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

makes it more emphatic, as, Yalu murrung nginyadhu,
"Really I am well." Any adjective describing a human attribute may be
taken as a predicate, as, good, bad, strong, sleepy, and employed with
the modifications of the word nginya.
Prepositions.
A number of prepositions are independent words, as: Behind,
yabbungura. In front, willidya. Across, dargin. Around, waiangadha.
Outside, or, on the other side, ngunningura. Inside, muguma. This side,
nginnungaradha. Billaga ngunningura, the other side of the creek. On
the right, bumalgala. On the left, mirrangur. Ahead, banganañ. In the
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. Ngunnungalâgal, 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? Widdyunggâwa 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; kurregûrk, 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 lârnuk, 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.--lârngak, 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.