Nyungar wangkiny or language, and the commitment to it, is central to
Nyungar identity. As
Nyungar language was not written prior to colonisation, there are many spellings of the word
Nyungar itself (e.g.
Noongar, Nyoongar) and many other
Nyungar words.
Nyungar language is evident in place names, street names, plants and animals found throughout
Nyungar boodjar.
Nyungar words such as ‘
gidge’ for spear have also been incorporated into the Australian-English language,
Nyungar have remained faithful to our
Nyungar wangkiny despite regressive policies and practices imposed upon us.
Nyungar wangkiny assists in restoring and preserving
Nyungar ways of expressing culture and experience.
1 As stated by the late
Ballardong man Ralph Winmar (1996), Elder and “Keeper of the Stories”, “
Nyungar language has a harmonious quality, and it is a real treat to hear two fluent speakers in conversation.
2
There are often multiple names and/or multiple spellings of similar names. For example, ‘whale’ is written as
mamang, mamung, mummung, mammang, mamong, meemonga or
namang. As
Nyungar was not a written language before colonisation, these spellings represent variations in the interpretation by various recorders of the pronunciation of a given
Nyungar word. The pronunciation itself may also have varied from place to place or clan to clan. Here we include one spelling for each similar sounding name; hence for whale we present ‘
mamang’.
3
There may also be names for a single species that are quite different. These different names could represent different stages in the life cycle, different sexes, different features of the species’ lifestyle or regional variations in usage. For example, for humpback whale we found the names recorded as
goonga goombar (carrying a large neck or back),
booga bidern (back of whale a creating trail in water as it jumps, i.e. breaching) and b
ugal-el-ngor (literally hillock on back) (personal communication, Clint Bracknell and Len Collard).
This glossary is organised alphabetically for easy reference. Select or scroll through the following letter groups to find words:
A-D
Swipe to see more
| Nyungar |
English |
Pronunciation Audio |
| Bada |
Lake Club Rush |
Not available |
| Bain |
Pigface (coastal plant) |
|
| Balga |
Grass Tree (plant) |
|
| Balyoongar |
Sand |
Not available |
| Bamba |
Stingray |
|
| Bandi |
Black Bream |
Not available |
| Barndee |
Bream (fish) |
|
| Beeliar |
The suburb of Beeliar |
|
| Berang |
Harsh Hakea (plant) |
|
| Bibbul |
Prickly Leaf Paperbark (plant) |
Not available |
| Bidi |
Trail |
|
| Bindi-bindi |
Moth |
Not available |
| Birak |
Season December and January (The first Summer) |
|
| Birdak |
Robin Red Breast Bush (plant) |
Not available |
| Biriki mimodja |
Prickly Moses (plant) |
Not available |
| Bondil |
Spearwood |
Not available |
| Boodalang |
Australian Pelican |
Not available |
| Boodjar, or boodjera |
Country or land |
|
| Boodjar-gordo |
An island |
|
| Booga bidern |
Back of whale a creating trail in water as it jumps i.e. breaching |
|
| Booka |
Coat |
|
| Boolkaala |
Bull Banksia (plant) |
Not available |
| Boolyada |
One who possesses magic |
|
| Boorda |
Valley |
|
| Boornyarri |
Man's name |
|
| Booyee |
Rock |
|
| Booyeembara |
Booyeembara Park |
|
| Booyi |
Turtle (salt water) |
Not available |
| Borda borda |
Later on |
|
| Born or mardja |
Bloodroots (plant) |
|
| Bugal-el-ngor |
Literally hillock on back |
|
| Bulland |
Blue Crane, White-faced Heron, Grey Heron |
|
| Bullung |
Pelican |
|
| Bunuru |
Season February and March (The second Summer) |
|
| By-yu |
Zamia season or fruit |
|
| Coolbellup |
North Lake (the name Coolbellup now also refers to a whole suburb) |
|
| Coomarl |
Brushtail Possom |
|
| Daap |
Knife - ceremonial |
|
| Daatj |
Meat |
Not available |
| Dabakan Koorliny |
Go slowly, Walk slowly |
