The Wiradyuri and Other Languages of New South Wales | Page 4

rear, ngunnagangura.
Frequently the verb includes the meaning of a preposition, as in the following examples:
Ngadhu ngadyên dyirramuddyi gullegiri, I that hill go-up-will. Ngadhu dyila dyirramuddyi birrawagiri, I that hill go-down-will. Ngadhu ngidyi gigulle waiangugiri, I that tree go-round-will. Ngeani birgudyi wurungiri, We (pl. incl.) the scrub through-will-go. Ngulliguna billadyi errugiri, We (dual excl.,) the creek will-cross. Ngadhu dyirramudyi ngagungurgu gulleamurrigiri, I will climb over the hill.
Adverbs.
The following are a few of the adverbs, some of which are inflected for number, case, and tense: Wirrai, no. Ngaiin, yes. Yandhal, now. Dhallan, soon. Yêre, to-day. Ngurrungal, the morning. Yêregwala, yesterday. Ngunnigunala, day before yesterday. Ngunnungalagal, day after to-morrow. Murradhulbul, long ago. Buruandhangga, night-time.
Here (now), nginna. Here (was), nginni. This way, dhain. Farther away, ngunna. Still farther, ngunneng. A good way off, ngunnagunalla. There in the rear, ngunnagangura. These pronominal adverbs, like the demonstrative pronouns, are very numerous and also include the points of the compass.
How, widdyallangalu? How thou, widdyawandu? How you (dual), widdyawandubla? How you (plural), widdyawandugir? How obtained, widdyunggurrunda burramai? Widdyunggawa has the meaning of "when?"
Where is it, dhagawana? Where (having the meaning of "which one,") dhagala? Where are thou, dhagawandu? Where are you (dual), dhagawandubla? Where are you (plural), dhagawandugir? From where, dhadyindaburramai? Where art thou from, dhadyigalliwandu? Where is the camp, dhagawa ngurung?
Interjections.
Yah! calling attention. Wai! look out. Wah! ngarrarbang! Ah!poor fellow! Listen, winnangga! Any vocative can be inflexed for number.
Numerals.
Ngunbai, one; bulla, two.
The Burreba-Burreba Language.
The Burreba-burreba is spoken from about Deniliquin to Moulamein, and from the latter southerly towards the Murray river. The following is a sketch of its grammatical structure. A dialect of this language, called Burêba, is spoken on the Murray river, near Swan Hill.
Number.--There are the singular, dual, and plural numbers. Wille, an opossum; willebulet, a pair of opossums; willebarak, or willeguli, several opossums.
Gender.--Wuthu, a man; lêurk, a woman; bangga, a boy; kurreg?rk, a girl; buban, a child of either sex; wuthuginbal, means a man and his wife. The gender of mammals and birds is marked by adding mamuk for male, and babuk for female; thus, gurê mamuk, a buck kangaroo; gurê babuk, a doe kangaroo.
Case.--The language has the nominative, nominative-agent, genitive, accusative, instrumental, dative and ablative cases. In the nominative, there is no change in the noun, except when it is the subject of a transitive verb, and then it requires the agent-suffix; as, Wuthung wirrungan burdumin, a man a dog beat; lêuru wirringal kurgin, a woman a perch caught; wirrunganu gurê bundin, a dog a kangaroo bit.
In the possessive case, the name of the proprietor and of the property each take a suffix, as, Wuthunggety wanuk, a man's boomerang; lêurgety larnuk, a woman's camp; wirrungangety birkuk, a dog's tail.
Instrumental.--This is the same as the nominative-agent, thus, Ngaty gurê duggin wanu, I a kangaroo hit with a boomerang.
Dative.--larngak, to a camp. Ablative.--wuthunyu, from a man. The accusative is the same as the nominative.
Adjectives.
Adjectives follow the nouns and take similar declensions.
Number.--Wuthu kurumbirt, a man large. Wuthubulet kurumbirtbulet, a couple of big men. Wuthubarak kurumbirtbarak, several big men.
Nominative-agent.--Wuthung kurumbirru wille burdumin, a large man an opossum killed.
Possessive.--Wuthunggety kurumbirungety wanuk, a big man's boomerang.
Ablative.--Wuthunyung kurumbirung, from a big man.
The comparison of adjectives follows rule similar to those explained in my article on "The Gundungurra Language."[9]
It will be observed that there are modifications in the case-endings of nouns and adjectives, depending upon the termination of the word declined. Moreover, these suffixes for number and case are applied to the simple nominative--not the nominative-agent.
Pronouns.
Pronouns take inflexion for number, person and case. There are two forms in the first person of the dual and plural--one in which the person or persons addressed are included with the speaker, and another in which they are exclusive of the speaker; these are marked "incl." and "excl." in the following table:
Singular.
1st Person I Ngaty Mine yekaiuk. 2nd " Thou Ngin Thine Ngindaiuk. 3rd " He Malu His Maigungety.
Dual.
1st Person We, incl. Ngal Ours, incl. Ngallaiuk. We, excl. Ngalung Ours, excl. Ngallunguk. 2nd " You Ngluen Yours Ngulaiuk. 3rd " They Malubulak Theirs Magaty-bulagaty.
Plural.
1st Person We, incl. Yangur Ours, incl. Yangurêuk. We, excl. Yandang Ours, excl. Yandêuk. 2nd " You Ng?t Yours Ng?te?k. 3rd " They Malugulik THeirs Ngugaty-guligaty.
Interrogatives.--Who, winyar? (singular)--winyarbula (dual) and winyartukuli (plural). What, nganyu? which also has a dual and plural form.
Demonstratives.--This, ginga, which has a dual and plural suffix. Malu, that; kila, that near you. Munya, that farther away. Kigety, belonging to that. Kigety-bulugety, belonging to those two. Kigety-guligety, belonging to all those.
Verbs.
Verbs have the same tenses and moods as those of the Wiradyuri, as will be demonstrated in the conjugation of the verb "to beat." In the Burreba-burreba verb there are, however, no regular modifications of the past and future tenses, such meanings being expressed by separate words.
Active Voice--Indicative Mood.
Present Tense.
1st Person I beat Ngaty tyilba. 2nd " Thou beatest