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
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 will 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
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)
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
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.