Not available |
| Dabedook |
Fanbelly Leatherjacket |
Not available |
| Dalagooroo |
The sound of the wind blowing |
|
| Derbal Nara |
Cockburn Sound - Derbal means estuary and Nara means salmon |
|
| Derbal Yaragan |
Swan River |
|
| Derbow |
Dive or stoop |
|
| Deree |
Trumpeter (fish) |
|
| Diert |
Birds |
Not available |
| Dilyordoo |
Swamp Harrier (bird) |
Not available |
| Djakat |
Roots |
|
| Djandjarak |
Pied Stilt (bird) |
Not available |
| Djara |
Coastal Blackbutt |
Not available |
| Djeran |
Season April and May (The Autumn) |
|
| Djerikara |
Perth Lined Slider |
Not available |
| Djeringkara |
Silver Gull |
Not available |
| Djidar or djerdap |
Birds |
Not available |
| Djidi-djidi |
Willy Wagtail, Chitty Chitty |
|
| Djidily |
Grasshopper |
Not available |
| Djidong |
Small Lizard |
Not available |
| Djilba |
Season August and September (The second rains) |
|
| Djilki |
Freshwater Crayfish |
Not available |
| Djiraly |
Jarrah |
Not available |
| Djoobak |
Orchids |
|
| Djooditj |
Western Quoll |
Not available |
| Djuk; also weelarra, waang |
Sandalwood |
|
| Dobitj |
Dugite |
Not available |
| Dogee |
Rain |
|
| Doordajee Doordajee |
She is going to have a baby |
|
| Doordany |
Whiting |
Not available |
| Doowart |
Tuart |
Not available |
| Dowak |
Short heavy stick |
|
| Dutark |
Whiting (fish) |
|
| Dwaangka |
Ears |
Not available |
| Dwert |
Dingo or dog |
|
E-J
Swipe to see more
| Nyungar |
English |
Pronunciation Audio |
| Erbin |
Cuttlefish |
Not available |
| Gaba or gabbee |
Water |
|
| Gabee-wodin |
The main ocean |
|
| Gidgee or gidge |
Fishing spear |
|
| Gilbitch |
Parrotfish |
|
| Gilgie |
Freshwater crayfish |
|
| Gilgit Nyunakil |
Fishing Boat Harbour |
Not available |
| Gnarnk |
Bloodline |
|
| Gnooroolmayup |
Carnac Island |
Not available |
| Gnoort |
Horse |
|
| Gooiara |
Sand |
|
| Gooya |
Burrowing Frog |
|
| Goonga goombar |
Carrying a large neck or back (Humpback Whale) |
|
| Gwaga |
Quokka |
|
| Idjarap |
Has bones, Pink Snapper |
Not available |
| Jeeriji |
Zamia (plant) |
|
| Jenna koorliny |
Walk |
|
| Jennark |
Spirit |
|
| Jimbar |
The jimbar was like a dinosaur, as big as a dinosaur |
|
| Joobaitch |
Nyungar man |
|
K-L
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| Nyungar |
English |
Pronunciation Audio |
| Kaaka-baaka |
Yellow-billed Spoonbill |
Not available |
| Kaal mangatj |
Firewood Banksia |
Not available |
| Kaanya |
Spirit |
|
| Kaarda |
Goanna |
|
| Kaboor |
Green or Grey Stinkwood |
Not available |
| Kadar |
Musk Duck (male) |
Not available |
| Kakak |
Little Pied Cormorant |
Not available |
| Kakka |
Kookaburra |
Not available |
| Kali |
Great Crested Grebe |
Not available |
| Kalkarda |
Mullet (fish) |
|
| Kambarang |
Season October and November |
|
| Kanamit |
Welcome Swallow |
Not available |
| Kara |
Spider |
|
| Karalbrang |
Kangaroo Paw |
Not available |
| Karayn-karayn |
Caspian Tern |
Not available |
| Kardagurt |
Shag / Pied Comorant |
|
| Kardan |
Marri or Red River Gum |
Not available |
| Kardang-gurrung |
WA Dhufish |
|
| Karreel |
Estuary Cobbler (fish) |
|
| Katitjin |
Knowledge |
|
| Katta |
Hill |
|
| Kaya |
Hello |
Not available |
| Keirp |
Water |
|
| Kerbein |
Coastal Sword Sedge (plant) |
|
| Kieler |
Dolphin |
|
| Kin kin |
Slender Tree Frog |
Not available |
| Kodj |
Stone axe |
|
| Kodger cuttuck |
Pink snapper (fish) |
|
| Kondil |
Dwarf Sheoak |
Not available |
| Kooboolong |
Frogs |
Not available |
| Kooboolong/warrkaly |
Motorbike Frog |
Not available |
| Kooboorl kooboorlor koombar kumbariny |
That means the belly is getting big |
|
| Koodjeed |
White myrtle |
Not available |
| Koolamwin |
Sea breeze |
Not available |
| Koolel |
Swamp Paperback |
Not available |
| Kooloorda |
Flooded Gum |
Not available |
| Koolyanga |
Swamp Banksia |
Not available |
| Koomool |
Brushtail Possum |
