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Nyiyaparli language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nyiyaparli
"Nijadali"
Native toWestern Australia
EthnicityBailgu, Niabali
Native speakers
8 (2025)[1]
Dialects
  • Palyku
  • Nankilakuthu ('high' or padupadu dialect)
  • Martuyitha ('low' dialect)
  • ?Ngulipartu (self-reported)
Language codes
ISO 639-3xny
Glottolognija1241
AIATSIS[3]A50
ELP

Nyiyaparli (Nyiyabali, Njijabali, or misspelled Nijadali) is a nearly extinct Pama–Nyungan language spoken by the Palyku (Bailko) and Niabali (Jana) people of Western Australia. There is also a formal language register known as padupadu.

Phonology

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Consonants

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Labial Alveolar Retroflex (Alveolo-)
palatal
Velar
Plosive p t ʈ rt c j k
Nasal m n ɳ rn ɲ ny ŋ ng
Rhotic ɾ rr
Approximant ɹ r j y w
Lateral l ɭ rl ly
  • /ɲ, c, l̠ʲ/ can also be heard as dental [n̪, t̪, l̪] in free variation among speakers, with a possible phonemic distinction.
  • Rhotics /ɾ, ɹ/ can be heard in free variation as [r, ɻ] among speakers.

Vowels

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Front Central Back
High i u
Low ɐ a
  • /i, u// can be heard as [ɪ, ʊ] within diphthongs.[4]

References

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  1. "Game designed to save dying Aboriginal language wins global awards". ABC News. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  2. Bowern & Koch (2004) Australian Languages: Classification and the Comparative Method
  3. A50 Nyiyaparli at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  4. Battin, Jacqueline (2019). Topics in Nyiyaparli morphosyntax. Australian National University.