Last changed 29 February 2012

Note: This page is just a pointer to some of the main resources on Wiradjuri language

See the Parkes Wiradjuri Language Group Wiradjuri Language Website.

See also 'Selected Bibliography of materials on the Wiradjuri Language and People held in the AIATSIS Library' (June 2006), and Wiradjuri entries in The World Wide Web Virtual Library : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages, edited by David Nathan.

Wiradjuri

Modern published vocabulary and grammar

A new Wiradjuri dictionary, compiled by Stan Grant (Senr) and Dr John Rudder. 2010. O'Connor, ACT: Restoration House. * http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/37421487

A first Wiradjuri dictionary, compiled by Stan Grant (Senr) and Dr John Rudder. 2005. O'Connor, ACT: Restoration House. * http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/31591360

Macquarie Aboriginal Words cover'Wiradjuri', by Sally McNicol and Dianne Hosking. Chapter 5 in  Macquarie Aboriginal Words: a dictionary of words of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, ed. by N Thieberger & W Macgregor, 1994. The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd * http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/23178838
= ASEDA item 0536




19th century sources

There are numerous 19th century vocabularies, some substantial, as listed in the AIATSIS Library's Selected Bibliography.
Here I detail the two main early sources:

Horatio Hale with the Rev. William Watson

Hale, Horatio. Ethnology and Philology [including 'Wiradurei'], pp. 479-531 in Narrative of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, Volume 1 by Charles Wilkes. Philadelphia: C. Sherman, 1846 *
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/Resources/Divisions/Academic/Library/Cultural%20Collections/pdf/hale1846b.pdf
2.4MB in the Virtual Sourcebook for Aboriginal Studies in the Hunter Region Guide * another scan of the same pages is at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/Resources/Divisions/Academic/Library/Cultural%20Collections/pdf/hale1846.pdf * another version is in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries Digital Collection http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/usexex/navigation/ScientificText/usexex19_07select.cfm

writings of the Rev. James William (Jakob Wilhelm) Günther (father of William James Gunther)

Archdeacon Günther's 'Grammar and vocabulary of the Aboriginal dialect called the Wirradhuri', Appendix D. Sydney: Charles Potter, Govt. Printer, 1892. * http://www.newcastle.edu.au/Resources/Divisions/Academic/Library/Cultural%20Collections/pdf/09alpendixd.pdf  5.3MB PDF at the The Virtual Coquun - Hunter River Project

1840
CY Reel 980, frames 586-615
Supplement to a Vocabulary of the Native Dialect called Wirradhurrei. 1840. [title page is numbered 281]
ML B 505
James Günther. Australian Aborigines. Wirradurri dialect, 1837-1840
Mitchell Library, Sydney http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=947986

1839
Vocabulary of the Aboriginal dialect called Wirradhurri [sic] spoken in the Wellington District, etc., etc. of New Holland collected by James Günther, 1839
[and] A few prefactory remarks to the following grammar, James Günther, St John’s Parsonage, Mudgee, 24th August 1871.
[and] An attempt of a grammar of the Wirradhurri [sic] dialect compiled & revised by J.G., 1840.
[iv], [336] pp. 19 x 12 cm
http://www.therai.org.uk/archives-and-manuscripts/manuscript-contents/0006-guenther-james-ms-6/
The 1839 manuscript was microfilmed in 2000 by Academic Microforms, Caithness, Scotland, and is held at AIATSIS Library Local call number MF 266 (1 reel ; 35 mm., pos.)

1838
Vocabulary of the Native Dialect Wirradurri spoken in the Wellington District &c &c &c
by Rev Jas. James Günther
CY Reel 936
ML C136, Mitchell Library, Sydney http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=947986

some other relevant resources

Carey, Hilary M. and David A. Roberts (eds). 2002. The Wellington Valley Project. Papers Relating to the Church Missionary Society Mission to Wellington Valley, New South Wales 1830–42. A Critical Electronic Edition. University of Newcastle.

Austin, Peter. 1997. Proto central New South Wales phonology, pp.21-49 in Boundary rider: essays in honour of Geoffrey O'Grady, ed. by Darrell Tryon and Michael Walsh. Pacific Linguistics C-136. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University

Nash, David. 1974. The comitative affix in Wiradhuri. ANU Linguistics (Arts) term paper. * AIATSIS Library, pMs 3688 * supporting map * Worksheet on the -djuri ending in placenames

Gaynor Macdonald. 2004. Two steps forward three steps back: A Wiradjuri land rights journey. Canada. Bay, NSW: LhR Press.

using old sources

Paper and Talk cover Paper and Talk coverPaper and Talk, A manual for reconstituting materials in Australian indigenous languages from historical sources, ed, N Thieberger, 1995, reprinted 2005. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

This volume contains excellent general advice on how to use old written sources; and as it happens p.42 reproduces an extract from one Günther's manuscripts (part of frame 402 of the 1838 Vocabulary)




placename study

Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/name/search
Parish & Historic Maps http://www.lands.nsw.gov.au/survey_mapping/parish_maps
Parish (and Pastoral) Map Preservation Project http://parishmaps.lands.nsw.gov.au/pmap.html
NSW Railway Station Names and Origins http://www.nswrail.net/library/station_names.php

NSW government agencies

NSW Office of the Board of Studies (BOS) page for Indigenous languages – being updated
NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) pages on Aboriginal Languages
NSW Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre – revised site expected April 2007

© 2011
Australian languages
David Nash's home page

Created: 4 March 2007
Modified: 29 February 2012
URL http://www.anu.edu.au/linguistics/nash/aust/wira/index.html