Jingulu (Djingili)

Jingulu is a Mirndi language spoken the Northern Territory of Australia, particularly around the township of Elliot in the Ash Burton range area. According to the 2016 census, there are 23 speakers of Jingulu. The majority of speakers are over 50, and the language is no longer used as a means of daily communication - English or Kriol are used instead.

Jingulu is also known as Chingalee, Chunguloo, Djingila, Djingulu, Jingali, Lee, Tchingalee or Tjingilu.

There is (or was) a well-developed signed version of the Jingulu language.

Jingulu alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

i is also pronounced [ɨ] or [e]; u is also pronounced [o] or [ɔ]; and a as [ʌ], [æ] or [ə].
long vowels are written with doubled letters: aa [aː], ii [iː] and uu [uː]
Jingulu has vowel harmony, which involves a becoming i when it is at the end of a root word and attached to suffixes containing i or u. For example: ngaja + -mindi-yi = ngijimindiyi (we will see); ngarrabaj + -wurru-nu = ngirribijiwurrunu (they told (it to him))

Sample text

Kamamurra Marluka

Bundurrunu umbumami ngarnu jamirnani marlukarni, bundundurru marriya, angkula wumbumaardi kamamurra. Kamamurra jamarni marlukarni narnangajarriya biyurlarruni, kaminjirru kularrani. Kaminjirru kulayarni ngarnu ngajanarriya bundundurru marliya. Nginirni bundurru ngabangarriyi ngarni ngindirna marlukarna. Bubujirna marlukarna ngabangarriyi ngarnu bundurrunu ngunyangarriyi, ngambaya manyan kaya bundundurra.

The Old Blind Man

Be so kind as to cook that old man some food, he can't cook because he's blind. That old blind man is looking about for his children, perhaps his grandchildren or nephews. Our young people look after our feeding when we are sick. I'll take some food to that old man. I'll take this food over and give it to the hold white-haired man so that he can have a sleep once he's full up.

Sample video in Jingulu

Download an alphabet chart for Jingulu (Excel)

Links

Information about the Jingulu language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingulu_language
http://www.ethnologue.com/language/jig
http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv.php

Mirndi languages

Jaminjung, Jingulu, Wambaya

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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