi wolewoleh	I was calling you yesterday
ngarohrokmeni kanewokdiwirrinj	I was trying to talk to you
yimbu ngudda yimwokngimen	you call me
yimre kanmang	come and get me	kan-mang = you.me-get
baleh yihdi?	where are you?	yi-h-di = you-immediate-stand
ngahdi kore kunred	I'm at home

Ailments

Kunwok	English	Comments
ngamarrwedoweng	I'm hungry	nga-marrwe-dowe-ng I-hunger-sick-past
ngakombukdoweng	I'm thirsty	nga-kom-buk-dowe-ng I-throat-dry-sick-past
njale ngunbayeng?	what's wrong?	lit. what bit you?
baleh ngunnjamedmeng?	what happened to you?	ngun-njamedmeng = it.you-somethinged
kanmarneyolyolmen	tell me about it
ngakodjbabang	my head hurts	nga-kodj-babang = my-head-hurts (substitute other body parts)
ngakodjke	I'm tired	also nga-mim-kodjke = my-eyes-tired
ngabondjek	I'm cold
ngaladmen	I'm hot
ngadjare ngayo	I want to lie down
ngaworrkoluy	I fell out of a tree
ngadengelurlmeng	My foot is swollen
birndu nganberlbayeng	A mosquito bit my arm	ngan-berl-baye-ng = it.me-arm-bite-past
ngaberlbakmeng	I broke my arm	nga-berl-bakme-ng = I-arm-break-past
ngabiddorrinj	I hit my hand	nga-bid-do-rri-nj = I-hand-hit-reflexive-past

Playing cards

Kunwok	English	Comments
ngurrimray karridirri kunkod	you (all) come, we're playing cards	kunkod = cards (from paperbark)
karridirri ABC / Instant	we're playing ABC / Instant
ngadjobke kad	I'm shuffling the cards	djobke = cut (i.e. cut cards)
yidjobkemen	shuffle them	djobke-men = cut-imperative
ngakadmang	I'm picking up the card/s	mang = get, collect
yikadma	get the card/s	ma = get.imperative (from mang = get, collect)
ngaye / ngudda wali	my/your turn	or: ngaye manwali = my turn
ngakadmang	I'm picking up the card/s	mang = get, collect
yiwewemen kad	deal the cards	we-we-men = throw-redup-imperative (throw repeatedly)
ngadilhme kad	I'm dealing the cards	dilh (from English "deal")
yikarrme … (djenj) ?	Do you have … (djenj) ?
yo, ngakarrme … (djenj).	Yes, I do have … (djenj).
larrk, minj ngakarrme … (djenj) .	No, I don’t have … (djenj).
ngakukwarrewong	I lost
ngadowen	I've got no luck
moken	the pile
budda ten	full house	(ABC game)
mayla	nothing	(ABC game)
ngaye ngardduk rowk	I win
ngawinhmeng	I won	winhme = win (from English "win")

On the road

Kunwok	English	Comments
ngurribidbu karrire	you (all) get in and let's go
werrk karrire	hurry up, we're going
nangale kakanemkarrme?	who's driving?	ka-kanem-karrme = pres-ear-hold (he/she drives)
kandikan Jabiru	you (all) take me to Jabiru	(remember "kan" is pronounced like English "gun")
yibolkbengkan baleh yire?	do you know where you're going?	yi-bolk-bengkan = you-country-know
karrire kumekke	let's go there (pointing)
karrire djarre	go further / keep going	karri-re djarre = we-go far
yibolhkadjung	follow the road	yi-bolh-kadjung = you-road-follow
karridjowkke	we're crossing over (the river)
karridjalrohrokme	we'll keep trying	karri-djal-rohrokme = we-still-try (we're driving til we find what we're looking for)
ngabolkbengmidjdanj	I forgot the place	nga-bolk-bengmidjdanj = I-country-forgot
manbolhwarre	wrong road, rough road
kuwarre	wrong place, bad place	ku-warre = loc-bad
konhda kabolkmak	here is a good place	ka-bolk-mak = it-country-good
ngudda yibebmen!	get out
dengebelngdanj kadberre	we've got a flat tyre
ngamwam nayinj bu minj yidiwirrinj	I came to see you but you weren't there
madbom kunkuyeng bu minj yimrayinj	I waited for you for a long time but you didn't come	yi-m-ra-yinj = you-towards-go-irrealis

Dangerous places

Kunwok	English	Comments
kamak ngare?	Can I go there?
kamak, yiray	Okay, you can go.
larrk, minj yire	No, you can’t go.
kunbolkdjamun	Sacred place for men only
daluk bedberre kundjurle	Shelter for women only	women-theirs-shelter
bininj minj kabirrire	Men can’t go there.
minj yire, ngalyod kahyo	Don’t go there, Rainbow Serpent is there.	ngalyod – Rainbow Serpent (usually around water bodies)
kunbolkbang, mimih kahyo	A spiritually dangerous place. A mimih spirit is there.	kubolkbang – spiritually dangerous place
kunbolkwarre, kinga kahyo	A dangerous place (not spiritually). A crocodile is there.	kunbolkwarre – physically dangerous place

In the classroom

Note that expressions involving yi- are addressed to an individual, while those with ngurri- are addressed to a group. Feel free to replace yi- (you singular) with ngurri- (you plural) and vice versa, as needed. You can also use karri- (we all) if the expression includes the speaker.

