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Jandai is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Quandamooka people who live around the Moreton Bay region of Queensland. Other names and spellings are Coobenpil; Djandai; Djendewal; Dsandai; Goenpul; Janday; Jendairwal; Jundai; Koenpel; Noogoon; Tchandi. Traditionally spoken by members of the Goenpul people, it has close affinities with Nunukul language (spoken by the Nunukul people) and Gowar language (spoken by the Ngugi people). Today now only few members still speak it.

Classification

The three tribes that comprise the Quandamooka people spoke dialects of a Durubalic language. The language that the Goenpul tribe of central and southern Stradbroke Island speaks is Jandai, and the Nunukul dialect of northern Stradbroke island was called Moondjan, the term for its distinctive word for "no".

Bowern (2011) lists five Durubalic languages:

• Jandai (Janday)
• Turrubal (Turubul) and Yagara (Jagara)
• Nunukul (Nunungal, Moonjan)
• Gowar (Guwar)

Dixon (2002) considers all but Guwar to be different dialects of the Yagara language.

Phonology

Consonants

• /c/ can be heard as either voiceless or voiced .
• Stop sounds /p, t, k/ may also be heard as voiced .

Vowels

• Vowel length is also distinctive.

Vocabulary

Some words from the Jandai language include:

• Maroomba bigi/maroomba biggee: good day
• Juwanbinl: bird
• Buneen: echidna
• Gagarr: fish
• Murri: kangaroo
• Dumbirrbi: koala
• Gabul: snake
• Bingil: grass
• Humpi: home/camp
• Djara: land
• Juhrram: rain
• Bigi: sun
• Dabbil: water
• Bargan: boomerang
• Goondool: canoe
• Jahlo: fire
• Marra: hand
• Jalwang: knife
• Tabbil: water
• Wanya: where?
• Ragi bush

References

1. ^ E19 Jandai at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
2. ^ Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elder-in Council Jandai Language Dictionary. Dunwich, Queensland, Australia: Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elder-in Council Aboriginal Corporation. 2011. ISBN 9780987096609.
3. ^ This Misplaced Pages article incorporates text from Jandai published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 17 May 2022.
4. ^ This Misplaced Pages article incorporates text from Goenpul published by the State Library of Queensland under CC BY licence, accessed on 20 May 2022.
5. ^ Dixon, R. M. W. (2002). Australian Languages: Their Nature and Development. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-47378-1.
6. Bowern, Claire. 2011. "How Many Languages Were Spoken in Australia?", Anggarrgoon: Australian languages on the web, December 23, 2011 (corrected February 6, 2012)

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