Not available |
| Koonart |
Orange Wattle |
Not available |
| Koondaka |
Zamia (plant) |
Not available |
| Kooranap |
Spirit place across the sea |
|
| Koorda boodjar |
An Island |
Not available |
| Koordji |
Australian Reed-warbler |
Not available |
| Koormul |
Possum |
|
| Koorndan |
Shame |
|
| Kooyal |
Frog |
|
| Kulbardi |
Magpie |
|
| Kuljak |
Swans |
|
| Kura |
Long time ago |
|
| Kura yeye boorda |
From the past today and into the future |
|
| Kurrlonggur |
Children |
|
| Kwel |
Sheok |
Not available |
| Kwelina |
Dolphin |
Not available |
| Kwenda |
Bandicoot |
Not available |
| Kwirlam |
Purple Swamphen |
Not available |
| kurrlonggur ngarnk |
Child's mother |
|
| Kyli |
Boomerang |
|
| Kyooyar |
Frogs |
Not available |
M-N
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| Nyungar |
English |
Pronunciation Audio |
| Maali |
Black Swan |
Not available |
| Maaman or Maam |
Male - also father |
|
| Maaman mar |
Sea breeze |
|
| Maamoong |
Whale |
Not available |
| Maar |
Air |
Not available |
| Maar-book |
The firmanent - also used to denote air |
|
| Makuru |
Season June and July (The first rains) |
|
| Mangatj |
Slender or Holly-Leaf Banksia |
Not available |
| Mamong |
Whale |
|
| Mar |
Wind |
|
| Maro |
Rottnest Island Native Pine |
Not available |
| Meeandip |
Garden Island |
|
| Meeka |
Moon |
|
| Meeka-derbaga |
The moon is set |
|
| Meen |
Roots |
|
| Mereny |
Food |
Not available |
| Mia |
Shelter hut camp |
|
| Miro |
Spear thrower |
|
| Miyal |
Eyes |
Not available |
| Modong |
Modong Paperbark |
Not available |
| Moodjar |
Christmas Tree |
|
| Mooly |
Nose |
Not available |
| Moona |
Rottnest Island Teatree |
Not available |
| Moort |
Family |
|
| Nandat |
Easterly land breeze |
Not available |
| Nanga-banya |
A hot or sweating sun |
|
| Nanga-ngnardog |
The sun is set |
|
| Nangar |
The stars |
|
| Ngalkaning |
Nankeen Night Heron |
Not available |
| Ngama |
Waterhole |
Not available |
| Ngari |
Australian Salmon |
Not available |
| Ngarkal |
Seagull |
Not available |
| Ngoorndiny |
A Resting place - of the Waarkle |
|
| Ngowil |
Baldchin Groper |
Not available |
| Nornt |
Western Tiger Snake |
Not available |
| Nyilla-nyilla |
Mistletoe (plant) |
|
| Nyingar |
Echidna |
|
| Nyitting |
Cold time or Dreamtime |
|
| Nyungar or Noongar |
People |
|
O-Z
Swipe to see more
| Nyungar |
English |
Pronunciation Audio |
| Waakal or Waarkle or Waugal |
Dream time rainbow serpent |
|
| Wadjemup |
Rottnest Island - Place of the Emus |
|
| Walgen |
Rainbow |
|
| Waitch |
Emu |
|
| Wandju |
Welcome |
Not available |
| Wangkiny |
Language/talking |
Not available |
| Wanil |
Peppermint |
Not available |
| Wardan |
Sea |
|
| Wardan gaba boodjera |
Sea side |
|
| Wardan nara |
Sea shore |
Not available |
| Wardong |
Crow |
|
| Warra |
Bad |
|
| Wayan |
White-faced Heron |
Not available |
| Wayooda |
Hoary-headed grebe (bird) |
Not available |
| Wedjela or wedjella |
White person |
|
| Whadjuk |
The people of the Swan coastal plain. Could refer to Weitch, or emu |
|
| Wilyawa |
Red-eyed Wattle |
Not available |
| Wimbin |
Pink-eared Duck |
Not available |
| Wolgol |
Quandong (plant) |
Not available |
| Wonna |
Women's digging stick |
|
| Woonda |
Shield |
|
| Woordanung |
Spirit place across the sea |
|
| Woorriji |
Lizard |
|
| Wort buranginy |
To pinch or grab the throat |
|
| Yaakan |
Turtle (river) |
Not available |
| Yadjingoorong |
Red-necked Avocet |
Not available |
| Yakkan |
Turtles |
Not available |
| Yandjet |
Edible bulb of the bulrush |
Not available |
| Yanget |
Bulrush |
Not available |
| Yerderdap |
Ducks |
Not available |
| Yondock |
Ancestral Crocodile |
|
| Yongka |
Western Grey Kangaroo |
|
| Yonka or yonga |
Kangaroo |
|
| Yoorn |
Bobtail |
Not available |
| Yorga |
Female |
|
| Yorga mar |
Easterly land breeze |
|
| Yowarl |
Paperbark |
Not available |