Kunwok	English	Comments
kamak bu ngundinan bolkkime!	nice to see you all today!
ngudda kamak?	are you (all) good?
kamak yiyoy?	did you sleep well?
ngurriyerrka	all sit down
ngurringudmen	all be quiet
ngurridolkka	all stand up
kandibekka	all listen
ngudda warridj	you too .
karribiddokme rowk	let's all clap hands
ngurribiddjirridjburren	wash your hands	ngurri-bid-djirridjbu-rren = you-hand-wash-reflexive
yiyidmeburren?	did you brush your teeth?	yi-yidme-burren = you-teeth-beat
yibawo!	stop that!
yibidbawo!	don't touch that!
yimray!	come!
yirohrokmen!	try it!
yiburlumerren	you're doing it well / showing off	yi-burlume-rren you-praise-reflexive
kanyolyolmen	tell me/us about it
ngurribidyikarrmerrimen	help each other	ngurri-bidyikarrme-rri-men = you.pl-help-reflexive-imperative
yuwn yibidbun	don't climb it

Collecting Pandanus

Kunwok	English	Comments
karrire karrimang kunngobarn	Let's go and get pandanus	also karri-ngobarn-mang = we-pandanus-get
balekeno karrire?	When will we go?
yibenbengdayhkemen daluk	Let the women know	yiben-bengdayhke-men = you.them-inform-imperative
ngalngale kamre?	Who is coming?	ngal-ngale = fem-who
yimka manmarli	Bring the pandanus hook	yi-m-ka = you-towards-carry.imperative (you bring)
yibomey kukku?	Have you got water?	yi-bo-mey = you-liquid-get.past
ngamang mudika	I'll get the truck
karribenkan daluk	Let's take the women	karriben-kan = we.them-carry (in the vehicle)
baleh kabirrihdi?	Where are they?
kanbukka njale yiyime	Show me what you're doing	kan-bukka = you.me-show.imperative
yiyirrme	You're stripping it	yi-yirrme = you-it.strip
karrimang kala	Let's collect colour (ochre, bark)	karri-mang = we-it.collect
kadungyibme karridokme	The sun's going down, let's head off home	ka-dung-yibme = it-sun-descend

Emotions

Kunwok	English	Comments
nganjilngmak	I feel good	nga-njilng-mak = I-feeling-good
nganjilngwarre	I feel bad	nga-njilng-warre = I-feeling-bad
nganjilngmarnbun	I'm cheering him up
ngakangemak	I'm happy	nga-kange-mak = I-heart-good
ngamarrmarrni	I'm happy
ngakangewarre	I'm sad	nga-kange-warre = I-heart-bad
ngakukdowen	I'm bored
ngadjurrkwon	I'm getting excited
ngangukruy	I'm angry	nga-nguk-ruy = I-belly-burn
ngakangebakke	I'm attracted to him/her
ngakangerayekwon	I'm encouraging him	nga-kange-rayekwon = I.him-heart-make.strong
kayiddung	He's speaking harshly
kayidwern	He's a troublemaker
njale ngunbayeng?	What's wrong?	ngun-bayeng = it.you-bite
njale ngunngun	What's wrong?	ngun-ngun = it.you-eat
njaleken yinalkbun?	why are you crying?
ngankangemey	it touched me	ngan-kange-mey = it.me-heart-get
yinahnarrimen	look after yourself	yi-nahna-rri-men = you-watch.over-reflexive-imperative
yinjilngbuhbuhmen	take heart (?)	yi-njilng-buhbuhmen = you-feelings-inflate

Food and food preparation

Kunwok	English	Comments
yiddok, nahni karringun?	Do you eat this?	yiddok – a term which introduces a question
yo, manmanjmak	Yes, it’s tasty.
ngadjare	I like it.
ngawarnyak	I don’t like it.
baleh karriyimowon karrikinje?	How do we prepare this food?	karri-yimowon = we-it.do, karri-kinje = we-it.cook
bukkan	I will show you.
kamak bu bidyikarrme?	Can I help you?
karrire karriyawan manme	We go get/search for food.
karrire karriyawan djenj	We go get fish / we go fishing.
karrire karriyawan mayh	We go get animals / we go hunting.

Preparing damper

Kunwok	English	Comments
kandidjdjawa	Damper, flour
ngabidjibme (kandidjdjawa dja kukku)	I stir (flour and water).
ngadurnme	I knead.
ngawirrkwirrkme	I clean it from sand.	wirrkme = scrape
ngadadjdadjke kandidjdjawa	I slice the damper.
karridjarrkngun	We eat together / we share the damper.	karri-djarrk-ngun = we-together-eat

Preparing meat

Kunwok	English	Comments
karrikinje kunkanj	We cook meat.
karrimuddurrkdurrkmang	We get rid of feathers or hair.	karri-mud-durrk-durrk-mang = we-feathers/hair-redup.-pull out
karrinjambebke	We take the guts out.	karri-njam-bebke = we-guts-take out
karrikinje kore kunak	We burn it on fire.	kinje = burn, cook
karribebke	We take it out (from fire).
karrikinje kore kunkerri	We cook it in ground oven.
karribarrkbun kunkod	We cover it with paperbark.
karrimadbun kunyirrke kakbakme	We wait until fire cools down.	karri-madbun = we-wait, kunyirrke = coals, kakbakme = become dark
karrimadbun karung	We wait until it’s cooked.	ka-rung = it-cooked
kadjolengmen	It’s cooked.	ka-djolengmen = it-become cooked
karringun	We eat.

To do

• country (kunbolk, kunred)
• family (bininj, daluk, namud, wurdurd, mawahmawah)
• leave-taking (woknan, kamak ngarriwokdanj)
• at the arts centre (njale yimarnbun?)
• sorry business (bolkwarreminj, ngarribidkurrmeng)
• outstation life (duruk yingudmen, djenj karrire, ngayawan kunyerrng ngaworrkme)
• church (yiwarrudj, karriwayini, karriburlume)
• fire and burning
• cars and road safety
• hunting
• stripping bark and bark painting
• jobs, ranger work
• food and food preparation (buburru, ngabiddjibme)
• (requests welcome)