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
- daluk woman
- manme food
- kunak fire
- kured camp
- kunwok language
- nayin snake
- mankung honey
- kunmim eye
- kunbid hand
- kundulk tree
2. Memorable because of how they sound
- mudika truck, car
- bakki tobacco
- duruk dog
- lod loaf
- bobo bye bye
- bikbik pig
- kukku water
- dabulin tarpaulin
- wakwak crow
- bim painting
3. More easy words
- kukak night
- kundad leg
- mankabo river
- kunkeb nose
- kunbolk country
- kundang mouth
- delek white clay
- yabok sister
- namud family
- bod fly
4. Words ending with palatal sounds
(Hyperarticulate initially, e.g. bi.ni.njə, then don't release the nj)
- bininj person, aboriginal person, man
- kunkanj meat
- kunj kangaroo
- kunkanj meat
- djenj fish
- djedje woman's child
- marladj orphan
- kunkodj head
- kunmadj personal effects
- kundedj buttocks
5. Words with initial velar nasals
- ngaye I
- ngudda you
- ngalekke she
- nganabbarru buffalo
- ngalyod rainbow serpent
- kundenge foot - NB syllable boundary (kun.de.nge)
- kunngey name
- kunngarbek hair
- kunngudj strength
- manngarre bushes
6. Words with retroflex consonants
- rdarda younger sibling
- rdird moon, month, usually written "dird"
- kunbard knee
- wurdurd child
- ngardduk my, mine (rdd = rdrd)
- kunberl arm
- berluh aunty
- kunbirli light, flame
- manlabbarl waterhole
- kornkumo father
7. Words ending in glottal stop
(Cf English uh-uh.)
- mah ok
- baleh? where?
- mimih spirit being
- mayh animal
- yoh yes
- manbolh track
- milh forhead
- bokenh two
- kunkurlah skin
- wakih prawn
8. Words with flap or trill
- djarrang horse
- kurrung build up season
- karrang mother
- birriwern everyone
- namarrkon lightning
- wilarrk egg
- modjarrkki freshwater crocodile
- nakurrng poison cousin
- bengwarr deaf person
- kunberr fun
9. Words with combinations of difficult sounds
- ngalkohbanj old lady
- ngadjadj uncle
- ngadburrung sibling
- kunngorrk waist
- ngarradj sulphur-crested cockatoo
- yawurrinj young man
- korlonj man's child
- ngalng yabby
- manberlnginj clapstick
- djalangkarridj-djalangkarridj dragonfly
10. Useful words with notable combinations of meanings
- manbuyika next, previous
- wolewoleh afternoon, yesterday
- malaywi morning, tomorrow
- korroko just now, a long time ago
- kundung sun, hour
- kundjikka milk, breast
- kunwardde stone, money
- mako gun, didjeridoo
- kudjewk year, wet season
- dabborrabbolk elders, old people, ancestors