Tips

This page contains some hints on how to learn a (mostly) unwritten language...

1. Put yourself out there

Many people assume a two step process: (1) learn the language through intensive study; then (2) apply what you've learnt with people. However, you won't get far with Bininj Kunwok this way. You need to cast yourself out there, even if it means adopting a different and more outgoing personality. Try things, make mistakes, have a laugh... if you're not making mistakes and embarrassing yourself regularly, you're not learning. The language exists for communication and relationships, so make communication and relationships the priority from the very beginning.

--- Sarah Gudschinsky (1967) How to Learn an Unwritten Language, page 4

2. Learn phrases not words

Learning vocabulary out of context is virtually useless, because you don't get clues to the range of meanings of a word. Memorise phrases, and generalise them by substituting words.

Many people start by replacing English nouns with Kunwok nouns, e.g. ``what's that daluk's name?. But speaking the language requires verbs, and you can't learn Kunwok verbs this way. You learn them through substitution:

• nganan duruk (I see the dog)
• ngayawan duruk (I look for the dog)
• ngabukkan duruk (I teach the dog)
• ngadukkan duruk (I tie up the dog)
• ngamang duruk (I get the dog)